Jason Isaacs from White Lotus reveals he enjoyed being someone else while battling drug addiction, but is now celebrating 25 years of sobriety

Jason Isaacs has admitted he ‘liked not being himself’ during his decades-long drug addiction – as he celebrates being 25 years sober.

The actor, 61, known for his portrayal of Lucius Malfoy in the Hogwarts movies, opened up about his addiction on the Rob Brydon’s Brydon & podcast.

Reflecting on his life before getting sober from drugs and alcohol, Jason said he relied on drugs because he felt ‘uncomfortable’ in his own skin.

He said: ‘I liked being out of it, it was fun at first because it made me feel less other.

‘I always felt uncomfortable in my own skin, I always felt as if I was faking being with people, that they all seemed to be more comfortable.

‘When we were all high, or drunk, or whatever it was, we were all in the same state, it was an equalizer. And I loved the equalizer.’

Jason Isaacs, 61, has admitted he ‘liked not being himself’ during his decades-long drug addiction – as he celebrates being 25 years sober (pictured in February)

The actor known for his portrayal of Lucius Malfoy in the Hogwarts movies, opened up about his addiction on the Rob Brydon’s Brydon & podcast

When asked how long he was addicted for, he said: ‘Oh for decades.

‘Not only didn’t it get in the way of work, I was working at a very high level, on stage and on camera – my career was great.

‘It was the personal life that wasn’t great. I haven’t taken drugs for 25 years. It’s one of those professions, it may be less tolerant now, I don’t see it now. 

He also recalled having a ‘sixth sense’ at spotting other actors on set who would ‘get high’ with him. 

‘I used to have a sixth sense for it, I could be on a set and know immediately who would be the people that wanted to take drugs with me, or get high with me, or have adventures with me.’

Jason recently admitted he found it ‘quite boring’ on the set of the Harry Potter film series.

He told how the eight-film series ‘wasn’t that fun’ to make because all of the special effects were put in much later.  

Speaking on BBC’s The One Show, he said: ‘Even though I was in the films, when I take nephews and nieces to the tour, and the thing comes up and you’re in the Great Hall, every time I burst out in tears. It’s incredibly moving.

Reflecting on his life before getting sober from drugs and alcohol , Jason said he relied on drugs because he felt ‘uncomfortable’ in his own skin (pictured on The One Show last month) 

The actor starred as Lucius Malfoy in the blockbuster adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s magical book series (pictured in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2005)

‘There’s some magic that happens in those books. and in those films. It’s a terrible confession to make, but they weren’t that fun to make.

‘It’s quite boring, to make these big special effects films.’

However, The White Lotus star now appreciates the legacy of the franchise as he noted that some people have claimed that the series was ‘life-saving’ to them.

He said: ‘The pleasures all come afterwards when I see and meet people for whom their lives were changed by it.

‘And still, people are reading it and share it with their children. Some people say their lives were saved by it, and I believe them. There’s something happened, who knows why? 

‘But when those ingredients came together and the soufflé rose,  and it created just love around the world. And a sense of belonging.

In the films, he played as on-screen father of Tom Felton’s alter-ego Draco Malfoy, and during his interview he was being quizzed by Diversity star and Potter superfan Perri Kiely.

When Jason asked which of the instalments was his favourite, Perri revealed that it was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which was released in 2009.

However, The White Lotus star now appreciates the legacy of the franchise as he noted that some people have claimed that the series was ‘life-saving’ to them (pictured in Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, 2007)

Jason quipped: ‘The one I’m not in. Brilliant!’ 

The actor starred in six of the eight films as they were released throughout the 2000s, missing only the first and the sixth instalment of the series.

Negotiations for the film adaptations for the book series shortly after the first novel was published in 1997 and by 2000, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint had been cast as the three main Hogwarts students.

A TV series is currently in the works at HBO and is due for release in 2026, with Jason recently joking that he had auditioned for the part of Hermione Granger.