Throwback: When The Star Is Born Legend Late Kris Kristofferson Thought He Would Never Live Past 30

Kris Kristofferson once revealed that his role in A Star Is Born led him to quit his drinking addiction. Read ahead to know what he said.

Published on Sep 30, 2024  |  10:47 AM IST |  53.8K
Kris Kristofferson (CC: Getty images)
Kris Kristofferson (CC: Getty images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to death, alcohol, and drug addiction.

Kris Kristofferson, who was a country singer and an actor, passed away on Saturday. He was known for his impressive career trajectory, including his A Star Is Born role, but the film served him way more than he seemingly imagined. He once revealed that his role helped him quit his addiction to drinking.

Back in 1998, he sat down with People magazine, and referring to his heavy partying days in the 1960s and early 1970s, he said, “I thought all serious artists were self-destructive. That anybody worth their salt was going to be out there living on the edge.”

This was around the time he started his relationship with singer Janis Joplin. He said to the outlet that he did not know what one calls a “love affair,” but they were really close. He liked her humorous nature. He said that he drank a lot, “And she was trying to kick (heroin).

But the songstress’s addiction turned out to be fatal, taking her life at just 27 years old. She passed away on October 4, 1970. Kristofferson told the publication that it “tore” him up, but this still had no effect on him to convince him to quit drinking.

He recalled that when he would perform, he could not think of going to the stage without consuming alcohol. But this was all going to change as he decided to feature in A Star Is Born alongside Barbara Streisand.

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The late actor revealed that watching his own death scene in the movie helped him embark on his sobriety journey. He recalled what it was like on set before he saw the death scene of his character, saying that he had a half-quarter of Jose Cuervo in his ice box, and they never let that get empty.

The country singer reflected on thinking that could easily be his children and his spouse crying over him. So he decided to get sober over that. He also said that he did not desire to die before his daughter grew up.

After his sobriety decision, in 1982, he crossed paths with his wife Lisa Meyers, and they birthed five children together. Apart from them, he also had three children from his previous marriage.

He told the outlet, “I never could have imagined this. I sit right here and think about how it could have turned out so differently. I never thought I'd live past 30. I could have ended up dead."

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For the untold, the talented singer and actor, Kristofferson, passed away on September 28 in Maui, Hawaii, at the age of 88.

Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.

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Credits: People
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