Who plays Jeff Atkins in 13 Reasons Why?
A good friend and capable Liberty High athlete, Jeff is one of the show's most tragic figures.
Hard-hitting teen drama 13 Reasons Why has come to an end after four seasons on Netflix, a run which saw it become one of the streaming service's most talked-about shows.
The series began by exploring why teenage high school student Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) was driven to suicide and has since tackled other sensitive issues faced by today's youth.
One of the more sympathetic characters on the show was baseball player Jeff Atkins, who appeared throughout the first season, but met a tragic fate that could have been avoided.
Here's everything you need to know about the character and who plays him in 13 Reasons Why...
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13 Reasons Why: Who plays Jeff Atkins?
Jeff Atkins is played by Brandon Larracuente, an American actor who first started performing on stage at just eight years old. He received international recognition after winning a role in Netflix original series Bloodline, where he played Ben Rayburn, the teenage son of Kyle Chandler's character.
Since leaving 13 Reasons Why, he starred in a reboot of '90s sitcom Party of Five on family broadcaster Freeform, but it was cancelled after one season earlier this year.
Jeff Atkins is one Larracuente's best-known roles, a high school athlete who genuinely cared about the feelings of those around him, particularly Dylan Minette's Clay, who he tried to be a good friend to.
How did Jeff die in 13 Reasons Why?
In the first season of 13 Reasons Why, it is revealed that Jeff was killed in a car accident at the corner of Tanglewood and Bay Street. Initially, it is implied that his violent fate was the consequence of drink driving, but a later twist reveals that wasn't the case.
Jeff had been at Jessica Davis' party along with many other students of Liberty High, including Hannah and Clay who get into a big argument. Sheri offers Hannah a lift home when she spots her sitting alone and she agrees, but on the way they collide with a crucial 'stop' sign which knocks it out of sight. Sheri refuses to report the incident, making the junction extremely unsafe for road users.
Some time later, Jeff remains sober but heads out to pick up more alcohol for the other guests at the party. On his return journey from the shop, he drives through the junction where the stop sign should be and a car crashes into him, killing him before paramedics have a chance to arrive.
Due to the alcohol in his car, some speculate that he had been drink driving, when in fact his tragic death was through no fault of his own. Many fans were upset by the loss and feel that Jeff deserved much better.
13 Reasons Why season 4 is now streaming on Netflix – check out our lists of the best TV shows on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what's on tonight with our TV Guide.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
