What Happened to Actor Sean Caracena? He Was Featured in 'Kid 90' Documentary

May 2024 · 4 minute read

Sean Caracena was a promising actor who came to the limelight in the 1990s. Along with other upcoming stars and celebrities in Hollywood, he was featured in Hulu's documentary "Kid 90." Get to know all about the actor.

Years before social media, Soleil Moon Frye, a teenager, captured the world around her on her video camera, which she carried everywhere. The actress, director, producer, and screenwriter, born on August 6, 1976, was a child star.

In 2021, she decided to show the world what the entertainment industry was like back in the 1990s by sharing her archival footage through a Hulu-distributed documentary called "Kid 90."

The documentary, which was initially released on March 12, 2021, was executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio under his Appian Way Productions banner. It featured the likes of David Arquette, Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlie Sheen, and Robin Thicke.

In addition to showing what the industry looked like, Fyre also revealed details about her friends and relationships. She also gave special tributes to those who died, like Sean Caracena and Shannon Wilsey.

WHAT HAPPENED TO SEAN CARACENA?

Caracena was one of the showbiz kids of the 1990s. The actor had one significant role to date. In 1996, he starred as Gavin Pullman in "Somebody Is Waiting."

The other actors who starred in the film included Gabriel Byrne, Nastassja Kinski, Brian Donovan, Johnny Whitworth, Rebecca Gayheart, Tom Mustin, Maury Sterling, and Lisa Lord.

After the movie, Caracena did not have roles in other films or TV shows. His disappearance from the industry felt like he took a step back from acting altogether.

The pressures that come with fame got to Caracena; unfortunately, he did not handle them well. People assumed he did not want to fight his demons in the spotlight, hence his disappearance.

Sadly, Caracena did not overcome what he was going through and took his own life. There is very little information about the circumstances surrounding his death, as his family did not make official statements.

However, given the setting of the "Kid 90" documentary, it looked like Frye, who was a "Punky Brewster" star, captured her friends' "cry for help" on camera. This led to speculation that Caracena may have suffered from mental health issues.

Caracena was not the only star featured in "Kid 90" to suffer an untimely death; Jonathan Brandis and Justin Pierce also tragically took their own lives. They were each crying out for help in the documentary, either on phone calls or in Frye's footage.

Frye later reflected on how she ignored the warning signs in "Kid 90." She said:

"I don't think I've been living a lie, but I certainly haven't been [...] listening. How often do we really look at each other and go, ‘How are you?’ and actually hear what someone is saying? I learned that I just wasn’t listening in the way I do now."

Alexander Polinsky, Stephen Dorff, Brian Austin Green, and Soleil Moon Frye | Source: Youtube.com/Hulu

AN OVERVIEW OF THE "KID 90" DOCUMENTARY

In the documentary "Saved By The Bell" actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar reflected on the luxury of being young, spontaneous, and fully present at a party without cameras flashing. He revealed that stardom had always been riddled with the unease of notoriety and voyeurism.

osselaar pointed out that the freedom of having a private life was one of the perks of pre-internet fame, no matter how short-lived it was. The documentary evoked compassion for the stars forced to mature too fast because of the entertainment world.

WHAT CAN VIEWERS LEARN FROM THE "KID 90" DOCUMENTARY?

The documentary had painful admissions of depression. Frye would routinely ask her friends profound questions about their philosophies on life. In one footage, when she spoke with Caracena, he revealed that he had seriously thought about suicide.

In addition, it showed that going down memory lane could be challenging and complicated for anyone. Frye revealed that she had difficulty looking back at specific parts of her life as she had locked the memories away.

Also, when her friends saw the videos of themselves from the past, some smiled or laughed, covered their eyes, and while others got sad.

Frye was also able to openly discuss her past traumas. She revealed that she was sexually assaulted as a teenager and reflected on how she tried to process the incident.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

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