The Heartthrob Drunkie: The Story Behind Rob Lowe’s Fight Against Addiction And Alcoholism
From being an actor, director and a movie-producer, it seems like the famous 80’s heartthrob has his hands all over the film industry.
But, despite the success he is known for today, it is no secret to many that the actor didn’t have an easy road to the top. He tried out for a lot of roles which didn’t necessarily have the same success as his other famous films.
Which leaves us asking: How did the Brat Pack member find his way to the main lights?
From a Brat Pack Kid To a Certified Heartthrob
Continuously working to find the role that would make him well-known, Rob Lowe got his first ticket to fame when he played the savvy saxophone musician in the movie St. Elmo’s Fire (1985). The film was a great hit and had been received well by the public, earning him the rights to be hailed “a certified heartthrob” during the 80’s.
Following this success, the then 21-year old Lowe began to star in one blockbuster film after another, starring in several iconic films like About Last Night (1986), Oxford Blues (1984), The Outsiders (1983), Square Dance (1987), and Bad Influence (1990), among others.
But just like most celebrities, the fame, money and celebrity lifestyle took its toll on the life of the actor. From being an average guy to a movie star overnight, the actor developed a habit of being a party animal.
The actor was no stranger to alcohol, in fact, his first sip of liquor came when he was only 5 years old. The actor would describe alcohol as “terrible, yet amazing at the same time.”
To add to that, being a part of the clique “the brat packs” which is a group of good looking young stars who played roles in coming-of-age movies like The Outsiders made him even more familiar with alcohol.
During the span of said movie, adults on the set would casually pile up huge amounts of alcohol in front of the young stars on set letting them drink as much as they want.
From the Bad Influence to Under the Influence
Despite the fame, fortune, and success that Lowe went on to achieve, the actor seemed to be unhappy and dissatisfied with all the things that he accomplished.
Confused about the feeling of dissatisfaction, Lowe vented all his emotions in the traditional celebrity style, using drugs and alcohol as his way out, turning him into a “total drunkard”.
In an interview with Larry King, the actor was asked about the reason why he did drugs despite the success he’s had. Lowe then replied, “Because, for people like me who are IN recovery, you are born feeling empty.”
He then continued saying, “You are looking unconsciously, or consciously for something to fill that, and if you want to be an actor, or an artist or a musician, you think ‘Man, if I ever make it, it will fix me.’”
According to the actor, the fame and success he accomplished never really helped him patch a hole in his feelings. Hence, he found it in drug use and alcohol intake.
Continuing to use such substances, the actor never stopped living a wild celebrity lifestyle. This caused him to find himself stuck with a bunch of controversies and he soon found himself at the rock bottom.
Lowe was caught doing all sorts of crazy things during the height of his career. He was casually getting smothered with drugs and alcohol on a daily basis. These issues were amplified when a footage of the actor having sexual intercourse with two different women in his hotel room leaked to the public. Apparently, one of the girls that the film star has been messing with was an underaged 16-year old girl. The mother of the girl then went out to sue Lowe who was found guilty and was convicted to serving 20 days of community service.
This led Lowe to lose some of his friends. Not only that, but the actor who was actively engaged with politics and activism lost his most treasured credibility. “I did a lot of work for a lot of people, and I traveled a lot of miles on behalf of candidates and the party and things like that,”
This event caused the Hollywood star to think back and reflect towards his life in general, and led him into one of the most amazing decisions that he will ever make.
BEST DECISION EVER!
Living a very miserable life after the controversy broke, the disheartened Lowe was in the process of accepting the fact that he was “done” with his career, and he openly admitted it was due to his “wild ways” that his career had wound down.
But the world had other plans for the actor.
While he was on the verge of accepting the fact that his career was over, he suddenly had “a moment of clarity” as he describes it in the same interview with Larry King.
“I was carrying something around with my wallet. And this was at the time where I couldn’t keep my sunglasses. I was losing my keys 20 times a day. I’m a spastic.” he recalled.
Despite being drunk and miserable, the actor kept something that will change the course of his life forever.
“I was able to keep a drug and alcohol counselors’ card in my wallet for a year. And so when I was ready, I had it, I made the call.”
His Shot at Redemption
Ever since going to the rehab center for counseling in 1999, Lowe has found himself having drastic changes in his life. He successfully stripped out alcohol from his life and is now happily sober for many many years. Around that time, the actor got his second chance with his acting career and has taken a different pathway, successfully transitioning from being a star in the silver screen to now being an equally big shot in the small screen. The actor found huge success in acting in several series like The West Wing (1999-2006), Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) and is also part of a newly televised series entitled 9-1-1: Lone star (2020 -).
When asked about what advice he would give to people with the same problems he had, Lowe had this to say — “Well, in my experience, if you are willing to get honest with yourself, if you are willing to take directions, you can GET SOBER and STAY SOBER.”
“It’s a very very simple way to go about it. But simple DOESN’T mean EASY,” he added.
Recently on his Instagram page, the actor shared a very heartfelt message about celebrating his 30 years of sobriety:
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CABiElzFuAz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Due to his savage lifestyle back when he was still a kid, the actor learned how to appreciate all the things that he has in his life: his family, his wife, his career, and most importantly, his life.
Up to this day, he continues to share his experience to serve a helping hand to people who are currently battling with addiction, celebrating his life far away from his old habits while continuously helping out others in getting away with their fixations.
Ever overcome a battle with addiction? Share it with us – Let us know your story in the comment section. Together, let us help others kickstart their way to sobriety.
Leave a Reply