The renowned actor from the 1995 suspense film Copycat, William McNamara, has spoken candidly about his choice to step away from Hollywood and the circumstances that led to his financial downfall.
“I struggled with a persistent drug issue, which definitely posed obstacles,” McNamara, now 61, shared with the Los Angeles Inquisitor in an interview released on Wednesday, May 27. He proudly noted, however, that he has been “clean and sober for 21 years now… no drugs, no alcohol.”
Choosing to leave the bustling streets of Los Angeles, McNamara redirected his focus towards animal activism. He became involved with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, even traveling to Japan, where he was “arrested while documenting the annual dolphin slaughter,” as reported by the publication.
The footage captured during this incident contributed to the acclaimed 2009 documentary The Cove, which won an Academy Award. Additionally, he collaborated with Alison Eastwood on a project that evolved into National Geographic’s Animal Intervention—though, as the article notes, this activism took a significant toll.
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“You don’t get paid,” he told the outlet. “You end up going through your savings.”
William McNamara Getty Images
Back in the U.S. and struggling to survive alongside his pit bull Boo, McNamara said he couldn’t find an apartment willing to rent to a dog owner. Forced to live in his car, his dog was later diagnosed with cancer and required chemotherapy treatment totaling $1,200 a week.
After spending everything he had to keep his dog alive, the actor told the outlet he eventually contemplated suicide.
“I stayed alive for her,” he says of his four-legged friend Boo. “That was my reason for being.”
McNamara’s rise to fame, drug-fueled fall from grace, activism and eventual financial troubles became fuel for his 10-year-long project and new TV show The Trouble With Billy. The 10-episode series stars McNamara alongside Randall Batinkoff, Billy Baldwin, Angus Macfadyen, Alison Eastwood, Claudia Charriez, Costas Mandylor, Ele Keats, Lindsey Pelas, Marilu Henner, Robert Wagner, and the late actors Corey Parker, Sally Kirkland and Tom Sizemore.
“It’s based on a true story… unfortunately,” McNamara said of the series. “It was very cathartic taking some of the worst episodes in my life, some of my biggest mistakes, and distilling them into playable scenes. People can’t believe it really happened, but as we say in the show, unfortunately, most of it did.”
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According to the outlet, 20 percent of all proceeds from the series will go to animal rescue efforts “connected to Alison Eastwood, with plans to expand support to other organizations, including LGBTQ organizations.”
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