Bradley Cooper is grateful for his sobriety.

The actor, 48, appeared in a current episode of Nationwide Geographic’s Working Wild with Bear Grylls: The Problem, and spoke about his previous dependancy struggles, saying he felt “very fortunate” to have since overcome them.

Cooper advised host Bear Grylls at one level throughout the episode that he felt as if he didn’t “get misplaced in fame,” which prompted Grylls, 49, to ask him, “However you positively had some wild years?”

“When it comes to alcohol and medicines, yeah. However nothing to do with fame, although,” Cooper responded, including: “However I used to be fortunate. I acquired sober at 29 years previous, and I have been sober for 19 years. I have been very fortunate.”

 By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free each day e-newsletter to remain up-to-date on the most effective of what PEOPLE has to supply, from celeb information to forcing human curiosity tales.

Persevering with their candid dialog, Grylls questioned if Cooper’s previous dependancy struggles helped him together with his A Star Is Born position, through which he performed a musician with alcohol dependancy.

“It made it simpler to have the ability to actually enter in there,” Cooper responded.

“And thank goodness I used to be at a spot in my life the place I used to be comfy with all of that, so I might actually let myself go,” he continued. “I have been very fortunate with the roles I’ve needed to play. It’s been an actual blessing. I hope I get to maintain doing it.”

In an unique clip from the episode beforehand shared with PEOPLE, Cooper additionally spoke about how his dad dying from lung most cancers in 2011 affected his outlook on life.

“I positively had a nihilistic angle after for a bit bit, similar to I [thought], ‘I’m going to die,’ ” the daddy of 1 advised Grylls.

He added, “I don’t know, it was not nice for a bit bit, till I noticed I needed to simply embrace who I really am, and attempt to discover a peace with that. After which it type of evened out.”

Cooper additionally opened as much as Grylls about how his father’s demise has affected his personal expertise as a dad. (He shares his daughter Lea, 6, with Irina Shayk.)

“I imply, you be taught out of your predecessor’s errors. And I will make tons that hopefully Lea will be taught from, after which being rigorous with myself to develop,” the Guardians of the Galaxy star stated. “To assist unburden her with any of my bulls—.”

In the event you or somebody you understand is fighting substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.