9-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper spent early career lost in cocaine and alcohol addiction

Bradley Cooper spent his early career lost in cocaine and alcohol addiction.

The A Star Is Born actor, 47, admitted he got hooked on the drug after he was demoted on sitcom Alias, severed his Achilles tendon and was plagued by self-doubt.

Nine-time Oscar nominee Cooper admitted about floundering in addiction before he hit fame: "I was so lost and I was addicted to cocaine — that was the other thing.

"I severed my Achilles tendon right after I got fired-slash-quit (from) Alias.

"I did have the benefit of that happening when I was 29. I thought I made it when I got a Wendy's commercial... in terms of the made-it thing, that's when I made it.

"But I definitely did not feel, moving to Los Angeles for Alias, feeling like I was back in high school. I could not get into any clubs, no girls wanted to look at me. I was totally depressed."

Cooper — who played Will Tippin on CBS show Alias alongside Jennifer Garner, now 50 — was originally part of the main cast on the first two seasons from 2001 to 2003, but saw his character bumped down to special guest status.

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It left him appearing on only two more episodes — once in 2003 during the third season, and then a final appearance in a season five episode in 2006.

Cooper, whose exes include Zoe Saldaña, 43, and who has daughter Lea de Seine, five, with his 36-year-old former lover Irina Shayk — made the cocaine admission on Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes' Smartless podcast.

He added his show business career did not get on track until into his mid-30s when he was cast in The Hangover.

Cooper said: "It wasn't really until The Hangover. I was 36 when I did The Hangover, so I got to go through all those things before fame even played into my existence on a daily level. So all that happened before any of that."

Cooper's long-term friend Arnett, 52, said tackling his addictions led to a "metamorphosis" before he hit fame.

Cooper agreed: "I definitely made major breakthroughs at 29 to 33, 34, where at least I was able to stand in front of somebody and breathe and listen and talk."