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Louise Thomas
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Cara Delevingne has revealed that she was only eight years old when she first got drunk.
The model and actor, 32, who has previously been candid about her struggles with addiction, shared the revelation in a new interview with The Times.
Recalling the experience of being a child and bridesmaid at her aunt’s wedding in 2001, Delevigne shared, “I got drunk that day. I was eight. What a crazy age to get drunk.
“I woke up in my granny’s house in my bedroom with a hangover in a bridesmaid’s dress.”
Delevingne explained that she’d “gone around nailing glasses of champagne” at the wedding. “I used to think drugs and alcohol helped me cope. But they didn’t. They kept me sad and super depressed,” she said.
The Paper Towns, Suicide Squad, and Carnival Row star has fronted some of the biggest fashion campaigns in the industry, including for Chanel, Burberry, and Dolce and Gabbana.
But she has hinted that her childhood was less than glamorous, and admitted that she had never received reassurance around her sexuality.
Speaking to Variety at the Met Gala earlier this year, Delevingne opened up about her sobriety journey and sent an inspiring message to those who are also working on staying sober.
“You’re not alone,” she said. “If I can do it, anyone can. But you need to communicate and be honest about it as much as you can – especially with yourself.”
She also explained why she’s been so vocal about her previous relationship with drugs and alcohol, and how that ultimately led to her recovery.
“I think that’s what I’ve always done with anything in this business,” she said.
“Whether it’s been being vocal about anxiety, depression, recovery, anything, it’s just you owe it to people to talk about your struggles, because being in this world is not perfect. No one is perfect. So to be honest, it’s the least I can do.”
In her Vogue cover story published in March 2023, Delevingne publicly reflected on her decision to go to rehab in September 2022.
She revealed that her sobriety journey began when she saw viral photos of herself at an airport, with fans having claimed she looked “dishevelled” in the pictures.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.
