Blade Runner star in rehab clinic

Young, 48, was escorted from the Directors Guild of America ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the actress, who played Rachael in the 1982 sci-fi hit, said she had "voluntarily admitted herself" for treatment.

"She has struggled against the disease for many years," a statement added.

She was asked to leave after directing jibes at director Julian Schnabel, who was nominated for the film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Schnabel was slow to start a speech thanking the guild for his nomination, and Young could be heard urging him to hurry up.

The director asked the audience who had made the comments, then suggested Young "have another cocktail".

Then he said she should finish his speech for him as he moved away from the podium. But Young was removed from the venue instead, and Schnabel was able to continue with his speech.

The guild declined to comment, saying it "respected Ms Young's privacy at this difficult time".

Young, who has also starred in films such as Stripes and No Way Out, is known for unpredictable behaviour.

She donned a homemade catsuit in her quest to secure the role of Catwoman in the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, which eventually went to Michelle Pfeiffer.

Young also tried to gatecrash Vanity Fair's party after the 2006 Oscars, an experience she called "degrading" in a magazine article.

"But when you have nothing to lose, it's really not that big of a deal," she told Entertainment Weekly.

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