"Green Mile" actor Doug Hutchison drew controversy in 2011 when he married 16-year-old Courtney Stodden. Now the star has opened up to Fox News about how the relationship destroyed his career before finally ending in divorce last month, after a string of breakups and makeups spanning several years.
"I shot my career in the head for love," he said in an interview published Tuesday. No only did his career take a hit, but Hutchinson also lost friends and family, who refused to speak to him. "I was suddenly on the Titanic and everyone was fleeing except for me and Courtney," Hutchison said.
The actor said he knew he would receive backlash for marrying someone 34 years his junior, but did not realize to what extent until it was too late.
Shortly after the marriage, his manager and agent dropped him and he was blackballed from casting directors. Rather than run away from the criticism, the couple decided to face it, but it grew increasingly difficult for Hutchison.
"We got a lot of hate mail. I got death threats. We were both called vicious names and seen as villains in the press," he remembered. "Instead of running away from it, we decided to embrace it."
What ensued was a "tidal wave" that neither of them could have expected. Aside from the age gap, Hutchison said he could not figure out what it was that sparked such a powerful reaction from the public and the film industry.
"We are certainly not the first May-December romance, especially in Hollywood," he said. "The world is not black and white. There is always gray in between. Especially when it comes to love."
Through the ordeal, Hutchison said he clung to his faith, which helped him get through the tough times, and the hurt of walking away from his career and love of his life.
"Hollywood is one of the most challenging places to hold onto your character, your faith," he said. "But I left because I felt I had nothing left. My marriage was over. My career was over. I was broke. There was nothing keeping me in Hollywood."
Hutchison said he moved to Detroit to be with his family and slowly began to rebuild his life. He started going to church and rediscovered his relationship with God.
"I don't think it ever ended, I just ignored it for a while," he said, and things have taken a positive turn since doing so. "I'm with family again. I'm teaching and writing. There's a lot of light in my life now."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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