Published Wednesday, 03 October 2012
A slew of celebrities, including actors Hugh Grant, Jude Law and Sienna Miller, learned their privacy had been compromised after a private detective working for the now-defunct tabloid intercepted their voicemail messages.
Williams previously admitted he threw out his cell phone years ago over fears it had been targeted, and now admits his paranoia seemed justified when the controversy began to dominate headlines in Britain last year.
When asked if he was hacked, he tells GQ.com: "Oh, yes. I saw my number, and the names, and other people's names. I was aware of it in 2006, when I got rid of my phone...
"It wasn't surprising in any way - I already thought it was happening. I only ever had to think something and it was in the papers the next morning. I know and understood how they get to people.
"I've lived in a world where you're paranoid that people are doing it and that was already happening anyway. The phone-hacking scandal was just a bit more confirmation. One of the best things about living in California is being distanced from my constant need to impress people back home."