Denzel Washington regrets his reckless behaviour as a youth.
The 58-year-old actor plays an alcoholic pilot in his new drama movie, Flight, and found getting into character made him reflect on his past behaviour.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper's Seven magazine, Washington said: ''I'm still here! I think we all have some point in our lives where we've gone too far and you have to come back. Any time you've got into a car and you've had too much to drink and you put other people's lives at risk.
''I'm not going to tell you I've not been guilty of that in my life, especially in my youth. Obviously nothing like this guy, I wouldn't want to be this guy.''
Denzel Washington with his daughter Olivia Washington at the Golden Globe Awards
The American Gangster actor, who has four adult children with his wife Pauletta, also revealed that he stayed away from alcohol for the duration of Robert Zemeckis' film as he wanted to approach his character, captain William "Whip" Whitaker, in a focused manner.
He added: ''I absolutely did not drink the whole picture. Normally I might have a glass of wine after work or something like that. But on this one I was afraid I might get too into it, and I just wanted to be clear. I want to give 100 per cent of myself and I want to be focused.
''Nothing would have been worse than drinking on set. And then you might think you were good and you'd be awful!''
Flight hits cinemas nationwide on January 25.
