River Phoenix

River Jude Phoenix, born Bottom, was an American actor, musician, and activist whose meteoric career was marked by precocious talent and tragic decline. Raised in a nomadic family, he began acting at ten, starring in "Stand by Me" and "Explorers." By 18, he earned an Oscar nomination for "Running on Empty," and at 21, won critical acclaim and awards for his role in "My Own Private Idaho." Struggling with heroin addiction, Phoenix's life ended abruptly at 23, succumbing to drug intoxication outside The Viper Room on Halloween 1993.