Gerard Butler says leaving law for acting 'feels so right'

Gerard Butler admitted that leaving a career in law and joining acting was "more guilt-free."

In a recent chat with People, the 55-year-old actor and his Den of Thieves 2: Pantera costar O'Shea Jackson Jr. talked about their career aspirations.

During the conversation, Butler recalled his first gig in a Shakespeare production, after working as an assistant with the production's casting director.

"I was the last person to go in after two days of auditioning, and at the end she walked up, the casting director said, '[The director] said you were the best he's seen.' And then he walked up and said, 'So you want a job?' And I've got to tell you, it was the happiest day of my life," Butler remembered.

The Scottish actor went on to say, "And I had just sobered up because I was a lawyer. I was pretty crazy training as a lawyer, and I'd just kind of gotten my s*** together, and I walked home that night, didn't go to the pub, and just walked home going, 'My God, this is my dream.' "

Although the role "wasn't even a big role," "it was the most high" moment that made Butler feel like "living his purpose."

"This is for sure what you want to be doing. It just all felt so right. I'd never experienced an excitement like that and more guilt-free than creating an excitement for all the wrong reasons," he added.

Notable movies of Butler's are Mrs. Brown, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Phantom of the Opera, 300, Olympus Has Fallen, and the list goes on.