Actor Rob Lowe, who gained fame as a teen idol in the late 1980s, spoke candidly this week about a s^x tape scandal from his past that nearly derailed his career.

The tape, which was leaked to the media in 1988, featured Lowe engaging in s^xual acts with two women, one of whom was underage.

Lowe met the women, Lena Jan Parsons and Tara Seburt, at an Atlanta nightclub and brought them back to his room at a nearby Hilton hotel, where he filmed their encounter.

It was later revealed that Parsons was just 16 years old at the time, although Lowe claims he was not aware of her age. Lowe settled a lawsuit with Parsons’ family and was never criminally charged.

Despite the controversy surrounding the incident, Lowe said he doesn’t regret it and believes in being authentic and transparent in his memoirs and public appearances.

“Any time you’re doing a memoir or a book, a show about your life, job one is authenticity and full transparency,” he said in an interview on The Jess Cagle Show.

Lowe added that the scandal actually helped him turn his life around. “It’s one of the reasons why I got sober. I woke up one day and I was like, ‘What am I doing with my life?’

I’m 29 years in and like people talk, but it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said.

The actor, who has been married to Sheryl Berkoff for 29 years and has two sons, Matthew and John, said the scandal ultimately led to positive changes in his life.

“It got me sober, sober got me married.

I’ve been married 29 years and I have two great sons. I don’t think any of that happens without going through that scandal,” he said.

Lowe acknowledged that the incident was a “mistake” but noted that he didn’t profit from it in the same way that others have.

“I invented the s^x tape,” he quipped, “but I didn’t make any money off of it like everybody does now.”

Lowe’s memoir, titled Stories I Only Tell My Friends, was released in 2011 and chronicles his life and career up to that point.

The actor has also performed a stage show based on the book, which he is currently promoting.

In the book, Lowe discusses his early career, including his roles in films like The Outsiders and St. Elmo’s Fire, as well as his struggles with addiction and the fallout from the s^x tape scandal.

He also writes about his personal life, including his marriage to Berkoff and his relationship with his sons.

Lowe’s comments about the scandal come as the issue of underage s^x and consent continues to be a topic of conversation in the entertainment industry and society at large.

In recent years, many high-profile figures have faced allegations of s^xual misconduct, abuse, and harassment.

As for Lowe, he remains focused on his career and his family, noting that the scandal ultimately helped him become the person he is today.

“My whole life is there,” he said of his memoir and stage show.

“You can’t have any areas that you won’t talk about.”