George Clooney Opens Up on Substance Use and Life’s Wild Ride
George Clooney, the 64-year-old Oscar-winning actor, has offered an unprecedentedly candid look into his personal history with substance use, from his early days experimenting with cocaine in the 1980s to a recent, epic celebration following his Broadway debut. In a revealing interview published October 6 in Esquire magazine, Clooney reflected on his past choices, maintaining that despite these experiences, drugs were “never a big issue” for him.
Clooney recalled his first foray into cocaine, specifically in 1982, during his nascent acting career in Los Angeles. “Eighty-two, I tried — I did blow and stuff,” he told Esquire. He contextualized the era, noting the prevalent perception of cocaine at the time, even citing an episode of the popular sitcom Taxi where characters openly used the substance. “At the time, it was like, No, this is not like heroin. It’s not addictive,” Clooney explained, before acknowledging the dangerous reality: “But then it was like, Oh, well, it’s actually pretty f—— bad.” He further detailed a notorious adulteration practice of the time, revealing cocaine was often cut with mannitol, a baby laxative. “Everybody would do a line and then take a s—,” he quipped, highlighting the unglamorous side of the era’s drug scene.
Marijuana, however, proved to be a less appealing pursuit for the Jay Kelly actor. He recounted a memorable incident from approximately 15 years ago, when he and roughly 20 friends gathered in a screening room. Their plan: to experience The Wizard of Oz synchronized with Pink Floyd’s iconic album, Dark Side of the Moon, after consuming weed brownies. The experiment, Clooney admitted, left them “f—ed.” The group sat in profound silence for “hours” after the movie concluded, watching the sun rise. “It’s just not my drug,” he concluded, illustrating the intensity of the experience.
Beyond illicit substances, Clooney also touched upon his relationship with alcohol. While stressing he “never woke up and drank,” and it was “never a problem,” he confessed to periods where he would “get pretty toasty every night.” His recent Broadway run in Good Night, and Good Luck, which opened in April, saw him adopt a near-sober regimen, limiting himself to a single glass of wine on Sundays. This period of abstinence, however, ended dramatically after the 2025 Tony Awards on June 8. Nominated for his powerful performance as journalist Edward R. Murrow, Clooney ultimately lost the coveted award to Cole Escola for Oh, Mary!.
Following the ceremony, Clooney celebrated his achievement and the conclusion of his dry spell with gusto. “I got blasted,” he confessed, describing himself as “barely-walking drunk.” He recounted returning home with his wife, Amal, in fits of laughter, telling her, “Well, I caught up for all my abstinence in one night.” The next day brought the inevitable consequences: “I was sick all day the next day; it was hysterical. I was like high school drunk. Like dumbass drunk.”
Currently, Clooney is starring in Noah Baumbach’s upcoming Netflix film, Jay Kelly. The movie, also featuring Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup, follows his character, famous actor Jay Kelly, and his manager Ron (Sandler) on a transformative European journey. Jay Kelly is set for a limited theatrical release on November 14 before streaming globally on Netflix on December 5. These personal disclosures offer a rare glimpse behind the polished public persona of a Hollywood icon, grounding his enduring career with tales of relatable human experience.
