Sober Actors: Samuel L. Jackson Owes His Career To Quitting Drinking

Sober Actors: Why Samuel L. Jackson Owes His Career To Quitting Drinking

In the 1980s, Jackson got married to his university sweetheart, and the couple had their little girl, Zoe, two years later. Throughout this time, Jackson was still failing to secure significant parts. Yet, he had numerous minor roles in movies like Goodfellas.

The primary reason why Jackson was battling so hard to make a name for himself but never making any money resulted from his alcohol addiction. Jackson asserts that he had been drinking and taking substances recreationally since being a teenager.

Nevertheless, when he relocated to NYC in the late 1970s, his alcohol consumption and substance abuse intensified. He began daily drinking and using substances such as cannabis and LSD regularly.

As the years advanced, Jackson got reliant on these drugs. Not only was he becoming a junkie, but the lineup of substances that he took was growing. 

Jackson's Career Took Off

"I had an excellent theater track record. Of course, I was an addict and I was out of my mind a great deal of the time, but I had great respectability in the business. I turned up promptly, knew my lines, performed well. I just wasn't making a great deal of cash, however, I was extremely happy creatively. I was performing in theatre. I was collaborating with individuals who made me better, who stimulated me. So I was doing things the proper way, it was just that one factor that was in the way - my drinking. And once that was out of the way, everything changed overnight."

While acting in theatre productions, Jackson and his other castmates would get drunk before performing.

This routine resulted in the usage of other substances. Jackson has attributed self-pity as a primary explanation of why he drank to the degree he did. He stated that he would think, "poor me, " and drink to blackout how he felt when he had not made much money.

While Jackson was on drugs, he didn't appreciate anybody or anything besides himself. He has since claimed that he didn't show any love towards his spouse or child when he was using drugs and alcohol, and he was "sort of insane." 

All he did was drink, get high, and act.

But even when it pertained to his acting, he couldn't give it his all due to his inebriated condition. Jackson understood his significant alcohol abuse but concealed it from his loved ones. In spite of this reality, he genuinely failed to believe that he had a drinking problem during the time.

He asserts that since he was continuously getting roles and performing and didn't do anything unlawful like taking advantage of another person for drug cash, he believed he was okay.

This is a typical issue with substance abusers and problem drinkers; because they do not match the stereotyped interpretation of an alcoholic that they may have in their minds, they do not assume that they have a real drinking problem.

Nevertheless, this isn't the reality.

It simply implies that drinking has not yet stolen everything and every person in their daily lives just "yet." Usually, they will be in that pattern if they don't get clean quickly.

Although Jackson seldom speaks about his occasions of taking narcotics, he does often mention the story of how he got clean from drugs and alcohol. Jackson's all-time low came in 1991, after almost twenty years of alcohol and drug misuse. He had headed out to a stag party and came back home late in the evening with some crack. He had switched on the range to "prepare" the drug but lost consciousness before he did.

His partner and 7-year-old child discovered him on the kitchen carpet encircled by narcotics and bottles of alcohol. At that moment, his loved ones pressed him to commit to serious rehabilitation. 

Jackson is one of the fortunate ones. Although rehabilitation is never simple, he could get clean on his initial endeavor.

He was released from therapy in 1991 and has been clean since. That's over 29 years!

Jackson has never been timid about discussing his teetotalism. In 2017, he discussed the account of how he got clean on live tv.

While picking up his BET Life-time Accomplishment Honor, he gave thanks to his partner LaTanya for never quitting on him.

The Rewards of Alcohol-Free Life

While his drug usage significantly characterized Jackson's initial work, the substantial bulk of his time spent acting has been clean. He attributes his teetotalism as being the foundation of his success.

"For me, I have a straight connection in between getting clean and results due to the fact that when I was in therapy, Spike Lee called. So as soon as that happened, I got the part in Jungle Fever and began going to lunch in Hollywood. So my results to date outright ties in to me getting alcohol-free and me getting in touch with who I am and recognizing what my skills were and how to take advantage of them in a beneficial way."

Jackson secured his breakout part as Gator in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever just a couple of weeks after leaving rehabilitation. The paradox? His character was a crack abuser.

While he had already been performing for almost two decades, this job pushed him into Silver screen fame. A couple of little years later, in 1994, Jackson played Jules Winnfield in the renowned Pulp Fiction.

These two parts helped him become the somebody he is right now. They also set him on his way to making the millions of dollars he has in the last three decades.

Although Jackson remains clean for himself, he has transformed the daily lives of everybody in his household. His dad passed away as an alcoholic, and now his child does not need to experience the same journey. Although Jackson has been clean for almost three decades, that does not imply that rehabilitation is now effortless for him.

Teetotalism is a thing that takes place one day at a time.

He confesses to still getting the rare drinking dream. Even though this is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about, it can still be challenging for recuperating alcohol abusers. Nevertheless, Jackson remains clean by advising himself about all of the rewards of soberness that he has acquired.

The A-list star often speaks about how he can communicate better with his characters since he got clean. While he was still taking drugs, his partner LaTanya- a celebrity herself- advised him that he was so resourceful and bright, but he didn't carry enough of that life to his characters.

During the time, Jackson had no concept of what she meant. Nevertheless, after getting clean, the penny dropped. Before sobriety, he concentrated a great deal on his reputation that he never related to his castmates. Without that link, performing is not able to appear life-like. Today, he states he fixates a lot more on building connections with his castmates, which helps him perform naturally.

Jackson's distinct performing variety and unchecked intellect have gotten him countless followers and a small number of distinguished acting honours. In soberness, he has been elected for many distinctions and won numerous, including a BAFTA for Best Artist in a Supporting Role in Pulp Fiction, and a lot more.

Sober Actors Are Just Better People

It's obvious that Jackson's soberness has made him both a more thoughtful individual and a more compelling artist.

Getting clean is never an effortless accomplishment. A few get it on the initial shot, while some take a couple of years. Nevertheless, the reality is that daily life in soberness provides adventures outside your wildest desires. Although Jackson had targets for himself, he could have never envisioned himself where he is right now.

Stars like Samuel L. Jackson not only influence other people to get clean but demonstrate to them that it's feasible.

Because of his star standing, Jackson states that he has been to get-togethers where there have been a wide array of substances, including "plates of crack," but he isn't seduced. He deals with his soberness every day.

An Inspiration To So Many

Samuel is an inspiration to so many. Ready to follow him down the sober path. Join us for a free quit drinking webinar today.