The 'American Beauty' star opens up about how his addiction cost him valuable time and opportunities.
- Aug 2, 2013
AceShowbiz - After his breakout performance in "American Beauty", leading critics to hail him as the next Christian Bale, film actor Wes Bentley was overcome by the wave of expectations that he turned to heroin as a form of escape. After battling his addiction and overcoming it for four years now, the 34-year-old thespian opens up about his struggle as he tries to get back to acting.
"I put up such a wall that I didn't even go and meet with these great directors whom I respected and admired so much," revealed Bentley. Apparently these great directors were the likes of Tim Burton, Ang Lee, Tony Scott and Christopher Nolan, with whom he is getting a second chance to work with in the upcoming film "Interstellar."
Not only did his heroin addiction cost him precious opportunities to work with such brilliant filmmakers, but he indeed hit rock bottom due to his substance abuse problems, which he says "happened in a matter of days." Taking long breaks and with no auditions for him, he became in debt with the IRS and eventually separated with his wife, actress Jennifer Quanz.
Now Bentley is trying to reclaim lost glory by bagging roles in Ryan Murphy's HBO pilot "Open" and in "Interstellar" opposite Academy Award-winner Anne Hathaway, Golden Globe Best Actress Jessica Chastain and critically-acclaimed actor Matthew McConaughey. His new wife, producer Jacqui Swedberg, and their 2-1/2-year-old son serve as his motivation to turn his life around.
