Director Oliver Stone speaks in new interviews about his drug past and that he no longer wants to make feature films.
Oliver Stone (74) has been a fixture in Hollywood for decades – thanks in part to today's film classics such as "Wall Street" (1987) and "Platoon" (1986). In two new interviews, the director speaks about drug consumption, plans to emigrate and the fact that he no longer wants to make feature films.
In an interview with "Bild" Stone talks about his drug past, among other things. "I have no regrets," explains the director, who would no longer use cocaine. It is a "devil drug", as he also describes in his book. He speaks of his new biography "Chasing the Light", which he describes as "a good adventure story with ups and downs".
"In the beginning, it's a fun drug, a party and energy drug," continues Stone. But over time you feel that you need them. This is the moment when the addiction begins. That is also "what you want to prevent. And that is hard. People do not see this limit as I have not seen it either." Although he regrets nothing, he has also learned "that being with good people and my work has given me significantly more exciting things in life than any drug".
No more movies?
"I made enough films and that cost a lot of energy," Stone explains meanwhile in an interview with the "Augsburger Allgemeine". Currently there is no topic "that burns under my nails". He only made his film "Snowden" (2016) "because I wanted to raise public awareness of the issue of the surveillance state". Making a film would cost him one or two years of his life. He therefore has "no motivation to shoot anything at 74 without great ambition, just for the sake of filmmaking".
"Indeed, I am," Stone replied when asked if he was disaffected. He went on to explain: "I would like to believe that I am doing something good with my work. I also know that a lot of people have reacted positively to it. Only at government level nothing changes."
Has he ever considered emigrating? "Of course I have," replies Stone. However, it was shaped by America and it was "not as catastrophic there as it is sometimes portrayed by the media". He would rather work for a change, because "many good people" still lived in the USA. That is why, in Stone's opinion, it is worthwhile "to fight for a better America". He also believes that there could be a happy ending.