Jake Paul explains why he once considered killing himself and the plan he had to do it

(If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.)

The [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] checklist:

Rich. Check.

About to get richer. Double check.

Famous. Check.

About to get more famous. Double check.

But as Paul has prepared for his much-anticipated fight against Mike Tyson on Nov. 15, he told The Hollywood Reporter about darker times, which he said included a suicide plan.

It was arguably the most startling revelation in The Hollywood Reporter’s in-depth story about Paul that published Wednesday and addressed a turbulent period of Paul’s in Southern California several years ago.

“I had a plan,” Jake Paul said. “I mean, it’s (expletive) crazy. I was going to put a bunch of gas cans in my Lamborghini and get really drunk and drive off the top of this cliff in Calabasas. It’s called Stunt Road.”

Paul addressed what led up to the plan that he never attempted. His parents divorced when he was 7 and older brother Logan was 9, and it was “by all accounts an ugly split,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. His boorish behavior got him sued by his landlord and fired by Disney. And in late 2017, Logan visited “suicide forest” in Japan, filmed a suicide victim and posted the footage on YouTube.

“I got lumped into all my brother’s hate,” Jake Paul said. “It was like, ‘(Expletive) the Pauls. (Expletive) both of those people.’ It was bad. The suicide forest thing basically ruined my career and income. I lost probably $30 million in deals. There was one $15 million deal for retail products that fell apart. They were able to get out of it because of a morality clause.”

It led to problematic behavior, Jake Paul said.

“Basically, life hit me in the face, and it was like, ‘Who are you? What have you been doing the past couple of years?’ ” he said. “It led to drinking and drugs and Los Angeles and going to parties and just that whole entire world. I got sucked up into it really quickly.”

Jake Paul continued: “And so there I am: No money, kind of hating myself, the whole world hates me. I’m drinking. I’m depressed and not having a good relationship with either of my parents or Logan. …I just felt wrong in life and by all the cards I had been dealt. It was (expletive up). I just tried to do good my whole life and here I am with what felt like nothing”

And, no, Paul said he did not go through with his catastrophic plan.

“I was not going to let them win,” he said. “I was like, ‘I’m going to fight. This is what every social media hater wants is to wake up and see Jake Paul killed himself.’ ”

Paul, who embarked on a pro boxing careeer in 2020, said the sport saved his life. He is 10-1 with seven knockouts and also co-founded Most Valuable Promotions, which manages a stable of fighters that include Amanda Serrano, a multiple-time world champion.

“It’s purpose, routine, health, community — all the things I needed,” he said. “Since 2020, it’s been boxing’s number one and everything else comes after that. I never really liked YouTube. I was just good at it.”

Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Boxer and influencer Jake Paul before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj, Imagn Images)

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Jake Paul: Fan of Donald Trump

Jake Paul is an ardent supporter of Donald Trump and said he fears what will happen if Trump loses to Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5 in the general election.

“I think America will fall, the borders will open, tens of millions of illegal criminals and people from other countries will pour in,” he said. “And I think freedom of speech will probably be taken away from us in a secret, tricky way that we can’t track technically.”

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Jake Paul says father physically abused him

Paul said his dad physically abused him and his brother, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and that the abuse lasted from childhood until the brothers left for Los Angeles in their late teens.

“He was punching us, slapping us, throwing us down the stairs, throwing things at us, mental abuse, manipulation,” said Jake Paul, who later explained, “say he’s on the phone, and my brother and I were whispering to each other. And he’s like, ‘Quit (expletive) whispering!’ and whips something at my head. There’s punishment and then there’s abuse. He just took his anger out on us. He’s going through a divorce, losing everything — and we were the closest people to him.”

This story was originally published by USA TODAY Sports.

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