How long has Bradley Cooper been sober? Actor recalls time he thought he was 'going to die'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bradley Cooper has disclosed that he once grappled with the fear that his battle against drugs and alcohol addiction may lead to his death.
During an episode of 'Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge' shot in the Wyoming Basin, Grylls asked him, "You definitely had some wild years?"
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The 'The Hangover' star had a candid discussion with the fames suvivalist about the most challenging phases of his life on the episode, per the New York Post.
How long has Bradley Cooper been sober?
Cooper has been sober for 19 years. Cooper told Grylls, “In terms of alcohol and drugs, yeah, but nothing to do with fame. But I was lucky. I got sober at 29 years old, and I’ve been sober for 19 years. Very lucky."
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Cooper has previously addressed his struggles with alcohol and cocaine addiction, revealing that he turned to substances for solace after a dual setback: the rupture of his Achilles tendon and his departure from the action-thriller series 'Alias' in 2003.
Attributing his transformation to a pivotal moment, Cooper acknowledged his roommate at the time, fellow actor Will Arnett, for sitting him down in 20024 and propelling him onto a trajectory of recovery.
As per Entertainment Weekly, Cooper recalled a significant moment from 2004 on the ‘Smartless’ podcast.
Arnett visited Cooper's Los Angeles residence at that time and observed that, despite the day progressing into late afternoon, Cooper had yet to attend to his dogs' need to go outside.
Reflecting on this encounter, Cooper shared, "That was the first time I ever realized I had a problem with drugs and alcohol. It was Will saying that to me, I'll never forget it... It changed my entire life."
Is Bradley Cooper sober now?
However, Cooper confessed to Grylls that he almost relapsed in January 2011, following the death of his father from lung cancer, an event he experienced firsthand.
Cooper recalled, “I definitely had a nihilistic attitude towards life after, just like I thought ‘I’m going to die.' I don’t know, it wasn’t great for a little bit until I thought I have to embrace who I actually am and try to find a peace with that, and then it sort of evened out.”
Fortunately, the actor managed to navigate through this tumultuous period. He directed and starred alongside Lady Gaga in ‘A Star Is Born’, a film where he portrayed the Jackson Maine, who struggles with addiction.
Cooper will next be seen in the Netflix series 'Maestro', in which he will portray Leonard Bernstein.