Corey Scott Feldman, born on July 16, 1971, in Reseda, California, has carved a distinctive, often tumultuous, path through the American entertainment landscape. The son of Bob and Sheila Feldman, a musician and a cocktail waitress, respectively, Feldman’s early life, raised Jewish, became the unexpected launchpad for a career that began at an incredibly tender age. His personal narrative, as he has recounted, includes claims of exploitation by his parents for his child actor earnings and accusations of abuse against his mother, claims she has consistently denied.
Feldman’s journey into the spotlight commenced at the remarkable age of three with an appearance in a McDonald’s commercial. This early start quickly proliferated into a prolific childhood career, seeing him feature in over 100 television commercials and more than 50 television series. Notable early television credits included roles in *The Bad News Bears*, *Mork & Mindy*, *Eight Is Enough*, *One Day at a Time*, *Madame’s Place*, and *Cheers*. He also made his mark in films like *Time After Time* and Disney’s *The Fox and the Hound*, demonstrating a versatile presence across various media from his formative years.
As the 1980s unfolded, Feldman transitioned from a child actor to a burgeoning teen idol, a transformation that cemented his place in popular culture. By the mid-to-late 1980s, he was recognized globally as “one of the most popular teen pin-ups in the world.” His filmography during this period became synonymous with some of the decade’s most defining movies, each contributing to his rapidly escalating fame and box office success.
He graced screens in consecutive high-grossing features, starting with *Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter* and *Gremlins*, both released in 1984. He reprised his role in *Friday the 13th: A New Beginning* in 1985 before captivating audiences as Clark “Mouth” Devereaux in *The Goonies*, also in 1985. His critically acclaimed portrayal of Teddy Duchamp in *Stand by Me* (1986), alongside River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, and Jerry O’Connell, further solidified his status as a formidable young talent.
Perhaps one of the most iconic aspects of Feldman’s teen career was his collaboration with fellow actor Corey Haim. Their first on-screen pairing occurred in the 1987 horror-comedy *The Lost Boys*, where Feldman portrayed the memorable character Edgar Frog, a role he would later revisit in direct-to-video sequels, *Lost Boys: The Tribe* (2008) and *Lost Boys: The Thirst* (2010). This initial collaboration marked the genesis of “The Two Coreys,” a moniker that would define a significant part of their public and private lives.
The dynamic duo went on to star in a string of films, further cementing their status as teen heartthrobs. These included the teen comedy *License to Drive* in 1988 and the romantic comedy *Dream a Little Dream* in 1989. Beyond live-action roles, Feldman also lent his distinctive voice to the character of Donatello in the original live-action *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* movie, a role he reprised in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III*.
The mainstream fame of “The Two Coreys” brought with it both adulation and significant challenges. Their bond extended beyond the screen, as they became hosts of a weekly underage party night for Hollywood Youth known as Alphy’s Soda Pop Club. However, their shared experiences also included well-publicized struggles with drug use, which contributed to career downturns for both actors. Their relationship, at times, experienced periods of strain, notably leading to a six-month hiatus during the production of the second season of their A&E reality series, *The Two Coreys*, which ran from 2007 to 2008 and for which Feldman served as executive producer.
Following Corey Haim’s tragic passing in 2010 due to pneumonia, after a prolonged battle with drug addiction, Feldman offered a poignant remembrance. He expressed his hope that his friend would be remembered “as a beautiful, funny, enigmatic character who brought nothing but life and lights and entertainment and art to all of our lives.” Their friendship, marked by profound shared experiences, including allegations of sexual abuse within the entertainment industry, remains a central theme in Feldman’s public narrative.
This narrative was powerfully explored in Feldman’s 2020 documentary, *My Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys*. The film delved into their friendship and presented the assertion that both actors were victims of sexual abuse during their childhoods in the entertainment industry. This documentary served as a significant, albeit controversial, platform for Feldman to share his perspective on the systemic issues he believes exist within Hollywood.
Beyond his iconic 1980s roles, Feldman’s career experienced fluctuations, prompting a public battle with drugs that began shortly after the filming of *The ‘Burbs* in 1989. In his efforts to re-establish his life and career, he ventured into new avenues, including releasing his first album, *Love Left*. He also continued acting, appearing in various lesser-known films and television series throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
His later film and television credits include starring with Haim in their last mainstream film together, *Dream a Little Dream 2* (1995), and roles in the CBS series *Dweebs*, an episode of the Fox Network series *Sliders* alongside his former *Stand By Me* co-star Jerry O’Connell, and *The Crow: Stairway to Heaven*. He also embraced the burgeoning world of reality television, appearing in *The Surreal Life* on The WB in 2003 and making a cameo in *Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star*.
Feldman’s versatility also extended to voice acting, notably as “Sprx-77” in the Toon Disney/ABC Family series *Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!*. In 2005, he took to the Off-Broadway stage, starring as Michael Douglas in *Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy*, a parody of the well-known 1987 film. His diverse engagement in entertainment further saw him participate in the British television series *Dancing on Ice* in 2012, pairing with American skater Brooke Castile.
A significant turning point in Feldman’s public recounting of his life came on October 28, 2013, with the release of his first memoir, *Coreyography*. The book offered an intimate look into his early life as a child actor, his struggles with addiction, and his deeply personal experiences as a victim of Hollywood child sexual abuse. This memoir provided a detailed account leading up to the death of Corey Haim, shedding light on the complexities of his formative years and their lasting impact.
In recognition of his long-standing career and contributions to the entertainment industry, Feldman was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third annual Young Entertainer Awards in April 2018. This accolade marked a moment of significant recognition for his enduring presence and body of work, spanning decades in Hollywood.
More recently, Feldman has continued to engage with various media platforms. In October 2019, he appeared in an episode of *Marriage Boot Camp*, an experience that led to a lawsuit against We TV and Think Factory Media in September 2020. He claimed emotional abuse, alleging he was held “hostage” on set and that We TV “falsified information to the public, and discredited Mr. Feldman as a liar on their show,” further alleging the show “glamorized abuse” and caused “distress.” This lawsuit was dropped in March 2021, with court records not indicating whether a settlement had been reached.
Feldman has also developed a friendship with director Jordan Peele, who has hailed him as “one of the greatest teen icons of all time.” In 2023, Peele notably programmed screenings of Feldman’s 2005 film *The Birthday* at Film at Lincoln Center, drawing parallels between it and his own movie *Nope*, describing both as being about “exploitation and erasure.” This contemporary recognition from a prominent filmmaker underscores Feldman’s lasting, if sometimes unconventional, influence.
His public appearances have continued into 2024, with Feldman competing in season eleven of *The Masked Singer* as the wild card contestant “Seal.” While he was eliminated in the Group B finals alongside Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard as “Beets,” his participation offered a new platform for audiences to engage with his persona, with references even made to his interactions with Jenny McCarthy, a panelist on the show.
Beyond his acting career, Corey Feldman has cultivated a distinct presence in the music world, with his idol Michael Jackson serving as his greatest influence. Feldman has stated he diligently studied Jackson’s dance moves and fashion, noting he “copied him effortlessly,” and that his first public dancing experience at age 12 involved lip-syncing to Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” This influence has been a driving force throughout his musical endeavors.
His discography includes his debut album, *Love Left*, released in 1992, followed by *Still Searching for Soul* (1999) with his band, Corey Feldman’s Truth Movement. In 2002, he released the solo album *Former Child Actor* and supported it with a second US tour. He also made an appearance in the music video for the Moby single “We Are All Made of Stars,” further extending his reach in the music industry.
In 2016, to promote his double album *Angelic 2 the Core*, Feldman performed with Corey’s Angels on the *Today Show*. This performance, however, garnered widespread online mockery, with *Rolling Stone* labeling it “bizarre” and it quickly going viral. Anthony Fantano, a prominent music critic, subsequently ranked *Angelic 2 the Core* as both the worst album of 2016 and of the entire 2010s, highlighting the divisive reception to his musical output. Despite the criticism, Feldman continues to perform, notably appearing at the punk rock music festival Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois, in 2023. His booking at Riot Fest was met with criticism from some corners, with Julie River of *New Noise Magazine* describing his performance as “completely overdone, pretentious, and just outright bizarre” and the music itself as “mediocre at best.” Tragically, his drummer, Duke Gadd, passed away from a fentanyl overdose on February 12, 2025.
One of the most scrutinized aspects of Feldman’s post-teen idol life is his venture known as “Corey’s Angels.” Introduced to a wider audience through a 2015 episode of the reality television series *Celebrity Wife Swap*, where he and then-girlfriend Courtney Anne Mitchell participated, the concept sparked considerable public discussion. Feldman presented himself as a “Hugh Hefner-like manager” overseeing a group of women, asserting that his company aimed to help them achieve careers in acting and singing. However, he also described having control over them and financially benefiting from the arrangement, with the episode depicting him dictating their attire, diet, and activities, leading some viewers to find the portrayal “disturbing and creepy.”
Following the controversial *Today Show* performance in September 2016, Feldman elaborated on Corey’s Angels in an interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*. He stated that he met these women at the Playboy Mansion, drawn by their dreams of acting and singing, and felt a desire to help “girls who were kind of lost and needed help to find their way.” He characterized Corey’s Angels as a “360 management, development and production entity,” emphasizing a focus on selecting girls aged 18 or older who he perceived as “virtuous, honest and loyal.” While denying allegations that the company was degrading to women, he acknowledged “certain rules that we have” which were the basis of a contract shown on *Celebrity Wife Swap*, explaining the organization’s goal was to “mold them while they’re still young and impressionable… so to speak, we can help them make the right choices.”
Feldman’s personal life has been as publicly documented as his career, marked by significant events and relationships. He claimed to initiate the “Emancipation Proclamation in Hollywood” at age 15, successfully gaining emancipation from his parents. By that age, he asserted he was worth $1 million, yet by the time a judge ordered bank records to be reviewed, only $40,000 remained, a stark illustration of his early financial realities.
His health has also drawn public attention. On March 28, 2018, Feldman claimed to have sustained a small puncture wound and sought hospital admission, though police later reported no lacerations were found. Feldman is a Democrat and a fervent advocate for animal welfare and rights, maintaining a vegetarian diet since his youth. He has appeared with his wife in PETA ad campaigns promoting vegetarianism and received the Paws of Fame Award from the Wildlife WayStation for his dedication to animal rights. He also holds beliefs in the paranormal.
Corey Feldman has been remarkably candid about his struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism, which he attributes to abuse from his mother and sexual abuse experienced within the film industry. In September 1990, reports indicated he was charged with heroin possession, his second narcotics-related charge since March of that year. He publicly shared his journey through a 10-month rehabilitation process to recover from his heroin addiction. In October 2016, he vehemently denied being under the influence of drugs during his *Today Show* performance the previous month. However, a year later, his band was pulled over in Mangham, Louisiana, resulting in drug crime charges, including possession of Xanax, against his security guard and four other group members.
His well-documented friendship with Michael Jackson as a child and teenager forms another compelling aspect of Feldman’s life. In his memoir *Coreyography* and various interviews, he consistently spoke of his positive childhood experiences with Jackson, describing Jackson’s world as his “happy place,” where he felt “like being ten years old again.
Their friendship, however, concluded in 2001 when Jackson, based on what Feldman described as erroneous information, believed Feldman would negatively portray him in an upcoming book. Feldman later claimed that on September 11, 2001, Jackson assisted Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli in leaving New York City but did not offer him help. This perceived slight prompted Feldman’s retaliatory song, “Megalo Man,” featuring lyrics expressing profound betrayal: ‘I believed in your words/I believed in your lies/But in September in New York/You left me to die/I love you, Megalo Man.’
In February 2005, Feldman was subpoenaed to testify against Jackson in the singer’s child molestation trial, though he ultimately did not testify. While steadfastly denying that Jackson ever touched him inappropriately, Feldman did recount an incident from his early teens where Jackson showed him a book “focused on venereal diseases and the genitalia,” a behavior Feldman, as an adult, deemed inappropriate. However, he later softened this stance, describing the incident as Jackson “just being parental for a boy who had no guidance.”
Following Jackson’s death in 2009, Feldman dedicated a Los Angeles hospital concert with his rock band, Truth Movement, to the late singer. In 2013, he publicly defended Jackson in the wake of sexual molestation accusations made by Wade Robson, explicitly denying that Jackson had molested children. In 2017, Feldman further asserted that efforts were made to frame Jackson in an attempt to suppress Feldman’s own allegations of abuse against others. His stance evolved again after the 2019 documentary *Leaving Neverland*, initially calling it “one-sided” before stating he could “no longer defend” Jackson, acknowledging it was “impossible for me to remain virtuous and not at least consider what’s being said.” Yet, by December 2019, he tweeted, “I stand [with] all victims. However, that will never negate the times & memories we shared. Those were [our] experiences & while I was a victim of molestation, my time [with] MJ was pure & innocent, & that is the person I choose [to] remember.” This reflects the complex and evolving nature of his perspective on his relationship with Jackson amidst wider allegations.
Feldman’s personal life also includes three marriages. He was married to actress Vanessa Marcil from 1989 to 1993. He then met actress and model Susie Sprague in January 2002, marrying her on October 30 of that year during the final episode of the first season of *The Surreal Life*. The ceremony was uniquely co-officiated by a rabbi and MC Hammer, an ordained minister. After seven years, the couple separated in October 2009, with Sprague filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking full custody of their son and spousal support. Feldman sought joint custody and opposed spousal support, with their divorce finalizing in 2014 after a five-year process.
On November 22, 2016, Feldman married his long-time girlfriend, Courtney Anne Mitchell, in a ceremony officiated by television producer Marklen Kennedy at Elton John’s Fizz champagne lounge in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. In August 2023, after seven years of marriage, it was announced that Feldman was divorcing Courtney amid her continued health issues, marking another significant chapter in his personal relationships.
Central to Feldman’s public activism are his claims regarding widespread sexual abuse of child actors within the entertainment industry. He contends that this issue is as prevalent in Hollywood as sexism and sexual assault against adults. In October 2017, spurred by the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations, Feldman launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund a film about his life, aiming to expose this alleged secret child sexual abuse. His advocacy extended to the legislative arena, as he spoke at the New York State Capitol in Albany, New York, in March 2018. There, he voiced support for the Child Victims Act, legislation designed to lengthen the statute of limitations for civil claims arising from child sex abuse and create a crucial one-year window for survivors to bring previously barred civil claims.
As an adult, Feldman has asserted himself as a survivor of child sexual abuse, detailing molestation by a man he initially identified by the alias “Ron Crimson,” an assistant to his father, who he indicated also facilitated his initiation into drug addiction. He later publicly identified this individual as actor and former personal assistant Cloyd Jon Grissom. His allegations further extended to child agent Marty Weiss and former talent agent and Hollywood underage club owner Alphy Hoffman, whom he also accused of sexual abuse. These claims, however, have not been without controversy; during an October 2013 episode of *The View*, while Feldman promoted *Coreyography*, Barbara Walters famously suggested that Feldman was “damaging an entire industry” with his allegations.
In March 2020, through his documentary *My Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys*, Feldman reiterated a claim that actor Charlie Sheen had raped his 13-year-old co-star Corey Haim on the set of the film *Lucas*. This specific allegation was corroborated by his ex-wife Susie Feldman and his *Lost Boys* co-star Jamison Newlander. However, Sheen, through his publicist, vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as “sick, twisted and outlandish.” Contradictory statements also emerged from Haim’s mother, Judy, who identified a different actor as her son’s rapist on *The Dr. Oz Show* and told *Entertainment Tonight* that Sheen never raped her son, calling the claims “made up.” This complex web of allegations and counter-allegations highlights the deeply contested nature of these narratives.
Amidst his own powerful advocacy, Feldman has also faced public scrutiny and allegations of sexual misconduct against him. In January 2018, he was investigated by police on charges of sexual battery, though he was subsequently cleared of all charges the following month. However, in June 2020, Feldman removed himself from the SAG-AFTRA Sexual Harassment Committee after the organization issued a resolution to remove him. This followed a series of sexual misconduct allegations brought forward by former members of Corey’s Angels, who accused Feldman of having “abused, sexually harassed and taken advantage of them.” These women included Jacqueline Von Rueden, Poeina Suddarth, Margot Lane, Chantal Knippenburg, Amy Clark, Mara Moon, Jezebel Sweet, and Krystal Khali, who provided detailed information related to Feldman’s conduct with women. The SAG-AFTRA national board resolution also cited “formal complaints to law enforcement, including the Los Angeles Police Department,” against Feldman, indicating that “investigations are currently ongoing into the allegations of sexual harassment.
Corey Feldman’s journey through Hollywood is a tapestry woven with threads of early fame, enduring collaboration, personal struggle, and outspoken advocacy. From the child who captivated audiences in 1980s cinematic classics to the adult who has bravely navigated the complexities of addiction, alleged abuse, and controversial ventures, Feldman remains a figure of profound public interest. His narrative is not merely a recounting of roles played but a testament to a life lived under the unyielding gaze of the public eye, constantly evolving and challenging perceptions. In his persistent efforts to illuminate what he perceives as the entertainment industry’s darker corners and in the continued unfolding of his own story, Corey Feldman has ensured his place as a subject of ongoing dialogue and analysis, a testament to a singular and resilient presence in popular culture.
