George Clooney Reflects on Past Drug Use and the Joys of Family Life
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George Clooney recently opened up about experimenting with drugs in his youth, while also expressing gratitude for the stability and fulfillment he’s found in his family life. The actor, 64, shared candid details about his experiences in a recent interview with Esquire magazine, offering a glimpse into his past and present.
Early Experimentation with Cocaine and Other Substances
Clooney recounted his experiences with drug use at age 21 in 1982. “In ’82 I tried it, with cocaine and other things,” he confessed. “I used to joke that I did too many drugs but the truth is that it was never a big problem for me.” He also noted a different cultural context surrounding drug use at the time, recalling an episode of the television show Taxi where cocaine use was depicted casually. “Ther was an episode of Taxi where everyone used cocaine, and at that time it was said: ‘This is not like heroin, it is not addictive.’ But then it turned out to be quite bad,” he said.
The actor even recounted a humorous,albeit unpleasant,detail about the substances he and his friends consumed being mixed with mannitol – a laxative. “Everyone stood in a line and then had to go to the bathroom,” Clooney recalled with a laugh.
A Rocky Encounter with Marijuana
Beyond cocaine, Clooney also shared a memorable, and less enjoyable, experience with marijuana. He described a night where he and friends consumed marijuana brownies while watching The Wizard of Oz accompanied by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. “We were ruined,” he said.”We were watching The Wizard of Oz while it was ringing The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. When the movie ended, we sat in silence for hours, until the sun came up. it just wasn’t my kind of drug.”
Finding Stability in Family
Despite reflecting on these past experiences, Clooney emphasized the profound stability he’s found in his personal life. Married as 2014 to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, he is the father of eight-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella. he contrasted his current life with that of his character in his new film, Jay Kelly. “We have the same hair and the same height, but we are not that similar,” Clooney explained.”My character is a sad man, without friends or family. On the other hand, I have been lucky enough to not surround myself with people I have to pay.” He added, “I have a great family and good friends… and my children still love me. They are small.”
Clooney also voiced concerns about the potential negative effects of social media on children. In a conversation with Julia Roberts for 72 Magazine,he revealed that he actively limits his children’s exposure to platforms like Facebook and Instagram. “I don’t know how to use them, and my life is much simpler without them,” he stated. “But I worry about the children, I worry about my children. The risks are greater and the consequences last much longer.” While acknowledging the need for some digital access for schoolwork, he emphasized their efforts to “limit it.”
gratitude and a Positive Outlook
Looking back on his life and career, Clooney expressed a deep sense of gratitude. In a previous interview with AARP, he reflected on the role of both luck and personal initiative in his success. “I have been the recipient of a lot of luck, but I believe that you also create your opportunities. You have to bet on yourself and be ready when the time comes,” he said.
Concluding with an optimistic viewpoint on aging, Clooney stated, “There is no logic about who ages and who doesn’t. So you have to live as if you were not going to have that possibility.And if one day you wake up and you are old, you will have lived a truly full life.”
