‘Veronica Mars’ And ‘A Cinderella Story’ Star Brad Bufanda Has Died By Suicide At Age 34
Brad Bufanda, born Fred Joseph Bufanda III, committed suicide on Wednesday. The Veronica Mars actor reportedly jumped off a building in Los Angeles at the young age of 34.
Bufanda appeared in 10 episodes of Veronica Mars as Felix Toombs between 2004 and 2005. Many would also recognize the actor from his role in A Cinderella Story alongside Chad Michael Murray and Hilary Duff. He portrayed one of Austin Ames friends who was routinely rude to Sam, calling her the “Diner Girl.”
Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed the suicide to Variety, which occurred on the 300 block of Fuller Avenue. Bufanda died of blunt traumatic injuries. His body was discovered around 1 a.m.
TMZ reported that a suicide note was found on the scene, and reportedly mentioned his parents and thanked several important people in his life.
Bufanda’s manager released a statement regarding the tragedy.
“He was reviving his career, having just completed two movies, and we are shocked and saddened by his passing. The family would appreciate privacy at this difficult time.”
His manager also claimed he never showed signs of emotional struggle, and did not have issues with substance abuse.
Bufanda’s first big break was on Days of Our Lives in 2002, when he appeared as Joe for five episodes. He went on to do one episode stints in popular shows like CSI: Miami and Boston Public before landing his role in A Cinderella Story.
Brad Bufanda died by suicide Wednesday and left a note, LA County Coroner's Department confirms to THR https://t.co/9UP7qovbxg pic.twitter.com/SDRE27GQz6
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 3, 2017
The actor then went on to appear in several episodes of Malcolm in the Middle and finally grabbed his biggest roles in Veronica Mars, and Cinemax’s Co-Ed Confidential.
After 2012, Bufanda took a break from acting with no credited roles between 2012 and 2017. Like his manager stated, he was getting back into acting and had two movies set to come out. He completed the film Garlic & Gunpowder, and was in the middle of filming Stan the Man, which was set to be released next year.
The Daily Mail reported that Bufanda posted photos on social media in the last few years detailing his decline in Hollywood, and hinted at health issues in his family. He even posted photos of Hollywood royalty checks for $1.62 and $38.91 which he seemed to be angry over.
Bufanda was also known for his incredible talent on the basketball court. The actor had to abandon his training to become a professional basketball player after suffering an injury. He then decided to go into acting.
[Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
