"I didn't do drugs. It wasn't my thing. But the drink was terrible. Today when I look back, it's like I was another person. You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse. I just drank too much!"
About this Quote
The most revealing move is the split-screen identity: “it’s like I was another person.” He’s describing dissociation without dressing it up as tragedy. That phrasing acknowledges how addiction warps memory and character, while also dodging the easy exit ramp of absolution. He immediately polices his own narrative: “You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse.” In an era trained to translate every self-destructive behavior into trauma-adjacent language, Oldman resists the therapeutic sheen. He’s not denying pain; he’s rejecting the way explanation can quietly become permission.
The final sentence is almost aggressively unliterary: “I just drank too much.” It’s a refusal of plot, the kind actors are paid to supply. Coming from a performer famous for transformation, the irony bites: the one role he won’t mythologize is the one that nearly swallowed him. The intent isn’t confession for sympathy; it’s accountability as a form of clarity.
Quote Details
| Topic | Mental Health |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Oldman, Gary. (2026, February 20). I didn't do drugs. It wasn't my thing. But the drink was terrible. Today when I look back, it's like I was another person. You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse. I just drank too much! FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-didnt-do-drugs-it-wasnt-my-thing-but-the-drink-18766/
Chicago Style
Oldman, Gary. "I didn't do drugs. It wasn't my thing. But the drink was terrible. Today when I look back, it's like I was another person. You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse. I just drank too much!" FixQuotes. February 20, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-didnt-do-drugs-it-wasnt-my-thing-but-the-drink-18766/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I didn't do drugs. It wasn't my thing. But the drink was terrible. Today when I look back, it's like I was another person. You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse. I just drank too much!" FixQuotes, 20 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-didnt-do-drugs-it-wasnt-my-thing-but-the-drink-18766/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.



