Bradley Cooper has candidly opened up about his past struggles with addiction and what made him decide he needed to get sober.
The Hollywood star, 47, admitted he felt "lost" in his 20s after becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.
Speaking to Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes on the Smartless podcast, the Nightmare Alley actor told how he became addicted to cocaine.
He recalled: "I was so lost and I was addicted to cocaine — that was the other thing. I severed my Achilles tendon right after I got fired-slash-quit Alias and struggled with zero self-esteem."
He starred alongside Jennifer Garner in the series between 2001 and 2003 before his status on the show changed.
Bradley continued to say he was "totally depressed" after moving to Los Angeles until he starred in The Hangover.
He added: "I thought I made it when I got a Wendy’s commercial. In terms of the ‘made it’ thing, that’s when I made it. But I definitely did not feel, moving to Los Angeles for Alias feeling like I was back in high school.
"I could not get into any clubs, no girls wanted to look at me. I was totally depressed. It wasn’t really until The Hangover. I was 36 when I did The Hangover, so I got to go through all those things before fame even played into my existence on a daily level. So all that happened before any of that.”
And he credited a pal for his final decision to address his addiction prior to the hit comedy.
"I definitely made major breakthroughs at 29 to 33, 34, where at least I was able to stand in front of somebody and breathe and listen and talk," he added, noting that doing so led him on a path which helped him to change his life.
He had previously commented in GQ in 2013 how if he had continued on the same road he would have spiralled out of control and sabotaged his whole life.
He said at the time: "I think work was getting f***ed up. The one thing that I’ve learned in life is the best thing I can do is embrace who I am and then do that to the fullest extent, and then whatever happens, happens.
"The more steps I do to not do that, the farther I am away from fulfilling any potential I would have.”
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
