Teen heartthrob's heartbreaking final act before his tragic unexpected death
Teen heartthrob's heartbreaking final act before his tragic unexpected death
Jane LavenderSun, August 16, 2026 at 7:00 AM UTC
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He was one of the biggest stars on the planet -Credit:Universal/Everett/Shutterstock
Jonathan Brandis appeared to have everything going for him during his teenage years.
A worldwide heartthrob with a major hit series and multiple films to his name by age 17, the rising actor seemed destined for an extraordinarily successful career.
Yet just a decade later, Jonathan tragically took his own life, leaving colleagues and fans across the globe heartbroken.
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Jonathan's natural talent was discovered when he was just two, and his cherubic features secured him child modeling opportunities after being spotted by scouts.
Within a few years he began landing TV commercial work, and from that point his momentum seemed unstoppable. At just six he secured the role of Kevin Buchanan in the television series One Life To Live, though it wasn't until his mother, teacher Mary, and his firefighter father, Gregory, decided to move the family to Los Angeles to pursue better opportunities that his career truly skyrocketed, reports the Daily Star.
Jonathan got his big break in the sequel to Neverending Story -Credit:Impress Own/United Archives via Getty Images
Appearances in major TV series like The Wonder Years, Full House and Who's The Boss came during his adolescent years, and when he landed the part of Bastian Bux in the 1990 sequel to Neverending Story, his journey toward stardom and success seemed inevitable.
That year proved monumental for the young performer, also securing the role of young Bill Denbrough in Stephen King's miniseries It, which garnered widespread praise and created even more opportunities for Jonathan. Film roles in Sidekicks and Ladybugs came next, followed by his most significant part yet.
Jonathan was cast as Lucas Wolenczak in Steven Spielberg's 1990s series seaQuest DSV and almost overnight the teen actor became one of the world's biggest heartthrobs. At the height of his fame, Jonathan was receiving 4,000 fan letters a week and was named number one on Seventeen magazine's top 10 sexiest guys list.
Jonathan himself was excited about what lay ahead and while continuing his acting career, he revealed he aspired to eventually work behind the camera as a writer and director.
At the height of his fame, he was receiving 4,000 fan letters a week -Credit:Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
In a 1994 interview, he said: "I want to be remembered as an actor who put in some good work in the beginning of his career, even better work at the end of his career and slowly, successfully made the transition into writing and directing."
But then things started to unravel. seaQuest DSV was cancelled in 1994 and Jonathan found it difficult to land roles in an industry where he had once been a rising star.
He did land a part in Bad Girls from Valley High, but the production was initially shelved before eventually being released on DVD in 2005 - something Jonathan would never witness.
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In 2002, he was cast alongside Bruce Willis and Colin Farrell in the film Hart's War, which he believed could revive his struggling career. However, this hope was dashed when many of his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
seaQuest DSV was one of the biggest shows in the world -Credit:NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
He was beginning to worry he would never reclaim his previous success. Reports also suggested he tried out for the role of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy, but at that point Jonathan was already in his mid-20s and casting directors reportedly felt he was too old for the role.
His final project was Puerto Vallarta Squeeze, where he earned glowing reviews from co-star Harvey Keitel. The Hollywood icon told producer Robert Katz that he believed Jonathan had an incredibly promising career ahead of him.
Robert later recalled: "Harvey even said to me a couple of times, 'This kid is good'. When we were in the editing room looking at him, we all said, 'This guy's going to have a big career.'".
Heartbreakingly, Jonathan never got to witness the film's release. At 11.40pm on November 11, 2003, a friend stopped by his Hollywood apartment and discovered him deceased in the hallway.
Jonathan was just 27 when he died -Credit:Getty Images
Paramedics were summoned and he was rushed to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, but medical staff were unable to revive the young performer. He was only 27.
Authorities determined his death was a suicide, though Jonathan hadn't left behind any note.
In the days before his devastating death, Jonathan had visited his parents. His mother, Mary, later revealed: "He wanted to be with us. We knew something was wrong. We knew something was weighing on him, but we didn't know what it was or how bad it was."
In the years since his heartbreaking loss, his father, Gregory, has become an advocate for mental health awareness and the critical importance of seeking support.
Jonathan's father has since spoken about the importance of getting help with mental health issues -Credit:Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
He said: "Jonathan was very smart and he was very polite and always easygoing. In a sad way, he was probably bipolar. [His death] wasn't due to the entertainment industry. I look back now, and in his 20s, he showed signs of manic depression. I hope that anyone suffering can go get help."
In 2021, former child star Soleil Moon Frye released her documentary Kid90, chronicling her early years in the public eye. She recalled Jonathan fondly, saying: "I found so many voicemails Jonathan left me when we were kids. Some of them were 10 minutes long, his innermost thoughts. It just made me cry listening to them. He was a real friend."
If in the United States, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to 988 Lifeline.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
