At 88, actor Christopher Lloyd has published his memoir, opening up about his longtime struggles with substance use, an incident that left him seriously injured, and his path to sobriety. He also discussed the subject with Michael J. Fox.
Doc Brown could travel through time. Christopher Lloyd had to live through it.
To millions, he will always be the eccentric scientist from Back to the Future. To others, he’s the unforgettable Uncle Fester from The Addams Family or Reverend Jim Ignatowski from Taxi. But beyond those iconic roles lies a personal history that Lloyd is now exploring in his memoir, sharing experiences he has rarely discussed publicly.
In his autobiography, In My Own Time: A Memoir, which was published on October 27, 2026, Lloyd reflects on his career, childhood, and personal relationships. He also discusses his struggles with cocaine and alcohol, his marijuana use, and the years it took him to achieve sobriety.
It Begins with a Car
It was the 1970s. Lloyd was in Los Angeles when he met a woman outside a comedy club. He accompanied her to her car, where he tried cocaine for the first time. In his memoir, Lloyd describes the encounter as the beginning of his years of cocaine use.
According to excerpts from his memoir published by Page Six, Lloyd described how quickly cocaine took hold of him: “That was all it took. I was hooked almost immediately.”
Over time, cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana became a regular part of his life. In his memoir, Lloyd recalls that he initially gave little thought to the consequences of his substance use, which gradually became harder to control.
In his memoir, Lloyd maintains that he never performed onstage or in front of a camera while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
If the Door Is Locked… Leave.
One of the most disturbing episodes he recounts took place in May 1984, following the cancellation of Taxi, the sitcom that had earned him two Emmy Awards.
According to excerpts from his memoir published by Page Six, Lloyd recalls being under the influence of alcohol and other drugs when he argued with his then-girlfriend. He spent the night at his nephew’s house, only to return and discover that she had locked him out. He responded by punching the windows.
Lloyd’s account then turns to the serious injuries he sustained. In his memoir, he recalls finding himself “lying on the floor of my kitchen, bleeding out,” as paramedics attended to him. He had lost so much blood that doctors had to give him plasma, according to his account. He later underwent surgery and physical therapy to regain proper movement in his fingers.
Lloyd also recalls an unusual coincidence involving his Taxi co-star Andy Kaufman, who died on May 16, 1984, at age 35. Kaufman had died just one day before the incident, at the same hospital where Lloyd was later treated.
Christopher Lloyd’s Recovery: Rehab, Relapses, and a Conversation With Michael J. Fox
In 1993, Lloyd entered a rehabilitation facility after working with a psychologist who helped him recognize the impact of his substance use. He spent five weeks in treatment.
But recovery wasn’t immediate. Reflecting on his first stay in rehab, Lloyd writes, “That was the beginning, but not the end of it.” He went on to experience several relapses before getting sober for what he describes as the last time, on April 1, several years later. He does not specify the year.
His history with alcohol also came up in a recent conversation with Michael J. Fox for Interview Magazine. When Fox asked whether he had been drinking during his years playing Reverend Jim on Taxi, Lloyd replied, “Sometimes. It hadn’t gotten to be a big problem yet.”
The conversation also touched on the challenges of discussing substance use publicly. Fox recalled finding it difficult to write about his own drinking, while Lloyd acknowledged having struggled with alcohol himself. Fox then pointed to an experience they share beyond Back to the Future: both are in recovery.
Much More Than Doc Brown
The memoir also explores Lloyd’s isolated childhood and his relationship with his mother, whose struggles with alcohol he discussed with Michael J. Fox in Interview Magazine.
While Lloyd also discusses marijuana use in his memoir, the published excerpts about his struggles with substance use and recovery focus primarily on cocaine and alcohol.
His memoir revisits the personal experiences and relationships that shaped his life beyond Hollywood, including his struggles with substance use and recovery.
Cover photo: Philip Romano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons // Edited with Canva
