Jason Bateman’s decision to get sober was a smart one.
Jason Bateman, host of the SmartLess podcast, recently discussed his years of heavy drinking and drug use. This period began in the 1990s after his acting career slowed down following his roles as a child on Little House on the Prairie and The Hogan Family.
Jason recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he was lucky to have come of age before social media and camera phones were widespread. He admitted he ‘got away with a lot’ but acknowledged there were a few close calls.
After Jason landed a more stable job on Arrested Development in 2003, he and his wife, Amanda Anka—whom he’d married in 2001—agreed that he needed to change his wild ways.
Let me tell you, when it comes to entertaining, my wife Amanda and I always have a little back-and-forth about when it’s time to wrap things up. She’s great at pointing out when the fun starts to feel a little…unreliable. She’d jokingly say, ‘This slow fade is actually more frustrating than just ending it!’ It’s all about finding that sweet spot, you know?
The 57-year-old explained that she didn’t ask for complete forgiveness, but they were discussing it. He felt he was about six months away from being fully stable, but thought resolving the situation immediately would ease the tension, so he wanted to handle it right away.
Even though Jason enjoyed going out, he understood that he’d eventually need to stop partying to maintain his career. He shares two daughters, 19-year-old Francesca and 14-year-old Maple, with Amanda.
He explained that he felt a strong need to achieve certain personal and professional goals before starting a family. He was looking for a career he’d enjoy and believed he could succeed in, and he knew finding the right position was key.
The Zootopia 2 star also used the experience of those around him to inform his choices.
I know people who really struggled with addiction, but I was fortunate enough to realize my limits before it went too far. I recognized how far I could go and still achieve my goals.
Having gone through challenges with work and getting sober, Jason now appreciates the lessons he’s learned and how far he’s come.
He explained that facing uncertainty early in his career actually made him better at managing opportunities. Having experienced times with few options, he stays motivated and driven.
Read on for more stars who have detailed their experiences with sobriety.
In October 2018, the actor known for American Pie shared on Instagram that he had been sober for a year, marking the occasion with a positive and uplifting message.
He shared that he first attempted to stop drinking and using drugs more than five years ago, when his addiction became overwhelming. He admitted it was a difficult process, saying, “It turns out this is really hard.”
He shared that he’s been sober for a year, something he’s incredibly proud of after a difficult journey. He encouraged anyone struggling with addiction to seek help, emphasizing that there’s no shame in asking and that recovery is possible.
Looking back on his battle with addiction, he thought about how far he’d gone to keep it a secret.
He shared on his wife Jenny Mollen’s podcast, All the Fails, that he was in therapy but also struggling with alcohol. He described a cycle where he’d leave a productive therapy session and immediately go buy vodka, drink it to excess, and then drive home. He admitted he used alcohol to escape his feelings and disconnect from his life and the present moment.
He explained that he’d carefully planned how much to drink, wanting to stay coherent enough to talk. He mentioned he was constantly swapping out the alcohol bottles at the bar.
The two-time World Cup-winning soccer player has publicly discussed using Adderall inappropriately while recovering from injuries during her time playing college soccer.
She shared on the 2025 podcast Question Everything with Danielle Robay that she had become seriously addicted to Adderall and was using it in dangerous ways. She explained she was taking it constantly, often going days without sleep. It was an incredibly chaotic time, and she felt like she was pushing her body to the limit, even fearing a heart attack. She admitted to taking the drug by crushing and snorting it, acknowledging it was a very problematic period in her life.
However, in the midst of her struggle, her college coach Anson Dorrance was there to support her.
She described a difficult time where she had to adapt significantly. Anson encouraged her to read, and she found the book Man’s Search for Meaning particularly impactful. It helped her understand and cope with hardship, and ultimately changed her perspective on life.
In October 2025, Migos member Quavo revealed he had been sober from codeine—an opioid often mixed with soda to create the drink known as sizzurp—for four years. He credited a serious conversation with his teenage son, Jordan, as the turning point that led to his recovery.
Offset shared a story on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer show about his son repeatedly asking for pineapple Fanta, even though he rarely drinks soda. What really struck Offset was when his son noticed his own drink looked different and asked why, which he found incredibly touching.
Offset explained that the seemingly harmless comment really upset him, saying he almost cried when he went to his room.
The rapper explained he felt guilty as a parent. He was worried his son didn’t realize he was using drugs and that even small things, like his son wanting the same drink, felt like a bad influence. He feared he was setting a poor example.
The Academy Award-winning actor has often openly discussed December 29, 1975, the date he stopped drinking.
In an October 2025 interview on The New York Times‘ podcast The Interview, he admitted he was driving under the influence in California and essentially lost consciousness at the wheel. He described having no idea where he was going and then realizing the danger he posed to others – and even himself, which he said he didn’t seem to care about at the time. This moment, he explained, led him to recognize he had a problem with alcohol.
With support from a friend, he started a journey of recovery. In December 2025, he celebrated 50 years of sobriety and shared a message of hope for others facing the same struggles he overcame decades earlier.
He encouraged choosing life in an Instagram message, repeating the word ‘life’ multiple times to emphasize its importance: “Life, life, life, and more life.”
The Valley star shared his decades-long battle with drugs in March 2025 after going to rehab.
Jax revealed on the March 4th episode of Bravo’s Hot Mic podcast that he’s struggling with addiction, specifically with cocaine. He admitted it was difficult to talk about.
He explained that he’s struggled with this issue intermittently since he was 23, and now, at 45, it continues to come and go. He’d sometimes stop, but other times it would become a significant problem again.
Jax stopped drinking and using cocaine at the same time. He explained that while he didn’t believe he had a serious drinking problem, he always used cocaine with alcohol, so he decided to quit both. He’s now been sober for over 82 days, which is the longest stretch of sobriety he’s ever experienced.
Tom Holland, known for his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, quit drinking in 2022 because he felt controlled by alcohol. He admitted on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast that he was addicted, saying, “I was definitely addicted to alcohol, not shying away from that at all.” He also suggested that having a beer every day could be a sign of a problem.
The actor explained that you eventually reach a point where you regret having that extra drink. Then, you wake up with a really bad headache the next morning.
After adopting a new lifestyle, Holland found he was sleeping more soundly and coping with challenges more effectively.
He explained that he was much calmer and more able to handle problems on set. He felt mentally clear, healthier, and in better physical shape.
Sean Connery, known for his role in Hunt for Red October, rarely discusses his recovery, which started nearly four decades ago.
He rarely talks about it, mentioning it only when relevant. He shared during a May 2024 podcast that he’s been sober for 39 years, since February 23, 1985.
Alec described his early years in Los Angeles after leaving New York in 1983 as a period of intense struggle with cocaine addiction. He admitted to using a massive amount of the drug, comparing its prevalence at the time to that of coffee, and said it was commonplace for people to use it throughout the day.
And after quitting the drug, he soon turned to alcohol—only to also quit that dependency.
Today, he relies on the city around him.
He finds New York City incredibly calming. He loves simply walking around and discovering new details he’s never seen before – like architectural features on buildings he’s passed countless times. He also enjoys meeting up with friends for lunch or coffee.
In April 2024, Anne Hathaway, known for her role in The Princess Diaries, revealed she’s been sober for over five years. She told The New York Times that reaching this point felt like a significant achievement.
She explained her decision simply. “I realized it wasn’t the right path for me,” she said. “It felt difficult to completely refuse, but I had to be firm. It’s like an allergy – if you have a severe reaction, you don’t try to fight it. I finally stopped questioning my instincts.”
Honestly, making that change was the best thing I ever did. I’ve found that everything just feels better since then. For me, dwelling on things was just exhausting, and I really don’t like to get stuck in that negative headspace. It’s about moving forward and feeling good, and this really helped me do that.
While receiving the 2018 Woman of the Year Award from the Peggy Albrecht Friendly House—a program helping women recover from substance and alcohol abuse—Moore discussed how a damaging lifestyle almost ended her career.
I think we all have key moments that change us and determine where our lives go. Early in my career, I was heading down a really destructive path. Even when I achieved success, I never felt satisfied or worthy. I had very little self-worth, and that quickly led to a crisis. At the time, I didn’t understand why, but it almost felt like something—maybe fate—intervened.
Moore, who received treatment in 2012, expressed gratitude to two people she hardly knew for giving her a wake-up call. She jokingly said they essentially told her to get her life back on track or face the consequences. She explained they gave her “a chance to change direction before I ruined everything.”
Moore reflected that others recognized potential in her that she hadn’t seen in herself. She expressed deep gratitude for their belief in her, saying she wouldn’t have achieved her current success without their support.
As someone who’s always looking at ways to build a healthier life, I really connected with Miley Cyrus sharing her journey. She revealed she’s been working on overcoming her Xanax addiction since 2020, and it’s been incredibly powerful for her. She told Rolling Stone that getting into recovery actually gave her the structure and hope she desperately needed during a difficult time. It’s a reminder that seeking help and building routines can be a game-changer when you’re struggling.
The singer explained that once they discovered a way to briefly escape pain, they were finished with whatever was causing it.
She explained that her friends previously seemed to accept her drug use, which led to a downward spiral. During the pandemic, though, she realized she was struggling and felt disconnected. She remembered being constantly exhausted, often falling asleep and unable to stay awake because of how deeply affected she was.
She eventually sought help and noted that “it took some time to get on my own two feet.”
In his 2025 documentary, Stans, Eminem opened up about his past struggles with prescription pills. He shared that an overdose and missing his daughter Hailie Jade’s birthday were turning points that led him to change his life.
He explained that he started crying when he realized he was on the verge of repeating past mistakes. He described an internal monologue where he harshly challenged himself, asking if he really wanted to miss out on life again. He pushed himself to persevere, not just for his own sake, but also for the sake of those who cared about him.
Honestly, seeing him pour himself back into his music was amazing – it really seemed to be what helped him stay on the path to recovery. It was so inspiring to watch him use his talent as a way to heal and stay sober.
He said it did something – it switched the light on. That moment made him realize he wasn’t ashamed of being sober anymore. He began to see his sobriety as a strength, and he felt proud of overcoming his addiction.
The actor, known from the show Parenthood, had been sober for 16 years when they experienced a relapse in 2020. This happened after a motorcycle accident and they began taking Vicodin again.
Lately, I’ve been exploring the use of prescription medications to help manage my overall well-being. I’ve been taking them consistently for the past couple of months, and with my doctor’s guidance, I’m also incorporating other supportive approaches to enhance their effectiveness. It’s all about finding what works best for me and prioritizing my mental and emotional health.
He admitted he hated what he was doing and felt he was deceiving those around him. He knew he needed to stop, but his tolerance was increasing rapidly – he was now using eight pills, thirty milligrams each, daily. He worried this high dosage would lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. He also expressed growing fear and loneliness, burdened by keeping his struggle a secret.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always believed in being open about personal struggles, and Jamie Lee Curtis recently shared a remarkably honest story. She revealed a decade-long battle with opioid addiction that started in the late 80s after a simple cosmetic procedure – she just wanted to address some inherited puffiness around her eyes. What began as a prescription ultimately took over her life. She told People magazine that for ten years, she was secretly stealing and manipulating others to feed her addiction, and that no one had any idea what she was going through.
Curtis recalls the summer of 1998 as her lowest point. Her sister came to visit and brought pain medication for a broken rib, and Curtis ended up taking all of it. Remembering the event, she explained that she knew her sister would discover the missing pills before leaving. She confessed in a note left on the suitcase, and when her sister returned, she embraced Curtis, expressing her love and concern, and stating she couldn’t bear to watch Curtis destroy herself.
Jamie Lee Curtis went to her first support group meeting on February 3, 1999, and that same day, she told her husband, filmmaker Christopher Guest, about her struggles with substance use. She explained that he was surprised he hadn’t realized she was going through this, and she has remained sober ever since.
Drew Barrymore, who has previously sought treatment for substance abuse, revealed in 2021 that she had reached a significant point in her recovery. In an interview on CBS Mornings, she shared that she’d been sober for two and a half years, explaining that alcohol simply wasn’t benefiting her life anymore.
It’s a really freeing feeling when you finally share who you are, what you believe, and everything you’ve achieved – it’s both empowering and makes you feel exposed at the same time.
Drew Barrymore later told the Los Angeles Times she avoids calling herself “sober” because she doesn’t want to come across as overly strict or judgmental.
She explained that she used to tell herself, ‘I’ll get the hang of this, I’ll find a way to make it work.’ But in 2023, she came to a different conclusion: ‘I’m not going to master this, and that’s okay.’
Bradley Cooper battled a cocaine addiction in the early 2000s. His friend, Will Arnett, helped him by directly addressing the issue and confronting him about his struggles.
Cooper shared in a 2022 podcast interview that it was then he first understood he was struggling with substance use. He said he could never forget that moment.
Cooper explained that Arnett helped him get sober, saying, “Arnett wasn’t afraid to have a difficult conversation with me, and that’s what ultimately led me to decide to turn my life around.”
Oh my gosh, it’s just… it’s so amazing! I mean, Edward Norton was really battling some serious stuff with alcohol for years, but Bradley Cooper saved him. Seriously! He actually presented Bradley with an award at the National Board of Review gala, and he got SO emotional. He straight-up said, ‘I got sober because of this guy!’ Can you believe it? And then he added that every single day since has been better. It just… it gets me every time! They’re both incredible, and this story just proves how much Bradley cares. I’m obsessed!
In September 2023, the former Cruel Intentions star revealed on Instagram that she had been without nicotine or marijuana – and other substances – for the longest period since her teenage years.
He expressed gratitude for overcoming addiction and substance dependency, saying that achieving sobriety brings a sense of clarity and a deeper spiritual connection, which feels truly good.
In 2018, the singer openly celebrated six years of being sober while on tour. However, she surprised her fans later that year with the release of her song “Sober,” in which she admitted to having struggled with relapse.
She sang, filled with regret, apologizing to her parents for losing control and drinking too much. She acknowledged this wasn’t the first time, and expressed gratitude to those who had stayed by her side through it all.
A month later, Lovato was hospitalized for a near-fatal overdose.
She shared on Instagram a couple of weeks ago that she’s been open about her struggles with addiction. She explained that it’s an ongoing battle, not something she’s simply overcome. She needs to prioritize her healing and recovery, and is grateful for the incredible support she’s received. She’s hopeful for the future and committed to continuing her fight for sobriety.
In 2018, she spoke about her past struggles with sex and alcohol addiction. She explained that her addictions tended to shift over time, and when she was younger, she believed sex could solve any problem. She also described realizing she had developed a problematic relationship with alcohol.
She recalled a moment when she was home alone and realized she was nearly finishing her third bottle of wine. That’s when she stopped and thought, ‘This isn’t good. Drinking this much alone could be a sign of a problem.’
I stopped abruptly, which I’m capable of doing. I tend to get really fixated on things, so I always have to be mindful of my habits. It’s not necessarily what you do, but how and why you do it. The motivation behind your actions is key—for example, wanting to have a lot of sex is fine, but it’s important to understand why you want that.
Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean revealed he first experimented with drugs before shooting the music video for their 2000 hit, “The Call.” He later told Good Morning America that he was feeling very out of control during the video shoot. After a setback, he got sober in 2021 and experienced significant improvements in his health within a year, including losing 32 pounds over seven months by giving up alcohol and junk food.
He told People magazine in July 2025 that he’s committed to staying on his current path. He described it as a daily effort, but shared that following advice from the recovery community has dramatically improved his life.
While AJ acknowledged he is “still learning, still growing,” he’s now confident in who he is.
I’ve been learning to set healthy boundaries, something I never did before, and it’s really helped me. ‘AJ’ is a stage name or character I use, but it doesn’t represent who I truly am. My real name is Alexander James, and that’s who I am as a person.
Following the tragic death of Mac Miller, rapper Bow Wow—born Shad Moss—shared on Twitter that he had previously struggled with an addiction to cough syrup, often called “lean.” He explained that during the time he and Omarion worked on their album, Face Off, he was using lean daily. He admitted he was under the influence when he had a public on-air disagreement with Torae on BET, and that it negatively impacted his attitude, his fans’ perception of him, and his relationship with his family. Despite never mentioning lean in his music, he was heavily addicted, consuming it at least seven times a day during his UCP tour with Chris Brown. He finally went into withdrawal and passed out backstage at a show in Cincinnati, waking up in the hospital.
Bow Wow described the withdrawal pain as unlike anything he’d ever experienced, leaving him constantly cold even in the summer. He missed shows in Chicago and Baltimore because he was high and sick, admitting he was using drugs to appear cool. He urged his fans to avoid drugs, be good to their families, and strive to be their best selves, promising to speak out more about the dangers of drug use. He emphasized the need to protect young people and prevent premature deaths, asking parents to talk to their children about the risks. He revealed he almost died from his addiction and that his stomach has never fully recovered.
Bow Wow concluded by urging everyone to live drug-free, stating it’s the smart and right path, and pleaded with his fans not to follow trends, but to break the cycle of drug use, and to prioritize their lives.
In 2018, the singer opened up about her struggles with addiction alongside the release of her album No Shame and her memoir, My Thoughts Exactly. She revealed she had been heavily using cocaine and drinking excessively. Things came to a head when, after accidentally hitting Orlando Bloom with her head at Kate Hudson’s Halloween party and knocking herself unconscious, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin organized an intervention to help her.
She shared with The Guardian that she felt deeply unfulfilled. She recalled a particularly low point, saying she even considered trying heroin because nothing else seemed to alleviate her unhappiness.
The actor known for The Parent Trap struggled with cocaine addiction during the 1980s, eventually entering rehab in 1990. He later shared on Today that he came of age in the 1960s and 70s, a time when attitudes towards drug use were very different.
I remember reading his interview from 2018, and it was just heartbreaking. He was so honest about his struggles in the ’80s, admitting he was using cocaine almost every day. He described these desperate nights, literally begging God to help him stop, because he had to be functional for work in just a few hours. But then, he’d get through the day and convince himself it wasn’t that bad. It was a really raw and honest look at his battle with addiction, and it stuck with me.
He described a powerful experience – what he called seeing a white light – where he felt he was either dying or losing everything important in his life. He then had to explain this to his then-fiancée, Meg Ryan, and afterwards, he sought professional help. This, he said, marked the end of his struggle with cocaine.
Following an incident at a Newport Beach hotel where he attempted to damage his door, Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte entered treatment for alcohol addiction in 2018. According to his representative, Lochte had been struggling with alcohol abuse for years, and it had become a harmful cycle. He recognized the need for professional help and began treatment immediately.
According to a statement, Ryan understands that overcoming this illness is crucial – not only to prevent future regrets, but also to be a good husband and father, and to have a chance at competing in his fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 and regaining his top form.
Despite knowing you shouldn’t get sober for another person, actor Jason Ritter credits his relationship with Melanie Lynskey as a key factor in his decision to stop drinking.
He realized how wonderful she was and believed she deserved someone truly special. Appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2023, he admitted he didn’t feel up to the task, saying he was ‘a little bit too crazy’ for her.
However, as Ritter noted to TopMob News, he now sees that sobriety is ultimately a personal choice.
Looking back on the beginning of their relationship, he explained that he used to tell himself he was making sacrifices for her because he didn’t feel good about himself at the time. He prioritized avoiding her pain over his own. ‘It was easier to say I was doing it for her then,’ he said, ‘but now, I’m doing it for me.’
The country music star has been sober for almost ten years, but reaching this point was a difficult journey. His struggle with alcohol and painkillers started shortly after high school and continued even as his career gained momentum. He confessed to People magazine that he always kept a black leather laptop bag nearby, filled with Jagermeister or vodka, and would drink from it every hour and a half to two hours. He also admitted to taking pills every three to four hours.
Despite everything, it didn’t hold him back. “I wasn’t falling apart,” he explained. “I was actually more productive then – I wrote more songs during that time than I do now, and that’s what really worried me.”
In late 2011, he ended up in the hospital with pancreatitis and received a stark warning: unless he quit drinking, he likely wouldn’t live another year. He admitted he kept delaying the inevitable, trying to cut back himself. “I’d tell myself, ‘Okay, just two pills today, and only this much from the bottle,’ and I’d even mark the bottle to keep track,” he remembered. “It would work for a couple of days, but then someone would have a party and it all fell apart.”
Gilbert ultimately decided he needed help and checked into rehab on December 18, 2011. He explained, “I realized I couldn’t overcome this on my own.” He admitted it was frustrating and humiliating, especially because he considered himself a strong-willed person, but this was one thing he just couldn’t control.
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2026-02-19 01:50