Aaron Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of The Backstreet Boys, burst into teen idol fame with his debut album (entitled Aaron Carter, naturally), released in 1997, when he was just nine years old. It sold a million copies. A second album, Aaron's Party: Come and Get It (2000), sold two million copies and peaked at #4 on the U.S. charts.
The sizzling star appeared as himself on Sabrina the Teenage Witch (2001) and Lizzie McGuire (2001), and started high-profile romances with Hilary Duff (Lizzie) and Lindsey Lohan (The Parent Trap).
New albums were released in 2001 and 2002, but in the post-911, War on Terror world, that golden age seemed impossibly naive, and Aaron's star faded. He continued to tour and release new songs, but none of them charted. Focusing on his acting, he played:
Harry (one of the daughter's boyfriends) on two episodes of 7th Heaven (2004)
A classmate of the live action Fat Albert (left, with Shedrach Taylor III as Rudy).
A Hannah Montana-like incognito popstar in Popstar (2005). Former popstars David Cassidy and Leif Garrett (right) appeared.
Marty in I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006), with Jeff Garlin (soon to star in The Goldberg) as a man looking for someone to each cheese with.
Brian in College Fright Night (2014), about a vampire infestation at a college, with former teen stars Todd Bridges and Dustin Diamond in the cast.
Aaron's adult years were rough:
Monetary problems, with his parents squandering his income, sometimes forcefully.
His father firing a gun next to his ear, leaving him partially deaf.
Allegations of abuse from his sister Leslie and brother Nick, which led to a restraining order and an admission that on social media that he wanted to kill Nick's wife.
Frequent drug problems.
More after the break