This post contains discussion of substance abuse.
In a new interview with Hollywood Authentic, the actor revealed that he considers himself an “addict” and dealt with substance abuse issues after the birth of his son, Brando, in 2022.
“I’m not in denial anymore,” he said. “I understand that I do have an addiction, and I am an addict. You know, when you accept that, you finally can move on, and learn to work with it.”
Barry proceeded to discuss his family’s history of addiction, including his mother’s death from heroin addiction when he was 12. “My father passed away as a result of similar and I lost my mum to it,” he said. “I’ve lost two uncles and a cousin to drugs. That should be enough to go, ‘OK, if I dabble here, I’m fucked.’ But your curiosity is a powerful thing.”
“I remember being kids here and hearing my mum scream through the letterbox, asking for us, while she’s battling addiction, while she’s looking for money to score. And we were just told to stay in bed. We weren’t to go down and hug her.”
“Even my own son coming into this world didn’t stop me from being curious,” Barry added while talking about his continuing to use after Brando’s birth. “You know, you go to L.A., you go to Hollywood, wherever the big scene is. here’s an enormous amount of pressure, and a different lifestyle that is good and bad for you.”
“You’re around the scene. You just happen to be the one that ends up doing it.”
Barry went on to say that he has scars on his arms from drug use. “I’ve got scars here to literally prove it,” he said. “They’re a result of using. I’m at peace now, and responsible for everything that I do. I’m accepting. I’m present. I’m content. I’m a father. I’m getting to just see that haze that was once there – it’s just a bit sharper now, and colorful.”
Barry also discussed why he’s decided to go public with his history of addiction. “I just want people to get an insight into where I come from,” he said. “I’m very proud to carry that, and for people out in the acting world and the industry to understand that there’s a lot weighing on this.”
You can read the entire interview here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.
