The 67-year-old Oscar winner has portrayed many drunkards throughout his career — from Winston Churchill to Jackson Lamb. Gary Oldman admitted that in real life, he also struggled with serious alcohol problems, which led him to behave “destructively” on the set of the 1995 film The Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore.
“I think the worst thing you can do is cause disappointment. I was filming The Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore, and during production I had periods of heavy drinking. Toward the end of one of those binges, I thought: ‘If I keep going like this…’ I was in a depressed state. I drank way too much. It was very destructive,” Oldman confessed.
One day, the actors were scheduled to film a large and emotionally intense scene. Gary drank heavily during lunch and could barely finish his performance. “You wouldn’t have known it, but I was a little drunk on camera. The next day, I told Demi: ‘I’m so sorry, you must hate me.’ I was horrified at how unprofessional I had been. And she said: ‘I don’t hate you. It’s okay. I’m just disappointed,’” the British actor recalled.
The historical drama ultimately flopped at the box office, earning only $10 million against a $50 million budget. Gary had already been arrested for drunk driving in 1991 and entered rehab in 1994. Speaking about his addiction, Oldman revealed that he drank so much it caused excessive sweating and even turned his tongue black. He has now been sober for 27 years and credits Alcoholics Anonymous for helping him overcome his addiction.
Meanwhile, 62-year-old Demi Moore is experiencing a powerful career resurgence. This year, she dominated awards season. For her role in The Substance, she won both a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and was nominated for an Oscar — though the statuette ultimately went to Mikey Madison (Anora). Gary praised the accomplishments of Bruce Willis’s ex-wife.
“I hadn’t spoken to her in a long time, but we recently reconnected. She’s a wonderful person. Demi is truly special. I’m really happy for her — for this moment, for this film, and for this role. I think it’s such a great thing. And she’s enjoying it — she really loves the work,” the actor added.
Gary himself was also nominated for a 2025 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series for his role in the Apple TV+ thriller Slow Horses. However, the award ultimately went to Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada for his role in Shōgun.
