Los Angeles, Jul 9 (IANS): One of the most acclaimed and famous Hollywood actors, Gary Oldman battled alcoholism and only quit his booze once he realised that he was going to die from it.

According to 'Female First UK', talking to Candis Magazine the ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ actor said “Even though my father left when I was very young, I still had that blueprint. I hadn’t had his influence since I was seven, yet I was still doing all that stuff as if I’d had him there all along. I was drinking two bottles of vodka a day and you get to a point where you put the drink before all else".

He continued, “So here was the drink in front and there was my family, my kids, and my work following behind. I used to get upset that my working as an actor was getting in the way of my drinking. I was going to die and when you get to that point you have to choose. No one can do it for you. You have to help you and you have to get to a point where you can say, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

“It’s about changing thought patterns – you have to realise that your thinking is upside down and you have to start again. It took me a long time, but you have to do it", he added.

Now more content and at peace with his life than before, the 65-year old ‘The Dark Knight’ actor shared, “I’ve realised the older I get, the less I know. And I take comfort in that.”