Police say Corey Haim, seen last year in Hollywood, had flu-like symptoms before he died and was taking over-the-counter and prescription medication. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)Canadian actor Corey Haim, who had struggled with drug addiction, died at age 38 early Wednesday in Los Angeles. Police say the exact cause is unknown.

Haim was taken to a Burbank hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m. local time, according to the L.A. coroner's office.

Haim had been living in an apartment in North Hollywood, police said. His mother Judy was said to have been with him in the apartment and she called 911.

Actor Corey Feldman, who starred in several films with his friend and also appeared in a reality series with him, issued a statement saying he had just woken up when he heard the news.

"My eyes weren't even open all the way when the tears started streaming down my face," said Feldman.

"This is a tragic loss of a wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul, who will always be my brother, family and best friend."

Sgt. William Mann said the actor had flu-like symptoms before he died and was taking over-the-counter and prescription medication.

"He could have succumbed to whatever [illness] he had or it could have been drugs," Mann said. "Who knows? He has had a drug problem in the past."

Acting helped overcome shyness

Born in Toronto in 1971, Haim was enrolled in acting classes by his mother as a way for him to get over his shyness.

His first professional job was in the 1984 movie Firstborn. He also had a continuing role in the CBC-TV series The Edison Twins, which ran from 1982 to 1986.

The actor won acclaim for his role in the 1986 movie Lucas, starring Winona Ryder and Charlie Sheen. He followed that up with a major role with his pal Corey Feldman in the vampire flick The Lost Boys in 1987.

Haim soon became a teen idol and snared parts in films such as License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream.

When his career hit the skids in the 1990s, Haim returned to Toronto. In 1997, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, claiming medical debts and owing more than $200,000 US in taxes.Corey Haim is seen in a 1987 studio publicity image at the height of his popularity. (Warner Bros/Associated Press)

Orlena Cain, a friend who met the actor in a Toronto pub in 2005, said she didn't recognize him because he was so overweight. She ended up in a long conversation with him.

"He said, 'I'm kind of trying to make my way back. I'm looking for friends. I can't really trust a lot of people.'"

Cain said Haim was often depressed.

In recent years, he had admitted to problems with drug abuse, calling himself a "chronic relapser" and was trying to get his life and career on track.

Haim told Britain's the Sun newspaper in 2004 that he had been in and out of rehab about 15 times.

"I lived in L.A. in the '80s, which was not the best place to be. I did cocaine for about a year and a half, then it led to crack," he said in the interview, adding that he also took both stimulants and sedatives, including Valium.

Reality series like 'liquid honesty'

He also starred in the reality series The Two Coreys with Feldman from 2007 to 2008. He later said he would never do another reality TV series.

Feldman, who has also struggled with drug abuse and claims to be clean, said in 2008 that he had refused to talk to his buddy until he got sober.

'You do a reality show, you sign up to be naked.'— Corey Haim

"I don't feel that he's a safe person to have around my wife and child at the moment, for a multitude of reasons," Feldman told People magazine in an August 2008 story.

In a 2008 interview on the CBC Radio show Q, Haim admitted he wasn't happy with how he treated Feldman's wife on the reality show's first season, saying that being required to improvise in front of the camera led to uncomfortable moments.

"You know when you drink, it's like liquid honesty … it comes in different forms, too, like improv [because] your real emotions come up."

Haim said he wasn't proud of those reality moments, but he wanted to "be real" in front of the cameras.

"You do a reality show, you sign up to be naked."

The performer had begun working again as an actor, with roles in small films such as Shark City and the horror film New Terminal Hotel.

Haim had recently finished a film shot in New Brunswick called American Sunset.

With files from The Associated Press