Corey Feldman is an American actor who rose to fame in the 1980s with roles in popular films such as Gremlins, The Goonies, Stand by Me, and The Lost Boys. He has also been a musician, a director, a producer, and an advocate for child abuse victims. In this article, we will explore his biography, career, net worth, and personal life.
Corey Feldman’s Biography and Career
Early Life and Child Actor Roles
Corey Scott Feldman was born in Reseda, California, on July 16, 1971, to record producer Bob Feldman and cocktail server Sheila Goldstein Feldman. Mindy and Brittnie are his sisters and he was reared Jewish. His career began with a McDonald’s ad aged three. He later appeared in over 100 TV advertisements and 50 TV shows, including The Bad News Bears, Mork & Mindy, Eight Is Enough, One Day at a Time, Madame’s Place, and Cheers. He starred in Time After Time and Disney’s The Fox and the Hound.
Feldman claims his parents exploited him for his kid acting earnings and that his mother was violent. She refuted his claims. He said that his parents had wasted most of their riches and that he was freed at 15.
Teen Years and Breakthrough Films
Feldman became known as a teen idol in the 1980s. He was featured in several consecutive high-grossing movies during this period; those movies included Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985), and Stand By Me (1986) as Teddy Duchamp. In 1987, Feldman won the Jackie Coogan Award for Stand by Me (1986), and appeared in the cult classic film The Lost Boys (1987) alongside Jason Patric and Kiefer Sutherland. In 1988, he won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture for his performance in The Lost Boys (1987).
In 1987, Feldman met Corey Haim on the set of The Lost Boys (1987). They became known as “The Two Coreys” and went on to appear in other films together, including License to Drive (1988) and Dream a Little Dream (1989). They also had their own reality show called The Two Coreys on A&E from 2007 to 2008.
Feldman also provided the voice of Donatello for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), which holds the biggest box office for an independent feature in history and also marked his thirteenth number-one box office hit in a row. He reprised that role in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993).
Career as an Adult and Corey’s Angels
As an adult, Feldman’s cinematic career declined. Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Maverick (1994), Bordello of Blood (1996), Busted (1997), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), Cursed (2005), Corbin Nash (2018), and several direct-to-video or low-budget films were among his roles. He appeared as a guest on Robot Chicken, Celebrity Wife Swap, Celebrity Big Brother UK, Dancing on Ice UK, and The Surreal Life.
Feldman started playing music in the late 1980s. His albums include Love Left (1992), Former Child Actor (2002), Angelic 2 the Core (2016), and Angelic Funkadelic/Rockadelic (2018). alongside his band Corey Feldman & The Angels, he has performed alongside female models that sing or play. They are his “Corey’s Angels” and he helps people fulfill their ambitions. He has mixed or unfavorable music and performance evaluations.
Feldman also had controversies. A former employee sued him for sexual harassment in 2011. He was charged with destroying a leased residence and leaving needles and drugs in 2013. He was busted for marijuana possession in Louisiana in 2017.
Advocacy Work
Feldman has been outspoken about the sexual abuse of children and teens in the entertainment industry, identifying himself as a victim of such abuse. He has named some of his alleged abusers, such as Jon Grissom, Alphy Hoffman, Marty Weiss, and Dominick Brascia. He has also claimed that there is a pedophile ring in Hollywood that protects powerful abusers.
Feldman has been trying to expose the truth and seek justice for himself and other victims. In 2013, he released his memoir Coreyography, in which he detailed his experiences of abuse and addiction. In 2017, he launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a documentary film called (My) Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys, which he said would reveal the names of six abusers who molested him and Corey Haim. The film was released in 2020 but faced technical difficulties and legal threats.
Feldman has also supported other survivors of abuse, such as Elijah Wood, Paris Jackson, and Evan Rachel Wood. He has advocated for the Child Victims Act, which extends the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases in New York. He has also founded Corey Feldman’s TRUTH Campaign, which aims to raise awareness and funds for his cause.
Corey Feldman’s Net Worth and Assets
Net Worth Growth
Corey Feldman’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million as of 2021. This is a significant decrease from his peak net worth of $40 million in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Feldman has attributed his financial decline to several factors, such as:
- His parents’ mismanagement of his earnings as a child actor.
- His drug and alcohol addiction, which cost him millions of dollars and affected his career opportunities.
- His legal troubles, such as lawsuits, divorces, and tax debts.
- His expensive lifestyle, which included lavish parties, cars, houses, and women.
- His lack of steady income from acting or music projects in recent years.
Main Sources of Income
Corey Feldman’s main sources of income have been his acting and music careers. He has appeared in over 80 films and dozens of television shows since the late 1970s. He has also released several albums and performed with his band Corey Feldman & The Angels. However, his income from these sources has been inconsistent and unreliable. He has often taken low-paying or uncredited roles in direct-to-video or low-budget movies. He has also faced criticism and ridicule for his music and performances.
Feldman has also tried other ways to earn money, such as:
- Writing his memoir Coreyography in 2013.
- Launching a crowdfunding campaign for his documentary film (My) Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys in 2017.
- Selling autographed memorabilia on his website.
- Appearing on reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother UK and Dancing on Ice UK.
- Offering personalized video messages on Cameo.
Assets and Investments
Corey Feldman’s assets and investments have fluctuated over the years. He has owned several properties in California, such as:
- A mansion in Encino that he bought for $2.1 million in 1989 and sold for $1.5 million in 1995.
- A house in Woodland Hills that he bought for $1.1 million in 2001 and sold for $1.3 million in 2009.
- A condo in Tarzana that he bought for $575,000 in 2009 and sold for $430,000 in 2012.
- A house in Reseda that he bought for $515,000 in 2014 and still owns as of 2021.
Feldman has also owned several cars, such as a Ferrari Testarossa, a Porsche Carrera Cabriolet, a Mercedes-Benz SL500, a Cadillac Escalade, and a Toyota Prius.
Feldman has not disclosed any other significant assets or investments that he currently holds.
Personal Life and Relationships
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Corey Feldman has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse since his teenage years. He said that he was introduced to drugs by some of his abusers and peers in the industry. He said that he became addicted to cocaine, heroin, crack, and methamphetamine. He also drank alcohol excessively. He said that his drug use affected his health, career, and relationships. He said that he overdosed four times and nearly died.
Feldman has attempted to overcome his addiction several times. He has been to rehab at least six times. He has also participated in 12-step programs and therapy. He said that he has been sober since 2019.
Friendship with Corey Haim and Michael Jackson
Corey Feldman had a close friendship with Corey Haim, who was also a child star and his co-star in several films. They met on the set of The Lost Boys (1987) and became inseparable. They shared similar experiences of abuse, fame, and addiction. They also supported each other through their personal and professional struggles.
However, their friendship also had its ups and downs. They had arguments, fights, and periods of estrangement. They also competed for roles, women, and attention. They sometimes blamed each other for their problems.
Feldman said that he and Haim were both sexually abused by older men in the industry, and that Haim was raped by a prominent Hollywood figure when he was 14 years old. Feldman said that this trauma haunted Haim for the rest of his life and contributed to his drug addiction and depression.
Haim died of pneumonia in 2010 at the age of 38. Feldman was devastated by his death and paid tribute to him in various ways. He also vowed to expose their abusers and seek justice for Haim.
Feldman also had a friendship with Michael Jackson, who was one of his idols. They met in 1984 when Feldman was 13 years old and Jackson was 26 years old. They bonded over their love of music, dance, and movies. They also shared similar experiences of being child stars and having abusive parents.
Feldman said that Jackson was like a mentor, a brother, and a father figure to him. He said that Jackson helped him cope with his fame, family, and addiction issues. He said that Jackson never abused him or touched him inappropriately.
However, their friendship also had its challenges. Feldman said that Jackson sometimes acted strangely or distantly with him. He said that Jackson also introduced him to drugs such as wine and cocaine. He said that he felt betrayed when Jackson stopped contacting him after the first allegations of child molestation against him surfaced in 1993.
Feldman defended Jackson publicly during his trials in 1993 and 2005, but also expressed doubts about his innocence. He said that he saw some disturbing things at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, such as nude photos of children and books about sexuality. He said that he felt conflicted about his loyalty to Jackson and his sympathy for the alleged victims.
Jackson died of a drug overdose in 2009 at the age of 50. Feldman was saddened by his death and attended his memorial service. He also performed a tribute to him on stage with his band Corey Feldman & The Angels.
Other Relationships
Corey Feldman has been married three times and has one son.
- His first wife was Vanessa Marcil, widely known for playing Brenda Barrett on General Hospital. They married in 1989 at 18 years old. On divorce in 1993.
- Susie Sprague, a model, and Corey’s Angel was his second wife. On The Surreal Life in 2002, they married. They have a 2004 son, Zen Scott Feldman. She divorced in 2014.
- Canadian beauty Courtney Anne Mitchell is his third wife and Corey’s Angel. They married in 2016 after four years of dating. They remain together in 2021.
Feldman has also dated or been linked to other women, such as:
- Drew Barrymore is well recognized for playing Gertie in E.T. When they were 15, they dated briefly.
- Alyssa Milano, well known for Charmed’s Phoebe Halliwell. They dated for two years as adolescents.
- Heather Graham, is well known for playing Rollergirl in Boogie Nights. They dated for a year in their early 20s.
- Samantha Mathis, widely known for playing Princess Daisy in Super Mario Bros. They dated for six months in their early 20s.
- Socialite Paris Hilton is widely known for The Simple Life. They had a short affair in their late 20s.
Feldman has also been friends or acquaintances with other celebrities, such as:
- River Phoenix is best known for playing Chris Chambers in Stand by Me. They were 1980s buddies and co-stars. Phoenix, 23, died of a heroin overdose in 1993.
- Leonardo DiCaprio is well known for Titanic’s Jack Dawson. They met during a 1983 Outsiders audition when they were 12. The friendship continued throughout time.
- Macaulay Culkin is well known for playing Kevin McCallister in Home Alone. They met via Michael Jackson as youngsters in the early 1990s. As kid stars and pals with Jackson, they shared experiences.
- Slipknot and Stone Sour lead vocalist Corey Taylor. In their 20s, they met via common acquaintances in the late 1990s. They became buddies via music endeavors.
