He’s been in the industry since 1970, and with that came some crazy times — years that Don Johnson is just grateful to have made it through.
“I’m happy to have survived it,” the actor, 69, tells The Mirror in an interview. “A lot of people don’t.”
“I never drank or did drugs while I was working. But, brother, when they said ‘wrap’ I would try to set the land speed record. I knew how to party too,” the Miami Vice alum recalled. However, while the good times were flowing in — and the lavish goods — nothing cured the Nash Bridges alum’s woes.
“I was intensely unhappy,” he tells the outlet. Today, the soon-to-be 70-year-old has found a happy place — in part to the teachings of Buddha.
“We are all on a spiritual journey,” Don explains. “Buddha says you don’t find the pearl of enlightenment on the beach. You have to break open a lot of oysters. … I broke open a lot of oysters, broke a lot of nails and suffered a lot of bloody noses. That’s how I learned my lessons.” This isn’t the first time that the Golden Globe winner has opened up about his personal life — he once touched on his rough childhood.
“I had a horrible childhood, horrible,” Don revealed to Observer New Review. “I had the quinella: abuse and parents who divorced when I was 12 years old and I was the oldest. I really was unhappy and I left home at 16. And when you leave home at 16 and you don’t have a plan and you have to fend for yourself and put yourself through high school … that builds a powerful character.” But there is plenty of love in his life now.
Don is currently married to Kindergarten teacher Kelley Phleger. They share three kids — daughter Grace, 19, and sons Jasper, 17, and Deacon, 13. Don also has son Jesse with his ex-partner Patti D’Arbanville, and shares Dakota Johnson with his ex-wife Melanie Griffith.
“They want their time together with their family to be sacred,” a friend exclusively told Closer Weekly of Don and Kelley. “They live a charmed life.”We’re just happy to hear that Don is doing great these days!
