Gary Oldman says he 'made a few enemies' as he reflects on alcohol battle

Gary Oldman has opened up about his battle against alcohol and how he connected with his new character playing screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz in new Netflix movie Mank.

The 62-year-old actor has been sober since 1995 after joining Alcoholics Anonymous – while his on-screen character was an alcoholic and died in 1953 at the age of 55.

The new film – directed by David Fincher and released on the streaming service last month – has won rave reviews due to the performances of the cast which also includes Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins and Charles Dance.

Speaking about his role, Gary has reflected on his own battles with the bottle and hinted he made “a few enemies” due to his addiction when he relocated from the UK to Los Angeles in the 1980s.

Reflecting on Mankiewicz’s notoriously wild behaviour, Gary told the Daily Mail: “You can’t dismiss the alcoholism.

“People who are not alcoholics will experience an emotion on a scale of one to three; the same emotion, to an alcoholic, could be a nine.”

While the film sees Mankiewicz reward himself with a drink every time he completes a section of a screenplay, Gary argues drinkers always have an excuse, suggesting: “Oh, look: the sun’s come out — let’s have a drink! It’s raining — let’s have a drink. So-and-so got married — let’s have a drink.”

Hinting at how his drink problems damaged his own personal life, Gary went on: “I made a few enemies along the way. But it’s good, isn’t it? To have a few.

“Yeah, I was a little cocky, probably. I mean, outwardly. I don’t mean inside.

“There’s that old saying: alcoholics are egomaniacs with low self-esteem. You have all that grandness, but actually you’re dying inside. A little like Mank, I didn’t quite want to play the game.”

The Mirror’s own review of Mank gave the film a perfect five star score.

Reviewer Lewis Knight wrote: “Mank’s premise and subject matter would seem to appeal only to a cinephile or fan of a bygone era, but there also lies powerful themes of addiction, genius, collaboration, betrayal, and painful political home-truths.

“The performances are riveting but suitably restrained. Despite his character’s brash personality, it never feels like caricature or cliché as Oldman delivers a study of a genius intoxicated by talent, weariness, and – of course – alcohol.”

He concludes: “Mank is a stunning and technically marvellous portrait of Golden Era Hollywood that boasts wonderful performances, masterful cinematography and sound design, and director David Fincher once again at the height of his powers.”