Content warning: this article contains references to substance abuse and addiction.
Ant-Man star, David Dastmalchian, has opened up about his journey struggling with addiction and how he's faring after two whole decades of sobriety.
The 47-year-old struggled with a five-year long heroin addiction in his 20s but has since managed to turn his life completely around.
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The actor revealed he had an 'endless pool of gratitude' after reaching the impressive milestone.
In a recent interview with Page Six during the New York premiere of his latest film, Boston Strangler, the star looked back on the past 20 years and has stated just how thankful he is after kicking his addiction.
Dastmalchian has previously been very open about his issues with addiction in the past, telling NME in 2021: "I felt so plagued by my inner darkness, and by my feelings of shame, isolation and despair."
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The actor noted that he became a 'daily drug user' whilst still in high school in a hopes to self-medicate his 'undiagnosed depression issues', he told The Hollywood Reporter back in 2018.
While he was studying drama at DePaul University in Chicago, Dastmalchian cascaded into a serious heroin addiction.
During this time in his life, the actor became homeless and lived out of his car for two whole years until he eventually started his recovery journey entering a psychiatric facility, then a rehabilitation centre and finally a 'sober house'.
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Dastmalchian has since been successfully sober now for 20 years.
He first shared to news with fans on Instagram back in May of last year writing: "20 years ago today I took my last hit.
"I never could have imagined the gift of life that came w the miracle of sobriety. If you struggle with [sic] addiction &/or mental illness, you are not alone."
He concluded the post: "So much gratitude to everyone who has supported me on this journey."
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Since then, Dastmalchian has opened up some more about where's now up to in life.
He told Page Six: "For nothing else, the endless pool of gratitude that I feel for the past two decades of this journey, living without drugs and alcohol, absolutely informs all the work that I do as an actor and think about the characters I want to bring to life."
His latest movie, a remake of the 1968 crime drama, Boston Strangler, follows reporter Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley) who becomes the first person to connect a series of murders and break the story of the Boston Strangler.
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The plot takes inspiration from the true story of the Boston Strangler murders with all 13 of the heinous crimes attributed to Albert DeSalvo - who has since died in prison back in the 1970s aged 42.
McLaughlin, alongside fellow reporter, Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), challenge the sexism of the early 1960s to report on the city's most notorious serial killer, played by Dastmalchian.
The actor has spoken about his creative process taking on the role, saying he 'dove in' to the body of research that already exits on DeSalvo.
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Dastmalchian said: "There’s an incredible series of books and research that exists, so I just dove in as soon as I found out I was going to be bringing this character to life - and please believe me, this was no small undertaking on my part.
"I don’t take it lightly for a second the importance of bringing to life someone who inflicted pain on so many people - and who was a real person who had a great deal of pain inflicted on himself."
Boston Strangler was released to Disney+ earlier this week (17 March).
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week
Topics: Celebrity, Health, Film and TV
Rhiannon Ingle