Tom Felton Recalls 'Drinking to Escape' and the Breaking Point That Led Him to Rehab
"Harry Potter" star Tom Felton details his past struggle with substance abuse.
Tom Felton's acting career dates back to 1997. He eventually rose to prominence for portraying Draco Malfoy in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" which is based on the fantasy novels by J.K. Rowling. He, later on, reprised his role for all eight films of Warner Bros' Pictures.
In Tom Felton's memoir, titled "Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard", the 35-year-old actor opened up on a dark time in his life prior to his rehabilitation. Tom reveals suffering from substance abuse during his 20s.
What Pushed Tom Felton To Try Rehab
Tom Felton revealed that he had spent most of his 20s drinking in the bars of Los Angeles, which had eventually interfered with his professional career as he could never stay sober and would drink on set.
It came to a point when Tom's agents, managers, lawyer, and former girlfriend Jade Olivia had staged an intervention to convince him to seek professional help with his substance abuse problem.
Tom recalls listening to the people around him share their letters of concern, which he was in no state to hear considering his drunkenness. However, one message from his lawyer had "hit the hardest".
"My lawyer, whom I'd barely ever met face to face, spoke with quiet honesty. 'Tom,' he said, 'I don't know you very well, but you seem like a nice guy. All I want to tell you is that this is the seventeenth intervention I've been to in my career. Eleven of them are now dead. Don't be the twelfth.'" Tom Felton detailed.
Tom Felton Now in a Better Place
Tom's struggle with substance abuse eventually came to an end as he expressed that getting into rehab helped him get back on track.
"I'm no longer shy of putting my hands up and saying: I'm not okay," he continued. "Which takes us back to the concept of rehab, and the stigma attached to the word. By no means do I want to casualise the idea of therapy-it's a difficult first step to take-but I do want to do my bit to normalise it." Tom expressed in his memoir.
Tom Felton's memoir, "Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard" is now available for purchase.
