Kiefer Sutherland is once again being branded a Hollywood bad boy after an alleged assault on an Uber driver led to his arrest in Los Angeles, with sources close to the actor now telling RadarOnline.com a volatile mix of alcohol, unresolved grief, and long-simmering career frustration as the forces driving what they describe as one of Tinseltown’s most painful and public career car-crashes.
The actor, 59, was arrested on January 12 following claims he “entered a ride-share vehicle, physically assaulted the driver (the victim), and made criminal threats,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police arrested Sutherland in Los Angeles following an alleged assault on an Uber driver.
He was later released on a $50,000 bond, with an initial court date set for February 2.
The arrest comes at a horrifically difficult moment for Sutherland, whose recent work has struggled to match the acclaim of his earlier career highs and whose personal life has been marred by loss.
Sutherland is best known for his role as counter-terror agent Jack Bauer in 24, a performance that earned him an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and multiple SAG Awards. He’s also known for his role as President Tom Kirkman in Designated Survivor.
Yet his latest film, Tinsel Town, a cheesy, low-budget Christmas comedy in which he plays a washed-up action star reduced to performing in British pantomime, has drawn uncomfortable comparisons with his own career trajectory.
‘Kiefer Has Always Struggled When Things Don’t Go His Way’
Insiders have linked the actor’s behavior to a volatile mix of alcohol and unresolved grief.
One insider told us, “Ever since 24 wrapped, Kiefer has been chasing a part that truly challenges him and reminds people of the full range of his abilities. He’s never been content to coast on past success, and in his mind, there’s still a defining role out there that could reshape how his career is viewed. He’s never been content to coast on past success.
“Growing up in the shadow of his father Donald, whose body of work he deeply admired, set a very high bar for himself. When those kinds of complex, prestigious roles don’t come his way, it cuts deeply and reinforces a sense that he hasn’t yet been given the opportunities he feels his talent deserves.”
The source added, “Kiefer has always struggled when things don’t go his way, and setbacks tend to hit him harder than he lets on.
“Whether it’s a role he was counting on not coming through, a series ending before he felt finished with it, or simply seeing doors close as the industry moves on, he takes those losses very personally.
“Instead of brushing them off, he tends to carry them with him, and over time that sense of disappointment can really weigh him down.”
Kiefer Sutherland’s Alcohol Battle Exposed
The ’24’ star has struggled with the recent death of his father, cinematic icon Donald Sutherland.
Friends said that feeling of disappointment has been compounded by alcohol, something Sutherland has long acknowledged as a double-edged sword in his life.
The movie star has a history of DUI arrests and has spoken openly about his enjoyment of drinking, once saying it was responsible for both some of his happiest moments and his worst mistakes. Those close to him now say booze has resurfaced as a destabilizing factor in his life.
Another source said, “Kiefer’s relationship with alcohol has long been the most fragile part of his life. When he’s feeling fulfilled and steady, he’s able to keep it in check, but that balance is easily shaken. As emotional pressures build – whether from work frustrations, personal loss or the stress of aging in Hollywood – it becomes far more difficult for him to maintain control. Right now, with so many heavy things hitting him at once, the strain on that balance is more intense than it’s been in a long time.”
Central to that emotional weight is grief. Sutherland’s father, Donald Sutherland, a towering figure of cinema, died in 2024 at the age of 88. The passing, sources said, left Kiefer unmoored.
“The loss of his father hit Kiefer with a force he wasn’t prepared for,” the insider noted. “Donald wasn’t simply his dad; he was the standard Kiefer measured himself against and the person whose career and integrity shaped his own ambitions. Without him, there’s been a huge emotional void, and the grief hasn’t softened with time. It’s still sitting very close to the surface and affecting him in ways people around him can clearly see.”
Then the shock slaughter of Rob Reiner, 78, in December has further deepened the sense of loss. Reiner, who directed Sutherland in Stand by Me, was described by friends as a mentor and guiding force for the actor.
“Rob’s passing has been another profound blow for Kiefer,” our insider added. “He wasn’t just a former collaborator; he was someone Kiefer looked to for guidance, reassurance, and perspective, both creatively and personally.
“Rob grounded him and helped steer him through the industry, so losing that steady presence so abruptly has been deeply destabilizing and incredibly painful for him.”
His Final Act?
Sutherland has mourned the loss of his mentor and ‘Stand by Me’ director Rob Reiner.
Layered on top of grief and alcohol, sources point to a persistent belief Sutherland has never been fully recognized for his talent.
A source added: “Kiefer has carried a long-standing sense that his abilities have never been fully appreciated by the industry. He’s acutely aware of his own range and depth as an actor, yet he feels casting decisions have rarely reflected that understanding.
“Over the years, that perception of being overlooked has quietly built up, leaving him with the belief that Hollywood never quite trusted him with the kinds of roles that would truly showcase everything he’s capable of.”
Sutherland himself has acknowledged the challenges of aging in Hollywood.
“I’m sliding into 60 years old at 100 miles an hour, and I’m acutely aware of the fact that people cared more about what I thought when I was 30 than they do now,” he said in December.
Despite the turmoil, those close to him insist the picture is not entirely bleak.
A source said, “Kiefer is a complex and intense person, and that intensity can be hard for outsiders to understand, but it comes from a place of deep feeling.
“At his core, he’s generous, fiercely loyal, and cares deeply about the people in his life. What he’s dealing with now is a difficult stretch, not a final act. Those close to him believe this is a rough chapter he’s working through, rather than a defining endpoint of his story.”
