Feldman experienced diminishing success in the film industry as an adult, amid well-publicized personal conflicts with Haim over Haim's substance abuse and with Michael Jackson, who had befriended him during his time as a teen celebrity. While he has been outspoken about sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, he has also faced public scrutiny over Corey's Angels and has also been accused of sexual misconduct. Feldman has released six albums, including Love Left (1992), Former Child Actor (2002), and Angelic 2 the Core (2016).
Early life
Corey Scott Feldman was born on July 16, 1971, in Reseda, California, the son of Bob and Sheila (neé. Goldstein) Feldman, a musician and a cocktail waitress, respectively. He was raised Jewish.[1][2] Feldman has claimed that his parents exploited him for his earning potential as a child actor, and that his mother was abusive. She has denied his accusations.[3][4]
In 2005, Feldman starred as Michael Douglas in the Off-Broadway play Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy, a parody of the 1987 film Fatal Attraction.[25] In 2007, Feldman and Haim began a reality television series titled The Two Coreys on the A&E Network.[26][27] In January 2008, they started production on the second series of The Two Coreys. He was also executive producer for both seasons.[28] In January 2012, Feldman joined the British television series Dancing on Ice with American pair skaterBrooke Castile.[29] On October 28, 2013, Feldman released his first memoir, Coreyography. The book details his early life as a child actor all the way up to the death of Corey Haim. It also discusses his struggles with addiction and as a victim of Hollywood child sexual abuse.[30] In April 2018, Feldman was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third annual Young Entertainer Awards.[31]
In October 2019, Feldman appeared in an episode of Marriage Boot Camp.[32] In September 2020, he filed a lawsuit against We TV and Think Factory Media for emotional abuse, claiming he was held "hostage" on the set. He also claimed that We TV "falsified information to the public, and discredited Mr. Feldman as a liar on their show." and alleged that Marriage Boot Camp "glamorized abuse" and caused "distress".[33] In March 2021, he dropped his lawsuit against We TV. Court records did not indicate whether they reached a settlement.[34]
Feldman became friends with director Jordan Peele who called him, "one of the greatest teen icons of all time".[35] In 2023, Peele programmed screenings of Feldman's film The Birthday (2005) at Film at Lincoln Center. Peele described the film as "a WTF did I just watch experience" comparing it to Nope saying both films are about "exploitation and erasure".[36][37]
Feldman says his greatest influence has been his idol Michael Jackson. Feldman said he studied his dance moves and fashion style and "copied him effortlessly". His first public dancing experience was when he was 12 years old he lip synched Michael Jackson's song "Billie Jean".[39]
In 1992, he released his first album Love Left. He then released his second album, Still Searching for Soul (1999), with his band, Corey Feldman's Truth Movement. In 2002, Feldman released a solo album, Former Child Actor, and promoted it with a second US tour.[40][41] He appeared in the music video for the Moby single "We Are All Made of Stars".[42]
In 2016 to promote his double album Angelic 2 the Core, he performed with Corey's Angels on the Today Show. The album was a tribute to Michael Jackson and Corey Haim but the performance went viral with many online mocking it including Rolling Stone who labeled it "bizarre".[47]Anthony Fantano ranked it as both the worst album of 2016 and the 2010s.[48][49]
In 2023, Feldman performed at the punk rock music festival Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois.[50] The booking of Feldman was met with criticism. Julie River of New Noise Magazine wrote, "Booking Corey Feldman for this show felt a little bit mean-spirited. If you've ever seen a video of Feldman performing live, you'll notice it's completely overdone, pretentious, and just outright bizarre." River described the performance writing, "The music is mediocre at best, but Feldman's choreography and stage theatrics are positively laughable... Feldman spent an inordinate amount of time on stage complaining about his ex-wives, which felt like a Hollywood cliché and a tad misogynistic".[51]
Controversy
Corey's Angels
Corey Feldman with two of his Corey's Angels in 2015
In 2015, Feldman and his then-girlfriend, Courtney Anne Mitchell, appeared in an episode of the fourth season of the reality television series Celebrity Wife Swap. His girlfriend swapped with actor/comedian Tommy Davidson's fiancée, Amanda.[52] Feldman sees himself as a Hugh Hefner-like manager over the group of women known as "Corey's Angels". Feldman states that he had helped women get careers in life but through his company, Corey's Angels, he can have control over them and financially benefit. In the episode Feldman tells these women what to wear, eat, and do whatever he tells them to.[53] Some viewers found the episode disturbing and creepy. Corey's Angels is a musical group Feldman created.[54][55]
In September 2016, he made an appearance on the Today program to support his album Angelic 2 the Core,[56] which sparked backlash for its unusual nature.[57] Following the Today show appearance Feldman had an interview with The Hollywood Reporter where he discussed the creation of Corey's Angels. He said he met women at the Playboy Mansion who had dreams of acting and singing and stated, "I like helping them...to help girls who were kind of lost and needed help to find their way". He described the situation as a "360 management, development and production entity." He added that they sought out girls who were 18 who he thought were "virtuous, and honest and loyal". Feldman was asked about a contract shown in the Celebrity Wife Swap episode and he stated while it was not entirely real, "there are certain rules that we have. That's what they based that contract on." Feldman stated the point of the organization is to see "if we could get in and mold them while they're still young and impressionable, while they're moldable, so to speak, we can help them make the right choices." Feldman denied any allegations the company was degrading to women.[58][59]
Personal life
Feldman stated that he began the "Emancipation Proclamation in Hollywood" at age 15, when he was granted emancipation from his parents. He stated that he was worth $1 million by age 15, and by the time the judge ordered the bank records to come forward, only $40,000 remained.[60][61]
On March 28, 2018, Feldman claimed that he received a small puncture wound and admitted himself to a hospital.[62][63] It was later reported by the police that he had no lacerations.[64]
Feldman has spoken publicly about his struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism, which he said started due to abuse from his mother and his sexual abuse while in the film industry.[69][70] In September 1990, it was reported that he had been charged with possession of heroin in what was described as his second narcotics-related charge since March 1990.[71] He has said that he underwent a 10-month rehabilitation process to recover from his addiction to heroin.[72]
In October 2016, he denied being on drugs when he performed on the Today program the previous month.[73] In October 2017, his band was pulled over in Mangham, Louisiana. His security guard and four other members of his group were charged with drug crimes, including possession of Xanax.[74][75]
Friendship with Corey Haim
Feldman and fellow actor Corey Haim were close friends.[76][72] Feldman first met Haim at the age of 14 on the set of The Lost Boys, a film in which they both acted.[77] The two became known as "The Two Coreys".[72][77] The Two Coreys "became the hosts of a weekly underage party night for Hollywood Youth called Alphy's Soda Pop Club".[78]
The Two Coreys went on to star in License to Drive (1988) and Dream a Little Dream (1989) together.[72] Becoming a brand, The Two Coreys achieved mainstream fame and notoriety as teen idols. However, both Feldman and Haim experienced career downturns due to drug use.[79]
The Two Coreys, a reality show about The Two Coreys, aired on the A&E Network from 2007 to 2008.[80] The disintegrating relationship between the former best friends prompted a six-month hiatus before the second season.[81] Before Haim's death, he and Feldman reconciled off-camera.[82]
Following a long battle with drug addiction, Haim died of pneumonia in 2010.[78] Following Haim's death, Feldman said that he "hoped 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'".[72]
In 2020, Feldman released My Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys. The documentary explores the friendship between Feldman and Haim and asserts that both were sexually abused as children in the entertainment industry.[83][84][85]
Friendship with Michael Jackson
Feldman was close friends with Michael Jackson, as a child and teenager. In his book Coreyography and several interviews, he wrote and spoke about his positive childhood experiences with Jackson: "Michael Jackson's world, crazy as it sounds, had become my happy place... When I was with Michael, it was like being ten years old again."[86]
In 2001, their friendship ended because Jackson thought, based on erroneous information, that Feldman would negatively portray him in an upcoming book.[87] Feldman claimed that on September 11, 2001, Jackson helped get Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor and Liza Minnelli out of New York City, but did not help him. He in turn retaliated with the song, "Megalo Man", featuring the lyrics: '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.'[88]
In February 2005, Feldman was subpoenaed to testify against Jackson in the singer's child molestation trial. Ultimately, he did not testify.[89] Feldman said, "I started looking at each piece of information, and with that came this sickening realization that there have been many occurrences in my life and in my relationship to Michael that have created a question of doubt".[90] Although he was adamant that Jackson never touched him, Feldman recounted that when he was 13 or 14 years old, Jackson once showed him a book that was "focused on venereal diseases and the genitalia". As an adult, Feldman saw this behavior as inappropriate[90] but he later described the incident as Jackson "just being parental for a boy who had no guidance".[91][bettersourceneeded]
When Jackson died in 2009, Feldman dedicated a Los Angeles hospital concert with his rock band, Truth Movement, to the singer.[92]
In 2013, Feldman spoke out in defense of Jackson in the wake of the sexual molestation accusations made by Wade Robson.[93] He explicitly denied that Michael Jackson had molested children.[94] In 2017, Feldman asserted that efforts were made to frame Jackson in order to bury Feldman's allegations of abuse against others.[95]
After new accusations against Jackson were raised in 2019 by the documentary film Leaving Neverland, Feldman repeated that Jackson had never acted inappropriately towards him and called the documentary "one-sided".[96] Two days later, he changed his stance, saying he could "no longer defend" Jackson and adding, "It comes to a point where as an advocate for victims...it becomes impossible for me to remain virtuous and not at least consider what's being said."[97] However, in December 2019, Feldman stated in a tweet: "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".[98][bettersourceneeded]
He met actress and model Susie Sprague in a nightclub in January 2002 and they married on October 30 that year on the final episode of the first season of The Surreal Life. The ceremony was co-officiated by a rabbi and by MC Hammer, an ordained minister.[2] In October 2009, the couple split after seven years of marriage. Later that month, Sprague filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. She sought full custody of their son, with Feldman having visitation rights. She also sought spousal support.[100] Feldman sought joint custody and wanted the court to block Sprague's spousal support demand.[101] After a five-year process, the couple's divorce became final in 2014.[102]
On November 22, 2016, Feldman married his long-time girlfriend, Courtney Anne Mitchell. The ceremony was officiated by television producer Marklen Kennedy, at Elton John's Fizz champagne lounge at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.[103] In August 2023, after 7 years it was announced that Feldman was divorcing Courtney amid her continued health issues.[104]
Sexual abuse allegations made by Feldman
Feldman contends that sex abuse of child actors is a widespread problem in show business.[105] On October 25, 2017, in response to the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations, he started an Indiegogo campaign to finance a film about his life to expose the secret child sexual abuse that he claims is just as common in Hollywood as sexism and sexual assault against adults.[106] In March 2018, he spoke at the New York State Capitol in Albany, New York, in support of the Child Victims Act, which would lengthen the statute of limitations for civil claims arising out of acts of child sex abuse and would create a one-year period in which sex abuse survivors could bring civil claims that were then barred by the statute of limitations.[107][108][109]
As an adult, Feldman has claimed that he is a survivor of child sexual abuse. According to him, he was molested by a man he first identified only as the alias "Ron Crimson", who worked as an assistant to Feldman's father.[110] Feldman has indicated that "Ron" facilitated his initiation into drug addiction.[110] Feldman later identified that man as actor and former personal assistant Cloyd Jon Grissom.[111] He also accused child agent Marty Weiss[112] and former talent agent and Hollywood underage club owner Alphy Hoffman of having sexually abused him.[113]
During an October 2013 episode of The View while Feldman was promoting his autobiography Coreyography, Barbara Walters said that Feldman was "damaging an entire industry" with his allegations.[114] In March 2020, in his documentary (My) Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys, Feldman repeated a claim that the actor Charlie Sheen had raped his 13-year-old co-star Corey Haim on the set of the film Lucas. The claim was corroborated by his ex-wife Susie Feldman and his Lost Boys co-star Jamison Newlander.[115] Sheen, through his publicist, denied the allegations, calling them "sick, twisted and outlandish".[116] Haim's mother Judy had 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".[117]
Sexual misconduct allegations against Feldman
In January 2018, Feldman was under investigation by police on charges of sexual battery. However, Feldman was cleared of all charges the following month.[118]
In June 2020, Feldman removed himself from the SAG-AFTRASexual Harassment Committee after SAG-AFTRA had issued a resolution to remove him from the committee following a number of sexual misconduct allegations that were made. Former members of Corey's Angels have come forward and accused Feldman of having "abused, sexually harassed and taken advantage of them". These women include: Jacqueline Von Rueden,[119] Poeina Suddarth, Margot Lane, Chantal Knippenburg, Amy Clark, Mara Moon, Jezebel Sweet, and Krystal Khali, who detailed information relating to Feldman's conduct with women.[120][121] The SAG-AFTRA national board resolution also stated that there had been "formal complaints to law enforcement, including the Los Angeles Police Department," against Feldman, and added that "investigations are currently ongoing into the allegations of sexual harassment".[122][123]
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The Two Coreys refer to American actor Corey Feldman and Canadian actor Corey Haim (1971–2010), who were often paired.
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