Home / Arts and Entertainment / Beloved 90s Heartthrob's Tragic Downfall: The Jonathan Brandis Story
Beloved 90s Heartthrob's Tragic Downfall: The Jonathan Brandis Story
29 Aug
Summary
- Brandis was a popular teen actor in the 90s, starring in films and TV shows
- He struggled with his career and mental health in his 20s, leading to his suicide at age 27
- Friends and fellow actors reflect on his death and the challenges of the entertainment industry
Jonathan Brandis was a rising star in the 1990s, best known for his roles as Bastian Bux in The NeverEnding Story II and Lucas Wolenczak on the TV series seaQuest DSV. At the height of his popularity in the mid-90s, the young actor was receiving over 4,000 pieces of fan mail per week and required security guards to navigate the crowds of admirers.
However, Brandis' career began to wane in the early 2000s, and he found himself struggling with a lull. In 2002, a role he hoped would be his comeback was cut from the film Hart's War. Soon after, friends say Brandis began drinking heavily and speaking openly about suicide. Tragically, on November 11, 2003, at the age of 27, Brandis died by suicide.
Brandis' death had a profound impact on his friends and fellow child actors, including Jaleel White and Soleil Moon Frye. They reflected on the challenges of the entertainment industry and the importance of truly listening to one another. Brandis' father, Greg, also spoke about his son's mental health struggles, saying he showed signs of manic depression in his 20s. Despite the tragedy, Greg finds comfort in feeling his son's presence, saying, "I talk to him and it makes me smile. I get the feeling he's looking down at me."
