Bradley Cooper is thanking his lucky stars for surviving past drug and alcoholism .

The Oscar-nominated actor opened up about his journey towards sobriety in a recent episode of National Geographics Running Wild With Bear Grylls : The Challenge. When asked by the eponymous adventurer about his wild years, Cooper was rather candid.

The Hangover was pretty career changing, he told Grylls . I was 36 when that happened so I was already in the game for 10 years just banging around, so I didnt get lost in fame. In terms of alcohol and drugs, yeah, but nothing to do with fame, though.

The 48-year-old was very lucky to have accepted sobriety at 29 before the overwhelming fame took hold. Cooper, who shares a six-year-old daughter with Irina Shayk , was nearly knocked off-course when his father died of cancer in 2011.

I definitely had a nihilistic attitude towards life after, just like I thought Im going to die, Cooper told Grylls. I dont know, it wasnt great for a little bit until I thought I have to embrace who I actually am and try to find a peace with that, and then it sort of evened out.

Cooper previously admitted he almost quit acting while starring opposite Jennifer Garner in Alias . He told GQ in 2013 he begged showrunner J.J. Abrams to write him off before realizing substance abuse was going to sabotage [his] whole life if he didnt get sober.