Share

Actor hopes drug fight will inspire

Actor Burt Reynolds has gone public with his battle against an addiction to painkillers, hoping his story will help others in a similar situation.

Reynolds' manager Erik Kritzer said in a widely reported statement that the 73-year-old actor had checked into a drug rehab clinic to receive treatment for an addiction to painkillers that were prescribed following back surgery.

Kritzer did not give details on when or where Reynolds was treated, but he did later say the actor had been released from the rehab clinic in Florida already.

"After a recent back surgery, Reynolds felt like he was going through hell and after a while, realised he was a prisoner of prescription pain pills," Kritzer said. "He checked himself into rehab in order to regain control of his life. He hopes his story will help others in a similar situation and hopes they will not try to solve the problem by themselves, but realise that sometimes it is too tough to do on their own and they should seek help, as he did."

Reynolds is the star of such films as "Deliverance," "Smokey and the Bandit" and 1997's "Boogie Nights," which put his career back on track after a few rocky years and won him a Golden Globe award for his role as porn king Jack Horner.

The actor previously confessed to a reliance on the sleep medication Halcion after using the drug to ease the pain he felt from a joint disorder in the 1980s that followed a broken jaw. – (Reuters Health, September 2009)

Read more:
Over-the-counter and prescription drug abuse

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE