Gerard Depardieu enjoys a glass of champagne to start his day. His drink routine then veers off into an unhealthy habit, at least for most people.
The French actor can drink up to 14 bottles of wine a day, but 10-minute power naps keep him from getting "totally drunk," Depardieu told So Film magazine, according to The Mirror. "A slurp of rose wine and I feel as fresh as a daisy."
He starts drinking before 10 a.m. and adds an assortment of champagne, beer and hard liquors to his heavy wine consumption. Not even a quintuple heart bypass surgery in 2000 has slowed down the 65-year-old man.
"It starts at home with champagne or red wine, before 10 am. Then again champagne," Depardieu said, recounting what he told doctors before his surgery. "Then pastis, maybe half a bottle. Then food, accompanied by two bottles of wine. In the afternoon, champagne, beer, and more pastis at around 5 pm, to finish off the bottle. Later on vodka and/or whiskey."
Depardieu has no plans of slowing down, although he does realize his limitations due to his surgery and cholesterol problems. Once he starts drinking, he can't control his consumption "like a normal person."
"What I like in being drunk is the moment when you're alive and enthusiastic. Full stop. But when you have been there 10, 15, 20 times, 30 times, then you start losing track. There's more to life than being drunk," he said.
More for the "Cyrano de Bergerac" actor includes killing two lions while vacationing in Africa. He claims it was an act of self-defense.
"I killed two lions once, and I understand why the lion is the kind of the jungle," Depardieu said. "Imagine you're driving and your engine breaks down. You got out, and if your way are these animals. So you shoot, just to scare them. They don't move. I wasn't there for hunting. I was in Africa for Africa."
Depardieu continues to act and owns several wine vineyards.
