The Mighty Ducks star Shaun Weiss has admitted he is taking advantage of his "second chance at life" following a crippling drug addiction.
The former child star, 44, looked unrecognisable during the darkest days battling with drug addiction of methamphetamine and heroin before getting sober in 2020. He is best known for playing Greg Goldberg in hit 1992 film The Mighty Ducks and Josh Birnbaum in Heavyweights, which was released in 1995.
Weiss appeared on Today Extra on Thursday to discuss the highs and lows of his life and admitted, unlike many child stars who have fallen on difficult times, it was not the fame of Hollywood that was to blame.
He was thankful that he managed to get his life back on track and put the dark times in the "rear-view mirror" as he looks to return to acting on the big screen.
Speaking to co-hosts Sylvia Jeffreys and David Campbell, Weiss said: "I'm feeling better than I have in years and being able to get back and do movies again is, like, just a dream come true.
"I'll be honest, when all that stuff was going on, I really never thought that I'd be at a spot where I could look back at all that in my rear-view mirror. So to be able to be here now, I feel like I got a second chance."
Weiss revealed that his mental was at fault for his downward spiral with drugs and praised the cast members of The Mighty Ducks and Heavyweights as his "real-life family".
He said: "I think [my addiction] had less to do with Hollywood and a lot to do with other things. My depression is what led to my drug addiction, and I figured that out over a thousand hours of therapy."
Fellow child star Aaron Schwartz, who featured in The Mighty Ducks and Heavyweights alongside Weiss, gained special praise for compiling a video of cast members from both films to wish him well.
Weiss added: "That video really was overwhelming and really blew me away. I really needed that at that time, so those guys were there when I needed them.
"That support has really meant everything to me, because I just got to a spot where I really didn't care about myself as much. But I really didn't want to let all these people down that were pulling for me."
Fans were shocked in 2017 when Weiss' mug shot, after being arrested for a petty crime, went viral and was homeless at the height of his drug addiction. He spent 12 days in prison before being released, only to be arrested again and jailed for 90 days for meth possession.
Weiss is set to return to the big screen for the first time since appearing Drillbit Taylor in 2008 when he plays a Vietnam veteran, who is recovering from drug addiction in biopic Jesus Revolution.
Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
*Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter and Facebook .
