Reality TV
Juliette Lewis Opens Up About Her Drug Addictions and Mental Health Battles
In her early 20s, Juliette Lewis was a successful TV actress, coveted film star and Oscar nominee. But behind closed doors, she was struggling with both an addiction to drugs and a mental health condition.
Now, the 41-year-old is getting candid about her past demons in a revealing new interview with 'People.'
"I can tell you I have dealt with mania my whole life," she said. "I am manic and crazy!"
Juliette at age 17 in 1990.
At age 14, Juliette was thrust into stardom when she landed a role on 'The Wonder Years' and a part in the cult classic 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.' Just a few years later, the young star entered a rehab facility for a drug addiction.
"I quit drugs at 22," she said. "I traveled a lot, I dealt with my priorities. I have such a beautiful, strong family and friends and they are like everything to me."
Juliette with her costar Ryan Phillippe on 'Secrets and Lies.'
Since the 1990s, the actress — who received an Oscar nomination for her performance in 'Cape Fear' — launched a career as a solo singer and musician and is now making what many are calling a "career reboot" in the new TV drama 'Secrets and Lies.'
"This is my first time playing a homicide detective [and] I respect this line of work. I'm very severe in my role — I wear a bun, I'm sort of asexual. Originally the role was written for a man; I don't have a lot of niceties in my character, she's just all about the job. So for me, that was a fun person to play," she said.
Juliette spoke to 'People' magazine.
