‘Very dark place’: Gary Oldman reveals why he had to apologise to co-star Demi Moore

Gary Oldman opened up about the “destructive” behaviour on the set of his film with Demi Moore that led to a tense conversation.

IN LONDON

Gary Oldman has opened up about the “destructive” behaviour linked to his drinking problem that led to him having to apologise to former co-star Demi Moore.

The pair appeared in A Scarlett Letter in 1996, with Oldman playing Arthur Dimmesdale and Moore as Hester Prynne.

Gary Oldman and Demi Moore in A Scarlett Letter.

Speaking to the Radio Times this week, the actor admitted his actions had “disappointed” Moore and caused issues between them during filming.

“I think the worst thing you can do is inspire disappointment,” Oldman said.

“I was in The Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore, and I had intermittent bouts of boozing during filming. It was towards the end of [my drinking] where I thought, ‘If I carry on like this …’

“I was in a very dark place. I drank too much in the lunch hour. It was such a destructive thing. I got back on the set to do quite a big scene and I got through it.

“You wouldn’t really know but I was quite tipsy. And the next day, I said to her, ‘I’m so sorry, you must hate me.’

“I was mortified that I’d been so unprofessional. And she said to me, ‘I don’t hate you. It’s OK. I’m just disappointed’.”

Oldman, seen her holding his Oscar for The Darkest Hour, has been sober for 27 years. Picture: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Moore at the 2025 Time100 Gala last week. Picture: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The Oscar winner’s past struggles with alcohol have been well-documented: in 1991, he was arrested for drunk driving, and in 1994, he checked himself into rehab.

Oldman has now been sober for 27 years.

Despite the issues between them on the set of A Scarlett Letter, 30 years on, Oldman was full of praise for Moore as he addressed her recent career resurgence thanks to her award-winning role in The Substance.

“I’ve not really been in touch with her, but I just reconnected with her because I saw her recently. She is such a wonderful person, Demi,” Oldman told The New York Post during awards season this year.

“She really is very special.”

Originally published as ‘Very dark place’: Gary Oldman reveals why he had to apologise to co-star Demi Moore