Christopher Lloyd details battles with addiction in new memoir

In his memoir, In My Own Time, released October 27, the 88-year-old actor traces a path from his upbringing on a Connecticut estate to the pressures of fame. Lloyd recounts how his early exposure to cocaine at a Los Angeles restaurant led to a decade-long struggle with chemical dependency that permeated his daily life and work on the sitcom Taxi. He admits that he frequently prioritized substance use over his professional commitments during the height of his career.

Beyond his battles with addiction, Lloyd details the friction with his father, Samuel, who viewed the entertainment industry with disdain and pressured his son to pursue a traditional education. Lloyd eventually defied these expectations, dropping out of high school to chase theater roles before landing his 1975 film debut in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Now decades sober, the actor reflects on his survival with gratitude, noting that he reached a breaking point that prompted him to seek help through rehab and professional therapy. Despite the turbulent history, he maintains a close bond with his Back to the Future co-star Michael J. Fox, who describes their connection as having evolved into a deep, father-son dynamic over the years.