Ewan McGregor: 'Getting sober gave me joy, happiness and peace'

Ewan McGregor didn't experience "joy, happiness and peace" in his life until he got sober.

The 50-year-old actor quit drugs and alcohol in 2000, with his addictions beginning after he portrayed a heroin addict in 1996 movie Trainspotting. And in an interview with Pedro Pascal for Variety's Actors on Actors series, Ewan opened up about how becoming substance-free changed his life.

"I didn't realise I would end up with addiction problems myself then. I became sober in 2000," he said. "So now, when I'm looking at characters who are addicts, I look at it through a different lens of understanding it more. An everyday part of my life is being sober.

"But at the same time, it's quite an important part because it's given me such joy and happiness and peace in a way I didn't have before I was sober."

McGregor recently took on another addict role for new Netflix series Halston, which sees him bring legendary designer Halston to life, and having his own experiences with drugs and alcohol gave the part a new dimension for the screen star.

"It's interesting to do all those lines of coke and all those cigarettes and shots that Halston was doing and just being glad they weren't real. Just being happy about that, but understanding it," he mused.