You might recognize the name Joey Cramer if you grew up watching 80s movies, especially the sci-fi classic Flight of the Navigator.
But what happened to him after the spotlight faded is a story far from the glitz and glamour.
Joey’s journey shows how early fame can sometimes come with a heavy price, leading to struggles that most people never see.
From Hollywood Stardom to a Life in Shadows
At just 12 years old, Joey starred in Flight of the Navigator, a groundbreaking 1986 film featuring a talking alien spaceship and mind-blowing special effects for its time.
The movie was a global hit, making $18 million worldwide, and for a moment, Joey’s face was known all over the world.
But fame overwhelmed him. Rather than enjoying his childhood, Joey felt trapped.
Within months of the movie’s release, he walked away from Hollywood completely, longing for a normal life away from cameras and fans.
Falling Through the Cracks After Leaving the Spotlight
Unfortunately, leaving Hollywood didn’t solve Joey’s problems — it only marked the beginning of a three-decade struggle. When he returned to school, he found it hard to fit in.
Kids teased him as the “movie star kid,” and to find acceptance, he gravitated toward a crowd that smoked, drank, and used drugs.
By 14 or 15, Joey was already experimenting with cocaine.
He recalls looking back and wondering what he was thinking, but as a young teen, the dangers didn’t fully register.
By 18, he was regularly using crack cocaine and eventually entered rehab for the first time.
A Glimmer of Hope in Mexico Before the Downfall
In his twenties, Joey moved to Mexico, where he managed to stay sober for about ten years.
He held regular jobs and started to rebuild his life.
But a single night of weakness at a party in his mid-thirties led to a devastating relapse — this time with heroin.
When his daughter was born in 2014, things only got harder.
Instead of feeling motivated, Joey found himself spiraling deeper into addiction, using heroin not to enjoy life but to numb the pain.
The Breaking Point That Led to a Desperate Act
Caught in a destructive relationship and facing the frightening possibility of losing custody of his daughter, Joey gave up on recovery.
Homeless and overwhelmed by thoughts of suicide by 2016, he hatched a plan.
He decided to commit a crime serious enough to land him in prison, where he knew treatment programs existed.
Wearing a disguise — a wig, bandana, and sunglasses — Joey walked into a bank in British Columbia and handed over a note demanding cash.
The robbery was not about money but a desperate cry for help.
Finding Redemption Behind Bars
Three days after the robbery, when police arrested him, Joey felt relief.
He knew that in prison, he could finally access the help he so desperately needed.
During his nearly two-year sentence, Joey turned to meditation, yoga, therapy, and methadone treatment to confront decades of pain and addiction.
He used this time to heal and rebuild himself piece by piece.
Rebuilding Life and Relationships
Now 51 years old, Joey has been clean for several years.
He’s slowly mending his relationship with his daughter and has even returned to acting, this time in small independent films.
Beyond that, he volunteers to support others going through recovery, sharing his story as a beacon of hope.
“I know I’ve done bad things, but I’m not a bad person,” he says.
“I have regrets, but I can’t change the past. All I can do is try to be better today and share my experiences in the hope it might help someone else.”
Sharing His Story in a Powerful Documentary
Joey’s life became the focus of the 2020 documentary Life After the Navigator, which reunited him with former co-stars and gave an honest look at the cost of childhood fame.
He reflects, “Every time I share my story, it reminds me that the past doesn’t control my life anymore.
The memories and who I was don’t define who I am today. That’s been the hardest but most important lesson.”