What was supposed to be a candid chat with Oprah Winfrey about his life and career ended up being a very public display of raw emotion. As the interview was being televised, millions of fans and social media users spent the entire evening engaged in a very public display of affection for the actor, singer, and author known as the “Ridley Scott of Hollywood.”
During the taping of the interview, Scott’s publicist confirmed that he had recently split from his girlfriend of two years. He then proceeded to open up about the turmoil of his personal life and detailed the numerous accusations of domestic violence that had been leveled against him. He even went so far as to accuse Winfrey of engineering their split so that she could marry him. Scott was then represented by famed celebrity lawyer, Mark Greene. A few days later, however, Greene denied these accusations, stating that his client had simply been lying for the sake of attention. Nevertheless, this was a major blow to Scott’s star status.
Now, several years later, the full extent of the damage is starting to be clear. In an interview with Esquire, Scott’s ex-girlfriend and superstar collaborator, Suki Waterhouse, reveals that she suffered greatly during their two-year relationship. She also claims that Scott was physically, emotionally, and verbally abusive throughout their relationship, despite his well-documented philanthropic efforts. As a result of the actor’s behavior, Waterhouse ended up spending several months in a rehab center. This is the same treatment that many other high-profile individuals have undergone for emotional healing following an abusive relationship, including Demi Moore, Rosanna Pansino, and even Paris Hilton.
While it’s been a tough road back for Scott, he’s seemingly doing pretty well. Over the years, he’s started a family, wed a former child model, starred in a critically-acclaimed film, and even penned a book about his time in Hollywood. He’s also maintained a mostly-private lifestyle that doesn’t involve lengthy absences from the public eye. In fact, the only time that we’ve really seen Scott in recent years was when he had an amazing haircut and wore a cool watch.
Then, earlier this year, Entertainment Tonight published an article detailing Scott’s full recovery from his personal hell. In it, Scott opened up about his past indiscretions and the subsequent damage they caused. He also expressed sincere regret for the pain that he had caused and apologized to those whom he had hurt. This was a far cry from the public persona that he had previously presented to the world. For example, prior to his breakdown, Scott had never spoken about his family or relationships in public. It was also a far cry from the image that he had carefully cultivated over the years.
While many people have written Scott off as a shell of his former self, he’s proved them wrong. In many ways, Scott’s public apology and personal transformation have made him a popular figure in the media once again. Many publications now want to talk to him about his fascinating life and career, and he’s even received an outpouring of support from fans who were touched by his words. Perhaps most impressively, Scott has managed to stay true to himself. He’s still very private and prefers to spend his time with family and friends. In fact, he spends a lot of time writing and traveling, leaving very little time for Hollywood drama. And yet, this is the industry that made him famous and allowed him to apologize and transform himself into a happier person. It’s truly inspiring to see someone so committed to their craft, even when it doesn’t always come easy.
Scott’s journey is not unique. Many celebrities have found happiness and been able to move on from the damaging effects of fame. It would be a shame to let this opportunity pass and see how much happier he could have been if he had just heeded the signs of abuse earlier. We should all be so lucky as to have found happiness even after being hurt by those we love the most.