Posted on 02/02/2006 7:29:15 AM PST by Borges
Former Full House cutie Jodie Sweetin has earned herself a spot on the lengthy list of child stars gone wrong.
During an appearance on Good Morning America Wednesday, Sweetin, who played middle sister Stephanie Tanner on the hit sitcom, revealed that she is a recovering meth addict and once battled a daily drug habit.
The ex-actress, 24, said she had trouble figuring out how to adjust to a regular childhood existence after Full House ended its run in 1995.
"There is a certain sense of loss when a series ends," Sweetin said. "It is kind of hard to figure out who you are when you've lost your job at age 13, when that was basically how you identified yourself."
In an attempt to lead a "normal" kid's life, Sweetin attended high school and college, graduating with a degree in liberal arts. In 2002, she married a Los Angeles police officer.
Though she occasionally appeared in bit parts on TV series, including Party of Five and Yes, Dear, Sweetin's acting career essentially stalled after Full House.Two years ago, bored and unemployed, the former child star began experimenting with drugs as a way to pass the time.
She was soon addicted to methamphetamine and using the debilitating drug every day.
Though Sweetin stops short of blaming her addiction on her child star lifestyle, she concedes that her career may have stripped her of some of the benefits of a typical childhood.
"Growing up in the business you have to grow up very fast--you do have a different type of childhood, that has its benefits and it has its drawbacks," Sweetin said Wednesday.
After a particularly bad three-day bender, which reportedly resulted in an intervention staged by her former Full House costars, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, John Stamos and Bob Saget, Sweetin checked herself into Promises rehab facility for six weeks of intensive therapy.
Clean and sober since March of last year, Sweetin now admits she was "living a total double life."
"I was married to a police officer--we are going through a divorce right now--he had no idea," she said.
Since kicking her addiction, Sweetin says she now hopes to get back into acting.
"I want to make movies, TV series, wherever the career takes me," she said. "I really hope this isn't the last people hear of me. In fact, I would like to make this a footnote in my career, not the end."
Yeah, she grew up real nice!
Yeah, she grew up real nice!
My twelve-year-old still watches FULL HOUSE religiously. I think she has a thing for John Stamos....
It also seems like an easy way to keep your weight down in thinness-obsessed Hollywood.
Dy No Mite!
Let me open up a socket and set up a perimeter. Then we can discuss whether there's something a little bit off about Edgar. LOL
SD
Edgar is a cool character. Of course, I liek the actor who portrays him- Louis Lombardi, he played the FBI Agent in "The Sopranos" that gets "Big Pussy" to turn.
I remember my first year of college and they would have re-runs back to back on two different channels. So one could watch four episodes of Saved by the Bell in a row. Then came the College Years...
Dittos
She has the same last name as the three kids from Everybody Loves Raymond. I wonder if they're related?
No. The ELR kids have the last name SweetEn, not SweetIn. No relation.
And it's fun to think about what they did afterwards...think about telling braniac Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkeley) that "someday, you'll be a stripper named Nomi." :^)
I hear that some years ago, people in Hollywood would go to AA even without a problem just to network.
Those who want to legalize drugs to "end" the drug war would have to legalize everything or else face a continued drug war (with some substances no longer illegal, but others still criminal).
This sounds like an awesome Pay-Per-View event.
Jay North, who played Dennis the Menace on tv said childhood actor is a career that "chooses you". "Chews you right up", he's quick to add.
Remember the salesman who says "Y-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!"
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