TRIGGER WARNING: This week's story involves drug use. If this could be distressing to you, please skip this episode and join us next week. “I’m at a party. Somebody goes into their pocket and pulls out five or six pills. And I take all of them, and I eat them. About 15 minutes later, I’m not feeling good. I think I’m about to throw up. I’m by the sink. I look in the cupboard, and there’s a filter. So I grab a coffee filter. I lean over the sink, and I throw up into the coffee filter. And then I squeeze it, open the filter. And there are the pills. And I take the pills and take a beer, and I swallow them again. That’s the kind of addict I was.” In today’s episode, we hear from an actor whose brilliant career fell apart due to their addictions to drugs and alcohol. From booking several roles a month at 19 to becoming a final contender for a series lead, our confessor’s meteoric rise coincided with an increasingly habit of using… which ultimately brought it all crashing down. “I thought talent was everything. I thought, I’m not the first guy to have issues with drugs or alcohol. Let’s figure it out. I’m worth it. But within a few years, I had nothing. I blew all the money. I didn’t have anything left.” Redemption didn’t come easily for our confessor. They continued to book roles because of their talent, but marijuana and cocaine eventually led to more ravaging addictions… and trouble with the law. They only survived, as our confessor puts it, because angels were looking out for them… just long enough to bring our confessor to the point where they were ready to get the help they needed. In this episode, we hear how addiction can completely take over the life of an artist, and at least one of the reasons why. We also hear a profoundly moving tale of redemption, as our confessor finally figures out what it takes to come clean. "Coming Clean" is very important to us, and we hope this story will inspire our fellow entertainment industry professionals who are also struggling with addiction. Let us know what you think on Twitter or Instagram @fessuphollywood. And please leave us a review and rating here! We’ll be back in two weeks with another episode of Hollywood Confessional. Other episodes we think you'll enjoy: “The Comeback” - A fearless aspiring filmmaker scores a job directing a studio feature right out of college. But when it turns out not to be the big break they expect, they must find a way to stay in the game through 25 years of diminishing returns. “Resting Smile Face” & “The Method” - A PA learns that their friendly face might encourage a-holes to ask for favors. An aspiring actor deals with a shady coach who was really teaching people to bully. Connect with us: Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal. Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay. Keywords: How to Break into Hollywood, Entertainment Industry Jobs, Entertainment Industry Podcast, Screenwriting Podcast, Filmmaking Podcast