‘I used to sweat vodka and my tongue turned black’: Gary Oldman recalls the ‘hell’ of his battle with alcoholism as he celebrated 24 years of sobriety
Gary Oldman remembers how he ‘sweated vodka’ before he sobered up 24 years ago.
The Oscar-winning actor, 62, openly talked about the side effects of the ‘hell’ of addiction and admitted that he ‘would not want it [his] worst enemy’.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, he said: ‘I used to sweat vodka. It becomes a part of you. My tongue would be black in the morning. I blamed the shampoo.
Sober: Gary Oldman remembers how he ‘sweated vodka’ before he sobered up 24 years ago
– I would not wish that even my worst enemy, to be in his clutches. It’s hell. And that modest mood? This is just there to mask the inadequacy. ‘
Gary revealed how he used his own experience as a recovering alcoholic for the role of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz in the new Netflix movie, Mank.
He added: ‘Herman, in that modest mood, he was having lunch, drinking with a friend, who said,’ Why don’t you go home sober this time? ‘
‘And he replied,’ What? And has [his wife] Sara kicked me out as an impostor? I did the same thing.
![Battle: The 62-year-old actor openly opened up about the side effects of addiction and admitted that 'I wouldn't want that to happen [his] worst enemy' [pictured in 1992]](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/03/03/10/39988324-9320411-The_62_year_old_actor_has_candidly_opened_up_on_the_side_effects-m-79_1614768337732.jpg?resize=560%2C856&ssl=1)
Battle: The 62-year-old actor openly opened up about the side effects of addiction and admitted that ‘I wouldn’t want that to happen [his] worst enemy’ [pictured in 1992]
Healthy: Gary has been sober for more than two decades
‘I would sit down and say to the waiter,’ I want a great tonic vodka. And you can bring it now because I’m an alcoholic. I need this faster. ”
And Gary noted that he initially had a hard time quitting drinking because he “romanticized” his addiction and associated it with inspiring artists like Ernest Hemingway.
He explained: ‘People romanticize, and even I romanticized.
“All my heroes drank or were addicted to opium, and you are confused by these poets, playwrights and actors who drank a lot.”
Meanwhile, Gary usually feels he can ‘hide’ his insecurity with makeup and prosthetics and feels a lot more ‘comfortable’ that way, so playing screenwriter Mankiewicz without any transformation, he initially felt vulnerable before eventually finding the work ‘liberating’ ‘.
![Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, he said: 'I used to sweat vodka. It becomes a part of you. My tongue would be black in the morning. I blamed the shampoo ' [pictured in 1997]](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/03/03/10/39988318-9320411-Speaking_to_the_Los_Angeles_Times_newspaper_he_said_I_used_to_sw-m-91_1614768474625.jpg?resize=560%2C887&ssl=1)
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, he said: ‘I used to sweat vodka. It becomes a part of you. My tongue would be black in the morning. I blamed the shampoo ‘ [pictured in 1997]
New role: Gary revealed how he used his own experience as a recovering alcoholic for the role of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz in the new Netflix movie, Mank
He said earlier: ‘I like disguises because of my own insecurity. When I can hide, I feel more comfortable. I don’t know, maybe I won’t feel worthy again.
‘I’m approaching 24 years of sobriety in March, but I remember all the things that made me want to drink, you know?
‘So when David [Finscher, director] said, ‘I want you as naked as you have always been, I don’t want a veil between you and the public’, touched my insecurities. He said, ‘Trust me.’ Then you go, ‘OK’. And really, it was the best choice. Interestingly, after a few days, it was quite liberating.