Jenkintown native Bradley Cooper discussed his 19-year sobriety journey during an episode of Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge, writes Julien Raby for Boxlife Magazine.
Getting sober at 29 was not just a turning point for the Oscar-nominated actor and filmmaker, it was a lifeline.
“I was so lost,” said Cooper on the podcast hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes.
He recalled Arnett confronting him about his erratic behavior at a dinner party, a moment Cooper described as especially humiliating.
“Will was like, ‘You were a real [expletive], man,’” said Cooper. “That was the first time I ever realized I had a problem.”
That honest conversation between friends was a pivotal moment for the actor.
“Will took that risk of having that hard conversation with me,” he said. “It changed my entire life.”
Cooper got sober before starring in The Hangover, which was his breakout role. As his career flourished, he stayed grounded through therapy, recovery work, and inner reflection.
In 2018, he starred in and directed A Star Is Born, using his own experiences authentically portray Jackson Maine, a musician battling alcoholism.
“It made it easier to be able to really enter in there,” he said.
Read more about Bradley Cooper in Boxlife Magazine.
Bradley Cooper reflects on the first time he realized drugs and alcohol were controlling his life, long before fame or The Hangover. He opens up about addiction, self-doubt, and feeling lost early in his career. More than 15 years sober now, Cooper credits Will Arnett for helping change his path—and says that choice reshaped his life and the lives of others.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on MONTCO Today in June 2025.
