Billy Crudup reveals onstage panic attack during theatre play

Billy Crudup opened up about a harrowing moment in his stage career that continues to haunt him.

The 57-year-old narrated the story on Off Camera With Kelly Ripa about the time he had a full-blown panic attack' on stage in front of theatre audience.

He described how he blanked just minutes into David Cale's play Harry Clarke.

The production required him to deliver a daunting 48‑page monologue.

It was a challenge he initially resisted but ultimately accepted out of competitiveness.

“…about three minutes in, I can’t remember my lines,” the Tony Award-winning actor admitted.

“I started to have a full‑blown panic attack. I get tunnel vision. My heart’s going outta my chest. I can’t breathe. And I call for line — and I have never called for line before, so we didn't have any systems set in place — and so the poor stage manager from the booth [makes muffled noises].”

With no system in place to rescue him, Crudup improvised by cutting nearly 20 pages of dialogue.

The show which is normally 75 minutes long ended at about 55 minutes.

“Nobody understood s---,” he said, adding that he felt “absolutely mortified” and felt 'terrible' for the playwright, the theatre, and the audience.

While retelling the story years later at brunch with wife Naomi Watts’ friends, Crudup was stunned.

One guest confessed she had been in the audience that night.

She called it “the worst theatrical experience of my life.”

Crudup quipped back, “Gabby, what about for me?!”