‘SAVED ME’

Wes Bentley Says Robert Downey Jr. Helped Him Out of Drug Addiction

The “Yellowstone” actor opened up about overcoming heroin addiction, thanking Robert Downey Jr. for going public with his own battles against addiction.

Wes Bentley says that Robert Downey Jr. saved his life after the Iron Man actor spoke publicly about his struggles with drug use. While promoting a new season of Yellowstone, Bentley stated that he’s been sober since 2009, inspired by Downey Jr.’s own personal struggles. “I was in the deepest throes of my addiction and in the worst place and at death’s door, I guess, or at risk of it and I saw him be so bold and brave and open and it saved me,” Bentley said. “So I thought if I do that too, I can maybe pass that on to somebody else.” In 2008, Bentley was arrested for heroin possession. Though he went into a 12-step program, he eventually relapsed—but a year later, he met someone in recovery who “talked about what a beautiful life he had now,” another inspiration for his own healing process.