Bradley Cooper talks overcoming self-esteem issues, cocaine addiction
Cooper credited pal Will Arnett with helping him get sober.
Bradley Cooper has opened up about overcoming addiction and self-esteem issues early on in his career in a candid new interview.
The nine-time Oscar nominee sat down with his pals Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes for an installment of their "SmartLess" podcast and said that, after moving to Los Angeles and starring on "Alias," he had "zero self-esteem" and felt "worthless" and "totally depressed."
"I was so lost and I was addicted to cocaine -- that was the other thing," he said.
All that changed for the "A Star Is Born" director around the time he starred in the first installment of the "The Hangover," which premiered in 2009.
The film catapulted him to superstar status, and Cooper instantly became a household name.
"I got to go through all of those things before fame even played into my existence on a daily level," he said.
Cooper then gave Arnett credit for pushing him toward the "path of deciding to change my life," and helping him realize he had a problem with drugs and alcohol for the first time.
"I loved you and wanted you to be OK," Arnett, of "Arrested Development" fame, said in response.
"It has been awesome seeing you in this place and seeing you comfortable," Arnett added. "Nothing has made me happier. It's made me happy to see you so happy with who you are."
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