How David Arquette overcame alcoholism, a heart attack & bloody lighttube deathmatch injuries to return to wrestling

DAVID Arquette appeared to be out for the count having hit rock bottom after the glory days of Scream and his marriage to Friends star Courteney Cox. 

Lauded as one of the bright young things on the front cover of Vanity Fair in 1996 alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey, his career has stalled over the past decade.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, David admits to having been into rehab twice and undergoing radical treatment with the drug ketamine to calm his crippling anxieties.

Courteney left him a decade ago, unable to cope with his drinking and David was ridiculed when he tried to become a wrestler in 2000.

But now he is back making a fifth Scream movie, alongside his ex-wife, and has given up the booze.

The reason for the turn around in his life is a brush with death.

'I think I'm dying'

The 49-year-old American reveals that during a stress test at hospital a couple of years ago he suffered a heart attack.

David, whose grandfather and father both died from heart problems, confides: “I started seizing up. I was like ‘I think I’m dying’ and the doctor got on the phone.

“Finally, they got me the nitroglycerin and they put the two stents in. It was incredibly scary.”

Most people would take it easy with such a serious heart complaint.

But on waking up from surgery, David told his second wife Christina McLarty that he wanted to return to the wrestling ring.

For 20 years I would go to matches and people would spit on me.

David Arquette

He smiles: “When I came round from the operation to put in my two stents I turned round to my wife and I said: ‘I have been thinking a lot about wrestling.’ I was serious.”

Even though doctors warned him that having huge men jumping from the ropes onto his body wouldn’t be a good idea, David decided to take another shot at the sport.

Life-threatening deathmatch accident

In 2000 he had been crowned the World Championship Wrestling heavyweight champion in what was widely considered to be an ill-judged stunt.

Now in a new documentary titled You Cannot Kill David Arquette, cameras follow him as he tries to convince wrestling fans that he’s the real deal.

He certainly did that in 2018 when David had to be rushed to hospital when a lighttube just missed a major artery by an inch when it smashed onto his neck during a ‘deathmatch.’

The fans who hated him for being Mr Hollywood beforehand suddenly respected Arquette.

David says: “As I went in they hated me and as I walked out they were cheering me, so it captured what I was going for, although it almost cost me my life.”

History of violence

The brutally honest movie, which is released in cinemas on November 23, also examines the difficult times he’s faced.

Born into the family of jobbing and troubled thespians Lewis and Brenda "Mardi" Arquette he started drinking and taking drugs at a young age.

I realised both of my parents are dead and all of this pain is living inside of me.

David Arquette

David imitated the bad behaviour of dad Lewis, best known for The Waltons, stealing his cannabis at the age of just eight.

More disturbingly, his sisters were physically abused by their mother Brenda.

Brenda stabbed Desperately Seeking Susan star Rosanna in the arm and choked Patricia, best known for True Romance.

His parents’ difficult marriage came up as he tried to tackle his mental health issues.

David says: “I had this one therapy session where I was talking about my parents marriage and how it was so hard on them. 

“Then I realised both of my parents are dead and all of this pain is living inside of me.”

£150million blockbuster

After starring in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1992, the actor had an even bigger hit with Scream four years later.

It revitalised horror films, with its self-referential wit and took £150million at the box office.

David, who played hero cop Dewey, fell for co-star Courteney, 56, who portrayed kick-ass reporter Gale, they got married in 1999 and have a daughter Coco.

Talking about that film he says: “I have a 16-year-old daughter as a result, it’s a really unique experience.”

Even though the couple divorced in 2013 they remained good friends for the sake of Coco.

Courteney even appears in his documentary talking about how “embarrassed” she was when David first took up wearing latex in the ring.

David explains: “A lot of times when people go through a divorce they tend to really attack each other. If you have a child, it was our opinion that was the most important aspect of the ongoing relationship.

“We were always better friends anyway, we’re great co-parents and we have great respect for each other and that’s all you can really do.”

'People would spit on me'

In 2022 Scream 5 will be released with David, Courteney and fellow key cast member Neve Campbell all returning.

David comments: “To be able to work with Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox again was so sweet, there is so much history and emotion and a lot of depth. You don’t get that opportunity a lot.

“Just being in a film with Ghostface who is a horror icon, there is something thrilling about it.”

His documentary suggests that David, who has appeared in all four Scream movies, squandered his success by switching to wrestling.

Directors no longer took him seriously after he appeared in the wrestling movie Ready to Rumble and then took part in WCW fights.

David didn’t want the bouts to be choreographed so that he won the championship, but bosses thought it would make great TV.

When he won fans labelled it “the worst moment in wrestling history.”

David says: “For 20 years I would go to matches and people would spit on me.”

So, he decided to film his attempt to learn how to fight properly in order to win over fans.

Cutting-edge ketamine cure

The odyssey sees him pummeled in a backyard ring, engage in street wrestling in Mexico and get into a bar brawl.

Having started off out of shape, he gains a six-pack thanks to the work-outs.

His dedication to the sport, which is part theatre-part gymnastics, led him to give up drinking alcohol.

That was something spells in rehab had failed to achieve.

David says: “This has been a long road, I’ve been to rehab twice. Part of that is numbing yourself, beating yourself up for things you need to address and I have addressed a lot of those things.

“It’s an ongoing struggle. I am better sober.”

During our interview David is very amusing and self-deprecating, joking that he has given up the booze many times.

It is also clear that this is a man still rebuilding his fragile self.

In the movie we see the star being given the sedative ketamine during psychiatric treatment for his anxiety.

David says he’s the kind of person who will fret for days about something he said at a dinner party.

I talk about my struggles with addiction and my battles with mental health, mainly to let people know they are not alone.

David Arquette

But proving himself in the wrestling ring has boosted his self-confidence.

He says: “A lot of the lesson is to be kinder to myself. I have found that through wrestling, through taking long hikes, working out, there has been a complete shift in my anxiety and depression to just get it down to a level where I am able to cope.”

Healing on screen

Most Hollywood stars would not be willing to let the cameras into their therapy sessions.

But David realises that the residents of Beverly Hills are living in a bubble.

For him it is more important to let anyone else who might be facing mental health issues that it is nothing to be ashamed about.

Anxiety can afflict even celebrities who appear confident on screen.

David concludes: “I talk about my struggles with addiction and my battles with mental health, mainly to let people know they are not alone.

“In Hollywood they put up these facades of this glamorous life. I find beauty in being honest and real.

"I like life because it's not a perfect pretty box.”

You Cannot Kill David Arquette is available on Digital Download November 23