Before Robert Downey Jr. donned the Iron Man suit, another MCU star and three-time Oscar nominee swapped pre-workout for liquid ecstasy! This Marvel star, pre-Iron Man days, went from gym rat to rave rat, admitting they popped liquid ecstasy for an epic workout. The revelation exposes the dark side of Hollywood’s pressure to maintain a superhero physique.
Who knew getting ripped involved psychedelic trips? This story reminds us: superheroes face real-life challenges, and sometimes, those challenges lead to unorthodox solutions.
Nick Nolte’s Pre-Iron Man Incident That Led to a DUI Arrest on Liquid Ecstasy
Forget gamma rays and super soldier serum! Before Robert Downey Jr. sizzled as Iron Man, another Marvel star had a brush with a different kind of power-up. Nick Nolte, the three-time Oscar nominee with enough charisma to light up a city block, had a pre-Iron Man episode that involved…liquid ecstasy…and a very bad decision.
Remember that mugshot of Nolte, wild hair and all? Turns out, it wasn’t a mugshot at all; it was a picture taken after a 2002 DUI arrest, when he was driving under the influence of GHB (liquid ecstasy).
Nolte popped the GHB for a gym session. By the time he was driving to an AA meeting, the psychoactive effects kicked in. Nolte swerved all over the Pacific Coast Highway, six drivers calling 911. In a 2018 interview, Nick Nolte opened up about the incident to GQ (via People),
I took GHB prior to going to the gym for a long workout. A strong dose made me feel great. I was a mess and driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. I’m told six drivers called 911 to report a big sedan weaving on the wrong side of the road.
Thankfully, the Marvel star got help. Rehab, probation, the whole nine yards. He even seemed to have a sense of humor about it all, rocking that infamous Hawaiian shirt years later. Superheroes or not, even the biggest stars can make bad decisions. Another example is our beloved Downey Jr. himself.
Before Iron Man: Robert Downey Jr. Spiraled Out of Control
Long before suiting up as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.’s life was a rollercoaster ride—minus the million-dollar armor. 1996 marked the start of a wild ride: speeding on the Pacific Coast Highway with a trunk full of trouble
But that wasn’t all. A minimum of two weeks later, Downey Jr was stuck in a real-life trespassing drama, passing out high in a neighbor’s bedroom (via CNN). He went to rehab, but the cycle continued with missed appointments and skipped treatments, adding up to prison time.
This downward spiral continued until 2001, and thankfully, 2003 saw a turning point. Downey Jr. was sober and came out clean. He even addressed that at the 2019 D23 Expo on ABC7, finally apologizing for the “disappointed group chaperone” who witnessed his youthful transgression.
From Iron Man to ‘Irony Man,’ Downey Jr.’s journey is a reminder: Superheroes aren’t born; they’re often forged in the fires of self-discovery.
