Kiefer Sutherland Acting Out After ‘Losing’ Hollywood Status: ‘He Still Sees Himself as a Leading Man’

Kiefer Sutherland has been in a rut lately, a source tells the National Enquirer.

“He’s got plenty of money but he misses being on TV and he misses being part of the bigger cultural conversation,” explains the source. “That stuff means a lot to him and when it’s not a part of his life, he’s going to act out and he’s going to generate negative headlines for himself. He can’t help it!”

Earlier this year, the Designated Survivor star, 59, was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly physically assaulting and making criminal threats toward his Uber driver and released on a $50,000 bond, per People. Law enforcement later told ABC News that those on the scene claim that Sutherland was under the influence at the time of the incident.

“Losing his status in Hollywood, which he fought for decades to earn, has put him in a really vulnerable spot,” the source notes. “He’s been holding out hope for one more shot at his 24 franchise for a while now and things have been moving slowly on that front.”

As the Enquirer previously reported, an insider says Sutherland is ready to reprise the role of Jack Bauer in a reboot series, but there’s still no official word on if and when that will happen.

“Kiefer refuses to admit or even entertain the possibility that his prime years as an actor may be behind him,” says the source. “He’s got no appetite for taking on supporting roles, grandpa roles or even dabbling in edgy, low-budget projects. He still sees himself as a leading man and a global superstar, even if the world has moved on.”