{"id":2145249,"date":"2025-11-09T22:05:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-09T22:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2145249"},"modified":"2025-11-09T22:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T22:05:25","slug":"bill-ted-star-alex-winter-says-he-would-not-have-been-ok-if-he-hadnt-escaped-hollywood-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/bill-ted-star-alex-winter-says-he-would-not-have-been-ok-if-he-hadnt-escaped-hollywood-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Bill &#038; Ted&#8217; star Alex Winter says he would not have been OK if he hadn&#8217;t escaped Hollywood spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Bill &amp; Ted&#8221; star Alex Winter would not have been OK if he had not escaped the pitfalls of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/entertainment\/events\/industry\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:show business;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">show business<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">During an interview with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2025\/nov\/07\/alex-winter-interview-fame-ai-keanu-reeves-reunion-waiting-for-godot-you-now\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:The Guardian;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">The Guardian<\/a>, Winter \u2014 who currently stars on Broadway with his &#8220;Bill &amp; Ted&#8221; costar Keanu Reeves in &#8220;Waiting for Godot&#8221; \u2014 opened up about the downfalls of finding success at an early age, and explained how years of sexual abuse and trauma pushed him to leave Hollywood and start a new life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For most of his teenage years, Winter \u2014 who made his Broadway debut at 12 years old \u2014 worked tirelessly both <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/entertainment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:onstage and off;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">onstage and off<\/a>. In 1987, he landed his breakthrough memorable role as Marko in the vampire film &#8220;The Lost Boys,&#8221; and two years later, played Bill S. Preston in the comedy &#8220;Bill &amp; Ted&#8217;s Excellent Adventure.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He moved to Los Angeles a year short of graduating from NYU film school and began shifting his focus to behind-the-scenes work \u2013 including directing music videos and commercials \u2013 and co-writing various TV hits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/keanu-reeves-hollywood-manager-tried-change-his-name-during-his-early-acting-career\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Keanu Reeves' Hollywood Manager Tried To Change His Name During His Early Acting Career;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Keanu Reeves&#8217; Hollywood Manager Tried To Change His Name During His Early Acting Career<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Alex Winter discusses surviving sexual abuse during his teenage Broadway and film career, explaining how trauma led him to leave Hollywood before returning to star with Keanu Reeves in a new Broadway play.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">By 26 years old, however, he was &#8220;fried,&#8221; and needed an escape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS\/mvaj7wvj\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read On The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong><u>Read On The Fox News App<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I just wanted to get the hell out of the public eye, and just be on the tube, going to my office in Soho and start a family,&#8221; said Winter, who shifted his focus to directing and filming documentaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;My career is where I want it, which is that I have the ability to do whatever interests me the most,&#8221; he added. &#8220;But I would not have been OK had I not split.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/former-disney-child-star-woke-up-zero-dollars-bank-account-after-nearly-20-years-showbiz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Former Disney Child Star Woke Up To 'Zero Dollars' In Bank Account After Nearly 20 Years In Showbiz;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Former Disney Child Star Woke Up To &#8216;Zero Dollars&#8217; In Bank Account After Nearly 20 Years In Showbiz<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2018, Winter opened up about <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/crime\/sex-crimes\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:being sexually abused;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">being sexually abused<\/a> by an unnamed adult who, he said, has since died.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Three years into his career as a teenager, Winter was sharing a Broadway stage with Yul Brynner in &#8220;The King and I,&#8221; but was &#8220;dealing with really intense and prolonged abuse,&#8221; he told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2020\/sep\/21\/alex-winter-i-had-extreme-ptsd-for-many-many-years-that-will-wreak-havoc\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:The Guardian;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">The Guardian<\/a> in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/newsletters\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong><u>Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Alex Winter\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/d.t62UET4Y1_amcUQmaZnQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/fox_news_text_979\/69cea958d0ceb07d106dc5ec90c7a008\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Winter said he was &#8220;fried&#8221; at 26 years old and needed to escape Hollywood.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;There was \u2018The King and I\u2019 \u2013 eight shows a week, happy face \u2013 feeling genuinely happy in that role. Great relationship with my mom and dad; great relationship with the co-workers around me; doing interviews, signing autographs, living this amazing \u2026 and then this nightmarish other existence,&#8221; he said at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/michael-j-fox-admits-he-felt-like-whore-while-filming-teen-wolf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Michael J. Fox Admits He Felt \u2018Like A Whore\u2019 While Filming 'Teen Wolf';elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Michael J. Fox Admits He Felt \u2018Like A Whore\u2019 While Filming &#8216;Teen Wolf&#8217;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/how-america-can-lead-itself-out-of-its-mental-health-crisis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:I had extreme PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder];elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">I had extreme PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]<\/a> for many, many years, and that will wreak havoc on you. It\u2019s a way in which you relate to the world around you and to yourself, and it\u2019s very nuanced, but you can become very fractured. So you slowly compartmentalize. You keep this thing over here, you keep that thing over there, and you don\u2019t have any natural equilibrium. That fracturing just gets worse and worse and worse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Like What You\u2019re Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong><u>Like What You\u2019re Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;By your mid-20s, it\u2019s like you\u2019re holding those different selves together with duct tape. That\u2019s when you see kids overdosing or blowing their heads off. In my case, I was just like, I need to stop doing this thing where these eyes are on me all the time and I don\u2019t feel safe or comfortable \u2026 I just want to go ride the subway and help raise a family and do my writing and directing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Alex Winter at TIFF\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/aJENC8XTtBSatkxyOlCm6g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/fox_news_text_979\/8fd8aeb10657e12d36fa8b2385322487\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>The 60-year-old director previously opened up about enduring years of sexual abuse by an unnamed person when he was a child star.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Winter previously said children will undoubtedly face &#8220;<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/mental-health\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:psychological repercussions;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">psychological repercussions<\/a>&#8221; if put into high-pressured situations within Hollywood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click Here To Download The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Click Here To Download The Fox News App<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Statistically, putting a child into a high-pressure, adultified environment, there are going to be psychological repercussions and family dynamic repercussions for all of the members of the family involved in that experience, not just the kid,&#8221; he said in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;It\u2019s unavoidable. If you <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/lifestyle\/parenting\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:put your kid in the business;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">put your kid in the business<\/a> or you allow your kid to enter the business, you have to understand that there will 100% be consequences. Those could be incredibly severe; they could be fatal; they could be minor. But absolutely there will be consequences.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Original article source:<\/em> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/bill-ted-star-alex-winter-says-he-would-not-have-been-okay-he-hadnt-escaped-hollywood-spotlight\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:'Bill &amp; Ted' star Alex Winter says he would not have been OK if he hadn't escaped Hollywood spotlight;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">&#8216;Bill &amp; Ted&#8217; star Alex Winter says he would not have been OK if he hadn&#8217;t escaped Hollywood spotlight<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Bill &amp; Ted&#8221; star Alex Winter would not have been OK if he had not escaped the pitfalls of show business. During an interview with The Guardian, Winter \u2014 who currently stars on Broadway with his &#8220;Bill &amp; Ted&#8221; costar Keanu Reeves in &#8220;Waiting for Godot&#8221; \u2014 opened up about the downfalls of finding success [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2145250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25177],"tags":[382458,366606,409777,344990,22860,306645,363834,305272],"class_list":["post-2145249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrities","tag-alex-winter","tag-bill-ted","tag-bill-s-preston","tag-broadway-debut","tag-hollywood","tag-keanu-reeves","tag-sexual-abuse","tag-winter"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Bill-Ted-star-Alex-Winter-says-he-would-not.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2145249"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145249\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2145251,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145249\/revisions\/2145251"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2145250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2145249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2145249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2145249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}