This post includes discussion of substance abuse.
Bradley Cooper opened up about his past with substance abuse.
On National Geographic’s Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge, the Oscar-nominated actor and director talked about his years before fame when he overcame his addiction to "alcohol and drugs."
Bradley said he feels “very lucky” to have overcome his past struggles, especially since some of his most critically-lauded roles involved playing characters with addiction issues, most famously in A Star Is Born, in which Bradley starred and directed to acclaim.
Bradley said his past made it "easier to be able to really enter in there" for the role. He said, "Thank goodness, I was at a place in my life where I was at ease with all that. So I could really let myself go."
"I was lucky, you know," Bradley shared. "I got sober at 29 years old and I’ve been sober for 19 years. I’m very lucky."
Previously on the Smartless podcast hosted by long-time friends of Bradley's — Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes — the actor shared how "lost" he was in his twenties and to his addiction to "cocaine."
At the time, Bradley revealed he had "zero self-esteem" and used mean humor to cover it up. It took Will calling him out and calling Bradley an "asshole" for him to self-reflect.
"And that was, like, the first time I ever realized I had a problem with drugs and alcohol," Bradley said. "And it was Will saying that to me, and I’ll just never forget it."
Bradley also shared on the survival series how fortunate he feels that his career success has been "incremental" and how it really took off when he was 36 years old with The Hangover.
"I’ve been very lucky, Bear, with the roles I’ve had to play," he said. "I mean, I really have, if I look back. It’s been a real blessing. I hope I get to keep doing it."
