Did you know that hunky Scottish actor Gerard Butler, 38, was a lawyer before he quit his career to pursue acting? According to Wikipedia, he graduated from Glasgow University Law School and started out acting on stage. The actor told Men’s Health in their October issue that he was an alcoholic and was drinking to the point where he felt insane and out of control. After he hit bottom, he realized that he was going to have to quit drinking and that he should also quit an unsatisfying legal career to go after his dream of becoming an actor. It looks like it worked out well for him.
“I was drinking constantly. I hated my life… I was completely out of control. If I hadn’t been so lost and insane, I’d still be a lawyer. Misery is a sign that something is wrong, that your life is in need of some big changes.”
[From Men’s Health as told by E! News, video below]
You don’t hear a lot about Gerard Butler – he has this kind of rough macho appeal but he only hits the gossip press occasionally with tales of the women he may or may not have bedded. That’s a pretty compelling story and one that he deserves credit for being brave enough to talk about. It also speaks to the power of self examination and being able to face your demons. Can you believe this guy was a lawyer before he became an actor? That just makes him hotter in my book.
Here’s the segment from E! News where we found this story.
Gerard Butler is shown on 9/1/08 at the Rocknrolla premiere and outside a screening of Elegy on 8/5/08. Credit: BARM/Fame
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