Matthew Fox believes his father "saved his life".
The 'Lost' actor - who grew up on a remote ranch in Wyoming - admitted after a "reckless" childhood, his father took the decision to send him to boarding school, which stopped him going down the same path as some of his friends who tragically turned to suicide.
He said: "In that part of the world, manhood is defined by how much punishment you can take in terms of alcohol consumption, fighting, chasing girls, general wild living. For me and my two brothers, it was a matter of daring each other to do more and more crazy stuff.
"But there was a dark side to all this recklessness. By the time I was 16, 10 of my close friends had died. Some were suicides. Others got into brawls and had the life beaten out of them. Others went out and got roaring drunk, drove home and fell asleep at the wheel. It's what happens in places like Wyoming.
"I could have easily gone that way myself. But my dad stepped in. He sent me to a boarding school and that saved my life."
The 44-year-old actor explained after his rural upbringing, he still "can't stand" the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
Matthew added to Live magazine: "The fact is that I'm far more comfortable sitting on a horse and herding cattle than walking up a red carpet. People think I'm being disingenuous when I say I don't like the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. But truthfully, I can't stand it.
"There are very few situations I'd like less to be in than a Hollywood premiere or an awards ceremony. That's not what my life is about."