Fifteen child actors experienced terrible tragedies that affected their lives significantly.

For many children, the process of growing up is a traumatic experience that can be challenging to handle.

However, children who are celebrities face additional challenges due to their fame and constant public attention, making the difficulties they encounter more pronounced.

Some actors have gone through terrible experiences behind closed doors that have affected their lives and careers, and some have shared their stories with the public.

Gary Coleman became famous as a child actor when he was ten years old and starred in the TV show “Diff’rent Strokes” in 1978.

He played the adorable, younger adoptive son of a wealthy man named Philip Drummond, a role that he maintained for nearly a decade.

Although his small stature helped to make him famous, it was caused by a congenital autoimmune kidney condition.

Coleman was frequently in and out of the hospital, and he required daily dialysis.

He also had many financial issues due to his adoptive parents’ mismanagement of his earnings.

Despite his hardships, Coleman remained successful in the industry until his death at 42 years old.

Shia LaBeouf‘s childhood was not easy.

He grew up with an abusive, heroin-addicted father who was a Vietnam Veteran with PTSD.

Shia accompanied his father to AA meetings, and he struggled with his own demons as a result.

Once, his father had a flashback to the war and held a gun to Shia’s head.

After his parents’ divorce, Shia decided to become an actor to help support his poverty-stricken family.

Despite their rocky past, he remains supportive of his parents using his fortune to help them.

River Phoenix, an American actor and musician, was part of a successful acting family.

He gained critical acclaim for his roles in hits including Stand by Me, My Own Private Idaho, and was cast as young Indiana Jones in the popular series.

Unfortunately, River died of a drug overdose outside Johnny Depp’s nightclub, Viper Room, at the peak of his stardom.

His younger brother Joaquin was by his side as he lost his life due to a speedball.

Joaquin went on to become an award-winning actor, but the death of his older brother continues to haunt him.

In 2013, a new biography claimed that River might have survived if his friends and brother had looked for help sooner.

The book suggests that Joaquin insisted his brother was okay and only called for help after River went into drug-related convulsions.

Rose McGowan, an American actress and activist, spent the first nine years of her life in a controversial cult group known as Children of God.

She lived there with her parents and remembers being upset about how the women were treated.

Women were essentially there to serve men sexually, and McGowan saw them being picked up in bars for that purpose.

She and her family left the cult when it began to encourage sex between adults and children.

Brandy was just 17 years old when she landed a TV show of her own (Moesha) and won a Grammy for her collaborative hit “The Boy is Mine” with singer Monica.

However, on December 30, 2006, she was involved in a fatal car accident where two children were injured, and their mother was killed.

The incident shattered the star, and she was investigated for manslaughter, although there wasn’t enough evidence to lay the charges.

She called it one of the worst times in her life.

Leighton Meester, who became famous for her role on Gossip Girl, has a past involving prison.

In 1983, her mother was imprisoned for helping smuggle a 1,200-pound shipment of marijuana out of Jamaica as part of a plan that also included Meester’s father and aunt.

She was born in prison.

Brad Renfro Died Of A Drug Overdose At Just 25.

Brad Renfro was a child actor who made his debut in The Client at just 11 years old.

His talent was undeniable and he went on to act in many other popular films like Tom and Huck, Apt Pupil and Ghost World.

Unfortunately, Renfro’s talent was overshadowed by his struggle with addiction, which began at a young age.

He was arrested for drug possession and attempted grand theft in 2005 and again for attempted possession in 2006.

He was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment in January of 2008 at just 25 years old, having suffered an accidental heroin overdose.

His passing was a tragic loss for the entertainment industry and his fans alike.

Lindsay Lohan‘s Parents Were Both Addicts And Divorced When She Was Young.

Lindsay Lohan is a name that needs no introduction.

She’s been in the public eye for over two decades, starting with her breakout role in The Parent Trap in 1998.

However, behind the glamour of her Hollywood career lies a difficult childhood.

Both of Lohan’s parents were addicts, which led to a tumultuous home life.

Her parents divorced when she was just three years old, and her father served time in prison for insider trading when she was a teenager.

Lohan herself struggled with addiction and legal issues throughout her twenties, but has since sought help and turned her life around.

Despite her troubled past, she remains one of the most iconic and recognizable child stars of all time.

Dana Plato Struggled With Addiction And Legal Issues.

Dana Plato is best known for her role as Kimberly Drummond on the hit 80s sitcom Diff’rent Strokes.

However, her life off-screen was far from idyllic. Plato struggled with addiction and legal issues for much of her adult life, leading to financial troubles and difficulty finding work in the entertainment industry.

She was arrested multiple times for robbery, forging prescriptions, and drug possession, and even appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

Tragically, Plato passed away in 1999 at just 34 years old, having overdosed on prescription drugs.

Her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction and the struggles faced by many child stars.

Jonathan Brandis Died By Suicide At Just 27 Jonathan Brandis was a child star who got his start on the popular TV show seaQuest DSV.

He quickly became a fan favorite, earning multiple Young Artist Award nominations for his role as Lucas Wolenczak.

Brandis went on to star in several popular movies like Ladybugs and The NeverEnding Story II, but his career began to stall as he got older.

He struggled with depression and substance abuse, and on November 12, 2003, he tragically took his own life at just 27 years old.

Brandis’ death was a shock to the entertainment industry and his fans, and his legacy continues to be celebrated today.