Gerard Butler heads to rehab for painkillers

Gerard Butler has entered rehab for substance abuse at the Betty Ford Center in Malibu, TMZ reports. 

The actor has apparently been there for three weeks already, and is being treated for addiction to prescription painkillers that began after shooting "300" in 2006. Apparently, Butler "began struggling with pain management" due to the "physical demands of shooting," and relapsed Dec. 18 after he was injured in a surfing accident.

As a preventative measure before things got any worse, Butler entered rehab at the Betty Ford Center. TMZ says he also had "issues" with cocaine, but painkillers were the real problem. The site says he'll be released today (Feb. 24) after three weeks of treatment.

Butler has slimmed down recently for his role in the surf movie "Mavericks" thanks to a workout regimen of surfing, cardio and yoga. In the movie Butler plays Rick "Frosty" Hesson, a mentor to surfing great Jay Moriarity, who sets out to conquer the Northern California waves called the Mavericks.