Superstar Bradley Cooper didn’t beat around the bush and said he’s lucky to have been sober — for nearly 20 years now — following a battle with alcohol and drug addiction early in his career.
During the 48-year-old actor’s appearance on “Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” Cooper opened up about his sobriety and admitted that he had some “wild years,” Entertainment Tonight reported.
“‘The Hangover’ was pretty career changing,” the actor said. “I was 36 when that happened so I was already in the game for 10 years just banging around, so I didn’t get lost in fame. In terms of alcohol and drugs, yeah, but nothing to do with fame, though.”
Bradley Cooper: "‘The Hangover’ was pretty career changing. I was 36 when that happened, so I was already in the game for 10 years… I didn’t get lost in fame. In terms of alcohol and drugs, yeah. But that had nothing to do with fame." https://t.co/QV9wZsWomr
— Variety (@Variety) August 21, 2023
“But I was lucky,” he added. “I got sober at 29 years old, and I’ve been sober for 19 years. I’ve been very lucky.”
The “American Sniper” star also explained that the personal battle with addiction he went through helped him with his role as the aging rocker Jackson Maine in “A Star Is Born” reboot alongside Lady Gaga. In the film, Maine “helps a young singer [Gaga] find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.”
“It made it easier to be able to really enter in there,” Cooper said.
“And thank goodness I was at a place in my life where I was at ease with all of that, so I could really let myself go,” he added. “I’ve been very lucky with the roles I’ve had to play. It’s been a real blessing. I hope I get to keep doing it.”
At one point, “The A-Team” star shared some rare comments about his own late father Charles and fatherhood, as the the actor himself is dad to daughter Lea De Seine with ex-girlfriend model Irina Shayk, the outlet noted.
“I mean, you learn from your predecessor’s mistakes and I’ll make tons that hopefully Lea will learn from and then being rigorous with myself to grow,” Cooper said. “To help unburden her with any of my bulls***.”
The host pressed the actor and said it’s one “of the best things you can do for Lea, isn’t it?”
“And for me,” the superstar replied. “It’s for me too. It just makes life much better.”