Hollywood is often thought of as a bacchanalian place, where celebs have access to the finest bars and clubs, and drink the fanciest, most expensive booze. And for some stars, that might be somewhat accurate. But there are also a lot of celebrities who, for one reason or another, have chosen to go the sober route. And often, they end up doing some of their best work once they stop drinking. They also usually find a clarity, stability, and happiness that they had been missing. In this video, we’re taking a look at some of the famous folks who have given up drinking. Join Facts Verse, as we present: Celebrities Who Don’t Drink Alcohol Under Any Circumstances.
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper certainly embodied the party-hard Hollywood lifestyle in his twenties. He was getting some steady acting work, and was enjoying himself through drugs and booze. But eventually, he came to realize that it wasn’t a casual thing, and that he was an addict. He was able to get help and kick his habits. He’s now been sober for 18 years, and is incredibly grateful for it. He has said that he was concerned that if he’d continued on his path of drinking to excess, it would have sabotaged his life and everything he was striving for in his career. He also credits his sobriety with helping to be himself when he’s around other people. He says that when he was drinking, he felt as if he had to craft a persona, especially around other famous people, so they would like him. But he now realizes that, without the booze, he is able to be authentic. And, he says, this has resulted in people actually enjoying his company, and wanting to work with him and be around him. So he’s incredibly grateful for that.
Anne Hathaway
Some celebs have quit drinking not because they had a problem like alcoholism, per se, but because it was getting in the way of the life they wanted to lead. Anne Hathaway is a great example of that. When she had her son Jonathan in 2016, she made the decision that she wouldn’t drink again until he turned 18. That’s because she realized that as she got older, it began to get harder and harder for her to deal with the morning hangovers. They also got worse with less and less booze the night before. As such, she realized that many of her mornings that she’d be spending with her son would now be made less fun on account of feeling hungover. And that’s a compromise she wasn’t willing to take. As she tells it, she has chosen her mornings over her nights. This was compounded by the fact that she has to travel so often for movie shoots, so her time with her son was already going to be limited. So far, it seems as if Hathaway is happy about the decision. She even joked that she was ‘really irritated’ by how well her plan has been going.
Ewan McGregor
Even a Jedi can be a victim to addiction. Ewan McGregor, who has played Obi Wan Kenobi in multiple Star Wars offerings, has been sober for more than twenty years. In 2021, he talked to Vanity Fair about his problems and his subsequent sobriety. Apparently he realized he had alcohol dependence not long after shooting Trainspotting, the breakout hit that made him a star. This was in the late ‘90s, and Ewan has managed to give up booze every since. He talked to the publication about how his exploration into characters with addiction has completely changed since getting sober. When he filmed Trainspotting, which deals with heroin addiction, it was still something he was unfamiliar with. But since realizing he was an addict himself, and getting sober, he says he’s now able to dive deeper into characters who suffer from addiction. He refers to sobriety as simply an everyday part of his life. Yet he also says that it’s a vital one, as its given him a more intense level of happiness and gratitude than he ever had before.
Kristin Davis
In her many seasons on Sex and the City, Kristin Davis was seen socializing around NYC with her gal pals, and there were hardly any episodes that didn’t involve cocktails and or wine. So you might have assumed that this was true for Davis in real life. However, by the time she became a huge star from that hit show, she had already given up drinking. During her years as an aspiring actor, she reportedly hit the bottle pretty hard. Fortunately she realized she had an addiction to it, and was able to quit. This was back when she was 22, meaning that the 57-year-old actress has now been sober for 35 years. In an interview, Davis talked about how she realized that her issues with drinking were already getting in the way of her pursuit of an acting career and stardom. She said she had a conversation with herself where she basically decided she could choose one or the other. Fortunately, she chose her dream of becoming an actress over the booze. And while it has been relatively smooth sailing in the past few decades, she admits to having moments of weakness. She’ll see friends enjoying a nice glass of wine and remember back to her days of enjoying alcohol. But before she gives into temptation, she also remembers how bad the addiction made her feel, and realizes it’s not worth the risk.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez abstains from alcohol, but not necessarily because it was wrecking her life. In fact, she’s on record as saying she doesn’t drink (or smoke, or have caffeine) because of the damage those things to her skin. She says that one of the biggest factors to keeping her timeless look is that she doesn’t allow the toxins from booze, cigarettes, and coffee to get into her skin. And considering she’s known for her incredibly youthful skin, one has to believe there’s got to be something to her theory!
Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe has been a Hollywood star for decades now. He got his start as part of the famous “Brat Pack” – a group of young and popular actors who came to prominence in the 1980’s. The group included people like Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, and Anthony Michael Hall, and they were known for not only performing at the box office, but for living it up offscreen as well. Thus Lowe became known for his partying and drinking ways as a youngster. But in his late twenties, he discovered that his tendencies were exhibiting a case of alcoholism, as opposed to harmless good times. So he decided it was time to quit. He’s now in his late 50’s, and has been sober for more than 30 years. He credits being in recovery with all of the good things that have happened to him over the past few decades. And, when you think about what a successful career and family life he’s had, that’s really saying something. He even sees the alcoholism itself a gift, as it allowed him to go through the journey of recovery and come out the other side. He notes that being sober has given him a sense of gratitude, a relationship with God, increased levels of integrity, and more.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively is another actress who doesn’t partake in drinking alcohol, but not necessarily because she has issues with addiction. According to Blake, she simply doesn’t like the effects of booze. It’s unclear whether she’s referring to the feeling of being drunk, or the hangovers, or both. But regardless, the star chooses to abstain. This is despite the fact that her husband, Ryan Reynolds, literally owns a gin brand. But this doesn’t’ bother Lively. In fact, she has said that she enjoys being a part of the social aspects that go along with drinking. In an interview with Harpers Bazaar, she admitted to enjoying the social component of drinking, and loves that it brings people together. So she will happily join a group of people who are drinking, but will abstain from joining in on the booze.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck has struggled with alcohol addiction for many years, and has been quite candid about it publicly. He even sometimes documents his struggles on social media, and is open about it when speaking to the press. He says one of the reasons his journey has taken such a long time, and has been so grueling, was that there was a certain level of self deception about it. He says it simply took him so long to admit to himself, unequivocally, that he is an alcoholic. As such, he wasn’t able to truly battle that demon until he fully admitted it was there. And while he has had well documented falls off the wagon, he is in a constant struggle to maintain his sobriety. He says that recovery has been invaluable to him. It has helped him develop a true sense of accountability, honesty, and to always look to help others going through the same struggle.
Dax Shepard
Actor and podcaster Dax Shepard has struggled with addiction issues nearly his entire life. And he is very open about that process, especially as he interviews others on his successful podcast. He even admitted to falling off the wagon in more recent years, and used the podcast to come clean, and start his sobriety path back up again. Dax has said that he think part of his addiction issues stem from abuse he received as a child, having been molested by a neighbor at age 7. He continues to push forward in his sobriety, and to openly talk about it on his show, so as to help others who are going through the same struggles.
Now it’s time to hear from you. Were you surprised that any of these celebs don’t’ drink? Let us know in the comments section below!
