Tom Cruise was among the many up-and-coming faces of Hollywood who found themselves in the ensemble cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation of The Outsiders novel. Another actor, well known for having battled the myriad side effects of teen stardom, accompanied him in this endeavor. This someone was Rob Lowe.
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Lowe, a member of the Brat Pack, a flock of young movie stars who regularly featured together in coming-of-age films in the 1980s, experienced a career setback in the latter years of the decade, much like his young contemporaries. A string of controversies commonly followed the members of the group. The sudden decline in Lowe’s career was emphasized after a s*x tape scandal. This tape was notorious for having featured a 16-year-old.
In an interview, Rob Lowe elucidated the causes behind his professional downfall in the late eighties. The primary reason was his struggle with alcohol abuse, which may have started with the beers provided to the young actors during Coppola’s production of The Outsiders.
Tom Cruise’s Co-Star Rob Lowe Was Given Beer On The Outsiders Set
The Francis Ford Coppola picture starred some of Hollywood’s most promising young actors. The Outsiders featured an ensemble cast that included Tom Cruise, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane. The endeavor was widely praised, and the performers rose to stardom at a young age.
In an interview with NPR, the Unstable alum mentioned that the actors in The Outsiders’ production, even people who were as young as fifteen, were provided with beers. Following was Lowe’s statement:
“You drink a beer and think nothing of it. It was a culture that was so different. Without even knowing it, it became just a big part of my life to the point where … I decided that I needed to go and get help.”
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This on-set drinking culture would eventually become an issue for Lowe. It was the beginning of a lengthy battle with alcoholism. However, the Youngblood alum acknowledged that the tragic cycle of addiction in Hollywood might be linked to other issues, something beyond the industry’s glitz and glamor. He disclosed the following:
“I think [the] people [who] are drawn to Hollywood … are looking to fill something missing in them, and performing does that. But then when you reach the mountaintop, you realize you’re still the same — it didn’t fill you up.”
Lowe’s battle with addiction soon led to a career catastrophe. Things completely changed for the actor in 1988 when he got entangled in a videotaped s*x scandal.
The Actor’s Shocking Scandal Involved A 16-Year-Old Minor
This controversy would end up compelling Rob Lowe to reassess his priorities and get sober. Following the s*x tape incident, the actor’s career suffered an immense blow. The scandal transpired when a video showing him indulging in s*xual acts with two women, one of whom was underage (16), was leaked to the media. This compromising footage was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, the night before the Democratic National Convention in 1988.
The age of consent in Georgia was 14 at the time. Therefore, both women were of legal age to engage in the act. However, the legal age for being involved in such filming or recording was 18. The leaked footage became a nationwide topic. According to reports, the actor claimed he had no idea one of the girls was underage.
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Making an appearance on SiriusXM‘s The Jess Cagle Show, Lowe remarked how this incident pushed him to pursue sobriety:
“It’s one of the reasons why I got sober. I woke up one day and I was like, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ […] I’ve been married 29 years and I have two great sons. I don’t think any of that happens without going through that scandal,”
Reflecting on his journey to notoriety as a teenager and how fame and having everything affected him, ultimately leading to such grave controversies, Lowe had the following to say:
“It’s not a great recipe for success to give an 18-year-old male fame, money, drugs, and expect there not to be something that goes wrong.”
His heavy-drinking years and hard-partying lifestyle as a teenager ultimately led to the s*x tape scandal, and the controversy subsequently allowed him to get sober. Lowe decided to stop drinking and finished a rehab program two years after the career-damaging incident.
Although it cost him his reputation and some friends along the way, the St. Elmo’s Fire alum has been able to recuperate, and his career was eventually revived. Perhaps not to its former glory, but enough to keep him floating in the industry.
