Bradley Cooper opened up about his intense struggle with addiction to cocaine during his appearance on Wondery’s “Smartless” podcast, revealing that it stemmed from having “zero self-esteem.”
The podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, became a platform for candid conversation about Cooper’s lowest points. “I was so lost and I was addicted to cocaine,” Cooper said. “I severed my Achilles tendon right after I got fired/quit ‘Alias'” Cooper revealed, as he expressed that he was unable to find balance in his life and was “totally depressed.”
“I did have the benefit of that happening when I was 29. 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,” Cooper said.
” I could not get into any clubs, no girls wanted to look at me,” he said.(RELATED: TikTok Promotes Sexual Content, Drugs And Alcohol To Children, Investigation Finds)
Bradley Cooper Recalls Time in His 20s When He Was ‘So Lost’ and ‘Addicted to Cocaine’ https://t.co/YWCF80X4IH
— People (@people) June 14, 2022
Things didn’t improve for Cooper until several years down the road, and he was able to break free from his addiction to cocaine. “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,” Cooper said.
Arnett referenced 2009, just before Cooper’s widespread fame from “The Hangover” as being a “metamorphosis” for the actor.
“Having those realizations and having that change allowed you to — that’s what opened you up and allowed you to be you,” Arnett said.
He then went on to encourage Cooper by stating that he had noticed the change in him. “It has been awesome seeing you in this place and seeing you comfortable. Nothing has made me happier,” Arnett said. He completed the emotional moment by expressing his content in seeing Cooper overcome addiction and follow sobriety to a much better place. “It’s made me happy to see you so happy with who you are.”