For a brief moment in the late ’80s, this Toronto-born actor was one of Hollywood’s biggest teen stars. Just a few years later, it all fell apart.
Bankrupt, struggling with addiction, and later seen on the streets asking for a slice of pizza, his life took a tragic turn. When he died in 2010, Hollywood was left stunned, with many major stars paying tribute.
Here is the heartbreaking story of Corey Haim—and how things went so wrong.
Growing up in Hollywood has proven difficult for many child stars, and his story remains one of the most painful examples. Haim was a warm, likeable child before fame overwhelmed him.
Born in December 1971 in Toronto, Canada, Haim was a shy child, and his parents encouraged him to take acting classes to build confidence. By the age of ten, he was already appearing in television commercials and quickly found comfort in front of the camera. This led to a role in the series The Edison Twins.
During this period, his parents divorced, a change that affected him deeply. In 1984, he landed the role of Brian Livingston in Firstborn, earning a Young Artist Award nomination and strengthening his early career. Film critic Roger Ebert praised his performance, calling it one of the most layered and compelling child performances of the time and predicting a strong future if he continued acting at that level.
Everything shifted in 1987 when Haim starred in The Lost Boys alongside Corey Feldman. The two became overnight teen sensations, and their on-screen chemistry led to further collaborations, including the reality series The Two Coreys.
As fame exploded, so did attention around him. He received thousands of fan letters from around the world, but was still young and unprepared for the intensity of sudden stardom and the sense that anything felt within reach.
In 1988, on his way to the premiere of License to Drive, Haim was caught on camera in a moment that reflected the image of an ’80s teen star at the height of fame. Speaking playfully to his girlfriend, he talked about getting ready for the evening, then turned to his mother and asked about arranging a limousine for the event.
The exchange reflected how much life in the spotlight had already shaped Corey Haim at such a young age. Like many child actors, he did not remain in school for long; his formal education ended at eighth grade. Instead, he became a regular at Alphy’s Soda Pop Club, an exclusive underage nightclub inside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
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Corey Haim’s struggle with addiction
According to Mirror, Haim began drinking beer while filming Lucas in 1986, and by the time The Lost Boys was in production, he had started using marijuana.
After relocating to Los Angeles, his drug use escalated. He went on to use cocaine and later crack, and by 1989, at just 18 years old, he entered rehab for the first time.
Recovery, however, proved difficult. Haim described himself as a “chronic relapser” and also became dependent on prescription medication. At certain points, he reportedly took as many as 85 pills in a single day.
ChatGPT said:
Colleagues later spoke about the toll addiction took on him. Dr. Nicki J. Monte, who worked with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman on The Two Coreys, said:
“He had a tremendous saboteur inside of him. And that saboteur he surrendered to. He was living under the spell of his addiction, and he was never able to break that spell.”
Haim’s ongoing struggles affected both his health and his career. Acting roles became scarce, leading to an eight-year break from the industry. During that time, he also faced financial difficulties, with much of his money going toward medical treatment.
At one point, his situation became so desperate that he reportedly tried to sell his teeth and hair on eBay.
In 1997, he filed for bankruptcy, giving up assets including a 1987 BMW, $100 in cash, clothing valued at $750, and $7,500 in residuals and royalty rights.
He was later the subject of an E! documentary that exposed the reality behind his teen idol image. It showed him living in a small apartment above a garage in Santa Monica with his mother. In interviews, Haim appeared disoriented and often difficult to understand, at one point showing up intoxicated and asking for money to buy a slice of pizza while trying to send promotional videos to casting agents, insisting he was “the old Corey.”
It was not the first attempt to restart his career. When The Two Coreys was canceled in 2008, largely due to his struggles with substance use, he took out an ad in Variety stating: “This is not a stunt. I’m back. I’m ready to work. I’m ready to make amends.”
Corey Haim cause of death
Haim was never able to fully overcome his addiction. He once said there was a period of three and a half years when he did not leave his apartment, during which his weight reportedly increased from 150 to 302 pounds.
On March 10, 2010, Corey Haim died from pneumonia.
Police initially reported that his death appeared to involve an accidental overdose, after bottles of Valium, Vicodin, Soma, and Haloperidol were found in his home. It later emerged that in the 32 days before his death, he had obtained more than 553 prescription pills using fake names, visiting multiple doctors and pharmacies.
While the presence of medication led to speculation about overdose, an autopsy ultimately ruled that he died of natural causes.
Allegations and aftermath
Haim’s story continued to draw attention after his death. Years later, Corey Feldman alleged that he and Haim had been sexually abused by men linked to a wider Hollywood network.
Haim’s mother, Judy, denied Feldman’s broader claims but confirmed that her son had been molested once by a man.
To mark the 10th anniversary of Haim’s death, Feldman released the documentary My Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys, which examined the alleged abuse they experienced in Hollywood.
One of its most controversial claims was Feldman’s allegation that Haim had told him Charlie Sheen raped him during the filming of Lucas in 1986, when Sheen was 19 and Haim was 13.
Entertainment Weekly reported that others featured in the documentary said Corey Haim had confided in them about the alleged abuse, including Feldman’s ex-wife Susannah Sprague, with whom he shares a son.
Sheen’s publicist responded to the allegations, telling People: “These sick, twisted and outlandish allegations never occurred. Period. I would urge everyone to consider the source and read what his mother Judy Haim has to say.”
Charlie Sheen had previously denied similar claims after a 2017 National Enquirer report involving actor Dominick Brascia, who died in 2018. Sheen later filed a lawsuit against the publication, which was settled in 2018.
Every time I see a photo or video of Corey Haim, it’s hard not to think about the life he might have had. He is remembered for the joy he brought to ’80s films, and his legacy continues to resonate.