Lillo Brancato had a dream start in the film industry. He made his debut in 1993 in “The Bronx Law”, playing the son of the main character played by Robert De Niro. The then 17-year-old Colombian with Italian roots quickly won the sympathy of viewers and the recognition of critics, which meant that he could not complain about the lack of professional offers. He appeared in productions such as “Army Smart”, “Crimson Tide” and the cult series.
Addiction ruined his career. Even De Niro’s intervention didn’t help
It cannot be denied that at some point fame went to his head. Instead of focusing on acting, he lost himself in parties that sometimes lasted several days. That’s when he also started using drugs. Initially innocent experiments ended. When he was 20, he couldn’t function without cocaine and heroin. As reported by foreign media, at one point he used up to “20 bags of crack and heroin a day”, not to mention the amount of alcohol he drank. – Once I became addicted to these drugs, it was a priority. I missed auditions and wasted many opportunities. It was the darkest period of my life. As much as I wanted to control it, it was just beyond me. There were nights when I cried and couldn’t stop – years later in an interview with People. De Niro, who was observing everything from the sidelines, decided to intervene because he was afraid that he would waste the opportunity given to him. He even had a conversation with him and his parents, but it did not bring the desired results.
The burglary ended with the death of a policeman. Brancato was sent to prison
In December 2005, he ran out of funds and his supply of drugs. Then, together with his companion, Steven Armento, who was two decades older than him, he decided to break into a friend’s house in the Bronx. Perhaps they would not have suffered any consequences if not for a policeman living next door who was concerned about the noise. He decided to check what happened. When Brancato and Armento noticed they were being watched, they began shooting. 28-year-old officer on site.
The actor and his accomplice did not escape the situation unscathed, although both were shot. While still in hospital, they were charged with burglary and . During the investigation, it was established that Armento was responsible for the fatal shooting of the policeman, and the court sentenced him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Brancato was then accused of complicity in the burglary and received a 10-year prison sentence. He was finally released in 2013, after 8 years in prison. He decided to devote himself to working to fight addiction. He also appears on screen from time to time, with his last recorded role being in “I’m on Fire” in 2022.
If you are struggling with addiction or want to find out how you can help a loved one, you can contact the specialists on duty at these numbers:
- National Addiction Helpline (daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.): 800-199-990
- Telephone Trust for behavioral addictions (daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.): 800-889-880
- Orange line for parents of children drinking alcohol (Monday to Friday, 2-8 p.m.): 801-140-068
- National Emergency Service for Victims of Domestic Violence Blue Line (24 hours a day): 800-120-002
More information can be found on the following pages.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
