'08
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
Written by Celebitchy
Posted in Addictions, Gerard Butler
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47 Responses to “Gerard Butler: alcoholism led me to quit legal career and pursue acting”
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Hubba hubba. Want! Even more hot because he could always be the designated driver.
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Jeebus, that’s presenter’s annoying. But yeah, very nice.
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Smart AND gorgeous. A rare combination, indeed.
Lilou: Good luck!
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Ooooh….Sexy AND smart—-an irresistible combination! I’ve always hearted him…yummy.
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That’s funny, because my legal career led me to quit acting and take up alcoholism.
JK.
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Gerard Butler twice in one day! yum
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Lots of drunk lawyers out there. Lots more that wish they were.
It’s always been my opinion that litigators are just frustrated actors that weren’t good looking enough to make it in the movies. Glad to see one of them made it.
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Id hit it till it broke off.
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“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.”
Deep and heartfelt…I like it!
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Lilou
Where are you taking it? The exam in the US is only offered in July and February.Good luck!
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I forgot to wish Lilou well! Good luck, Lilou! We have a clerk in our office who’s sweating out the wait, she took the bar in July and the grades don’t come out until later this month. She is, of course, positive she flunked.
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Good luck Lilou!
And yes, I already knew this story. Because up until the point where he was caressing Aniston’s thigh, he was my imaginary boyfriend.
Now he’s dead to me.
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LMAO @ Kaiser!
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Kaiser - I wouldn’t worry. With his depth and no-nonsense attitude I think he would get bored of Aniston’s insecurities and ho-hum lifestyle very quick even if he really was caressing her thigh.
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Yummy! He was beautiful in 300!
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@Trace- Really? I hope you’re right - hopefully in the next few days he’ll release some statement about how he wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole (or his ten-inch pole
)… I guess I’m just saying Gerry can still win me back. But why doesn’t he call?
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Kaiser, you’re gonna get me in trouble, now I’m laughing out loud at work.
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Here, kaiser, something to hold on to in the meantime.
http://innerjoejoe.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/geraldbutler1.jpg
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@Syko - Sorry!
BUT WHY DOESN’T HE CALL??!?!?!?@Geronimo - ZOMG CHRIST ON A CRACKER. I think I had one of those “spontaneous” orgasms when I looked at that pic. Do you see the look of love in his eyes? He’s thinking about me, I know it! Here’s another good one - be careful, he’s wet, and he may make you… well, you get it.
http://innerjoejoe.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/gerard_butler_02.jpg
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Yeah, couldn’t decide which one to choose for you, so went for the one with the plaintive, beseeching ‘don’t think badly of me, kaiser’ look in his eye!
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He always liked his kergo. Glad his oan th’ wagon. Guid fur heem.
He loch tae yak coopy baps oan yoong kimmers. Naethin’ wrang thaur.Be still mah heart.
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@Geronimo - Right? He’s *totally* thinking that! And in the wet pic, he’s thinking, “I’ve just decided to propose to me one true love, Kaiser on Celebitchy.”
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@ kaiser; He can’t call you cuz his line is always busy (not that I know that from calling HIM, of course!)
That’s just an edumacated guess…JK, kaiser! Thanks for the laughs today!
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@Solitary - My immediate instinct was to threaten to cut a bitch - which I guess means I still have feelings for him, thigh caress or no.
But you know what? Until he stands up for our love, he is dead to me. Take him.
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Yeah, it can totally suck being a lawyer. I did private practice for a year and then had to stop. Now I work for the government, which means, I work 9 to 5 AND THAT’S IT, which I can handle. I don’t make six figures, though, which I can’t handle. Sigh.
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Thanks guys…
But FYI, I’m taking the bar in France… The exam is always in mid-september, which really sucks for the vacations!!!!
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Vacations? What are vacations?
My last vacation was wildly extravagant. I took Friday off and got a manicure and pedicure.
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Yeah, I would take acting jobs any day over a boring legal career. Who wouldn’t?
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In Europe, they actually value holidays. I haven’t been on holiday in over 10 years.
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Elisha, ha!
Did anyone see him in (I think it’s called) “Letter to Frankie”. AMAZING. Fell hard for him right there.
OMG, just got finished drooling over that “perfection” pic. Scary gorgeous.
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Sorry Geronimo, Kaiser and Syko but that pic’s a manip. His body is gorgeous enough. Don’t know why peeps will put his face on someone else’s. grrrr.
And Zoe, the movie was “Dear Frankie”. sigh. Absolutely, completely, 100% charming. As was G in it.
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I think he’s sort of ugly actually…not sure why…I’m sure lots of women find him attractive because he has that manly look. But I don’t really…
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Kaiser, I’d take sloppy seconds on GB ANY day!!
@ Lilou: Good luck!!!
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Bonne chance, Lilou with your bar exam. I am not sure about France but I can tell you if it’s anything like New York - it’ll be a bitch. Go kick ass so we can welcome you to this esteemed profession.
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SeVen - You took the words right out of my mouth! You dirty bird! I can’t stop laughing! Thanks!
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He’s an aggressive boor who still hits the bottle on a regular occasion. Don’t fall for the hype.
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What hype? I’m not blind, the man is gorgeous.
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That was him in Dear Frankie? I thought it was Clive Owen, but there you go, bookends! And I would be the librarian. . .
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Too hairy - ugh! Big nose and face too round and not defined. Should not have that many wrinkles at 38! But…hey…to each is own!
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Bonne chance lilou! I took the bar in NY at the end of July, and I have to wait until November for the results *sigh* C’est vraiment tres longtemps.
It is true that lawyers have one of the highest rates of alcoholism in the U.S. Lol it makes me wonder what I got myself into… -
@BB: Actually Brokers and Traders hit the bottle pretty hard.
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Truth be known…Gerard (phonetically ~ “JARrod”) was fired from the firm who hired him the first week. Regardless, I’m glad that happened. I pray for him daily as I’ve heard/read that his “dark days” are not a past thing. Not wishing but praying the best for you, GB!
JTD “the Other Scot”
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What in the wide world of sports is hot about this guy? I think he is gay, but that is just my opionion.
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Gerard is definitely bisexual…I wish you would all just accept that.
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This Stanley guy goes on every site about Gerard Butler and loves to bring up something about GB being ay or bisexual with director Ariel Vromen. Any tangible proof or just wishful thinking? If so, let him be stop trying to out him. Also there is an alleged article quoting GB as saying he’s been with men, but the alleged author has no other credentials. Give us proof or shut the f$#8 up!
Here’s the article :http://web.archive.org/web/20050325093328/http://nycwave.com/article_read.asp?id=182How legit does this sound? Again, if he’s gay leave him alone, if he’s not stop spreading lies. IDIOT!
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Hey!!!
Gerrys f***ing not gay- hes just some gay features, thats all!!! Hes a SCOT- there are no gays in Scotland (are there???)!!! Im from Finland…i just heard it from a gay friend who was on holidays there…bad holidays for him…he was so depressed when he came home…i just sent him to Mykonos…
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Lol….
I’m taking the bar exam in 5 days
I am under a lot of stress… But now I know that if I fail, I still can hope to have sucess in Hollywood 
I still wish that the guys who also take the bar, would be as sexy as he is… But that’s so not the case!!!
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