For a brief moment in the late ’80s, this Toronto-born teenager was Hollywood’s brightest rising star. But just a few years later, everything unraveled. Bankruptcy, addiction, and a heartbreaking decline that eventually left him begging for a slice of pizza — a devastating fall few could have imagined. When he died in 2010, the shock rippled across Hollywood, and some of the industry’s biggest names mourned him.

This is the tragic story of Corey Haim — and how a sweet, shy boy became one of Hollywood’s most heartbreaking cautionary tales.

Growing up in the entertainment world is difficult — and Corey Haim’s journey remains one of the most painful examples. Born in December 1971 in Toronto, he was a quiet, gentle child. His parents enrolled him in acting lessons to help him come out of his shell, and by age ten, he was already appearing in commercials. His natural ease in front of the camera soon led to a role on The Edison Twins.

During this time, his parents divorced — a heavy emotional blow. But in 1984, Haim earned his first major film role in Firstborn, playing Brian Livingston. His performance earned him a Young Artist Award nomination and wide praise. Roger Ebert wrote:

“He creates one of the most three-dimensional, complicated, interesting characters of any age in any recent movie… He is that good.”

Everything changed in 1987, when Haim co-starred in The Lost Boys. His on-screen chemistry with Corey Feldman made them instant icons — the “Two Coreys.” Fan clubs, magazine covers, and movie deals followed, and the pair later starred in their own reality show, The Two Coreys.

A young star overwhelmed by fame

As a young teen idol, Haim received thousands of fan letters from around the globe. The fame was intoxicating — and overwhelming. In 1988, at the License to Drive premiere, reporters captured a moment that showed just how drastically Hollywood had shaped him.

“We’re going to take a shower together,” he joked to his girlfriend Lala, then turned to his mother:

“We’re calling a limo, aren’t we, Mom?”

He had essentially skipped childhood. He left school after eighth grade and became a regular at Alphy’s Soda Pop Club — a nightclub exclusively for underage actors at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The beginning of addiction

According to Mirror, Haim began drinking beer while filming Lucas in 1986. By the time he worked on The Lost Boys, he was smoking marijuana. After moving to Los Angeles, he experimented with cocaine and later crack. By 18, he had entered rehab for the first time.

Recovery didn’t hold.

Haim later described himself as a “chronic relapser,” struggling with cocaine and a dangerous dependency on prescription medication. At his worst, he reportedly consumed up to 85 pills a day.

Dr. Nicki J. Monte, who worked with the actor, said:

“[Haim] had a tremendous saboteur inside of him… He was living under the spell of his addiction, and he was never able to break that spell.”

As the addiction deepened, his acting opportunities faded. He took an eight-year break from Hollywood, spending much of his remaining money on medical bills. In desperation, he once tried selling his teeth and hair on eBay.

Financial collapse and public decline

In 1997, at just 25, Haim filed for bankruptcy. His assets included little more than a 1987 BMW, $100 in cash, some clothing, and a small amount of royalty income.

Around this time, an E! documentary revealed how far he had fallen. Haim was shown living in a modest apartment above a garage with his mother, disoriented and barely coherent in interviews. In one moment, he appeared drunk and asked for money to buy a slice of pizza — all while insisting he was ready to make a comeback.

He tried repeatedly to get clean. When The Two Coreys was canceled in 2008 due to his struggles, he took out an ad in Variety, writing:

“This is not a stunt. I’m back. I’m ready to work. I’m ready to make amends.”

Corey Haim’s final years and cause of death

Despite brief periods of sobriety, Haim never fully conquered his addiction. He once admitted that for more than three years he barely left his apartment, during which he gained over 150 pounds.

On March 10, 2010, Corey Haim died at age 38.

Authorities initially suspected an overdose after finding bottles of Valium, Vicodin, Soma, and Haloperidol in his home. It later emerged that in the month before his death, he had obtained more than 553 prescription pills using fake names.

But the autopsy revealed something few expected: Haim died from pneumonia — a natural cause.

Allegations that surfaced after his death

Haim’s story continued to unfold long after he passed away. Corey Feldman later claimed that both he and Haim had been victims of sexual abuse by powerful figures in Hollywood.

Haim’s mother disputed some of Feldman’s broader claims but acknowledged her son had been assaulted once by a man he trusted.

In 2020, Feldman released the documentary My Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys, alleging that Haim had confided in him that Charlie Sheen sexually assaulted him on the set of Lucas when Haim was 13. Others in the film echoed Haim’s alleged confession.

Charlie Sheen denied the allegations entirely, calling them “sick, twisted, and outlandish.”

Remembering Corey Haim

Every photograph, every clip from his films, is a reminder of the bright, talented, gentle boy he once was — and of the life he might have lived if Hollywood hadn’t consumed him so young.

His legacy lives on in the hearts of the fans who grew up with his movies, and in the countless people who saw past the headlines and never forgot his talent.

If you admired Corey Haim or want to honor his memory, feel free to share this story. His life was short, but the joy he brought to the screen will never be forgotten.