6 People You Didn’t Know Were in Recovery

6 People You Didn't Know Were in Recovery

The media loves to break the news of a celebrity in rehab or who has gone off the rails. While story after story floods the tabloids with Disney stars gone bad or the latest celebrity to relapse, stories of recovery are few and far between. Although the media may not be jumping at the opportunity to highlight these sober celebs, there are plenty of famous people in recovery as well.

Famous Recovering Addicts & Sober Celebrities

Some celebrities are more outspoken about their recovery than others. Brandon Novak, Russell Brand, Robert Downey Jr., Demi Lovato, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino are just a few celebrities in recovery who have talked publicly about their battle with substance abuse. Not only have they openly shared their recovery stories, but many have also become advocates for sobriety and used their platform to try and help others who may be struggling with substance abuse as well.

Although these celebrities are ready and willing to share, there are many who are not so open about their sobriety. At Banyan Pompano, we are sharing a list of celebrities in recovery that you may not know about.

Eva Mendes

Named one of the hottest women in Hollywood, Eva Mendes has been turning heads since first making appearances in the late 1980s. While the Latin-American actress seemed to have her life together, off the big screen, Mendes struggled with addiction. Mendes entered addiction treatment in 2008, but details about the nature of her substance abuse are still under wraps.

While this sober celeb doesn’t openly talk much about her own addiction, Eva Mendes’s recovery is important to her and she is proud of others who decide to get help for their substance abuse problems.¹

Jamie Lee Curtis

Possibly best known for her roles in Freaky Friday and Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis is also one of many celebrities in recovery after a struggle with addiction. While a lot of people are familiar with her movies, what many people did not know is that Jamie Lee Curtis became addicted to prescription opioids after a plastic surgery procedure.

The movie star got good at hiding her addiction; few people knew about her problem even though she struggled with opioids for more than 10 years. With a history of addiction running in her family as well, Curtis needed to get help. Recently, the actress hit 20 years of sobriety and with such a milestone, finally, Curtis opened up about her addiction.²

Eminem

The famous rapper struggled with substance abuse for several years. He first started taking Vicodin to ease his pain and because it made him feel good, but eventually, he became addicted to the prescription drug. Eminem’s addiction problems got worse when he started mixing pills. One day his prescription drug cocktail led him to overdose, but because he was able to make it to the hospital quickly, his life was spared.³

Scared that his addiction would kill him, Eminem went to rehab for prescription drug addiction treatment. Like many now-sober celebrities, he had a few setbacks with relapses, but Eminem is now 12 years sober. He now focuses on getting high off his music.⁴

Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe has been making appearances on our television screens since the 1980s. He has had roles in everything from The Outsiders to St. Elmo’s Fire. In more recent years, the Virginia native was making us laugh as Chris in “Parks & Recreation.”

Off-screen, he is another one of many celebrities in recovery and is now 30 years sober. After going to rehab in the 1990s, Lowe got sober and hasn’t turned back since. He cites how learning about the science behind substance abuse and the disease of addiction helped him finally get sober. While the sober celebrity isn’t afraid to talk about his recovery on social media, his days making headlines for addiction are far in the past and often make his recovery journey forgotten.⁵

Lucy Hale

This Pretty Little Liars star made a name for herself as Aria on the popular ABC drama. She is now also breaking into the country music scene. Outside the show, Hale admits to getting a bit caught up in the Hollywood party scene. As she neared her 28^th birthday, Lucy Hale quit drinking and decided to step away from the party lifestyle. While she never got formal alcohol abuse treatment and may not have needed it, she is now one of many celebrities that are sober.⁶

Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler is known for his rugged Scottish charm, but his tough-guy roles on-screen also led him to his downfall with addiction. In 2007, Butler injured his back on the set of Shattered. To help with the pain, Butler took prescription painkillers, but like many people, these pills quickly got the best of him. Because he kept reinjuring the area, Butler continued to take the drugs and he feared their use might escalate out of control. Eventually, the star actor got opioid addiction treatment to get clean and sober.

Along with overcoming his struggle with painkillers, Butler hasn’t had a drink in almost 20 years after dealing with some bad drinking habits in his past. While he is one of many famous recovering addicts whose substance use is well in their past, the star actor didn’t come clean about his sober lifestyle right away. Instead, Butler’s sobriety is mostly out of the spotlight.⁷

Blake Lively

With starring roles in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl early in her career, Blake Lively has risen in fame and become a chameleon actress. Although she has been in the spotlight for several years, there are very few negative articles about the young actress. There are certainly no headlines about Blake Lively in rehab or partying too hard.

In fact, Lively has separated herself from this type of lifestyle and told media sources that she doesn’t drink and has never tried any illicit drugs. Instead, she would rather focus on her career and her family. While Lively may not be in recovery from addiction, her clean and sober lifestyle is worth noting.⁸

Tom Hardy

A London-born actor, Tom Hardy’s rise to fame began with his role of Twombly in Black Hawk Down. Since then, he has also made appearances in movies like The Dark Knight Rises, The Revenant, Inception, and This Means War.

Behind the scenes, this movie star struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine and alcoholism at a young age. Tom Hardy’s addiction problems hit rock bottom when he found himself waking up on the streets covered in his own vomit and blood from partying the night before. Hardy entered rehab looking for a temporary fix to get his partying under control, but more than a decade later, he is still sober and has made our sober celebrity list.⁹

Addiction and substance abuse can impact anyone. Even though these celebrities in recovery appeared to have lives that anyone would envy, addiction almost cost them those careers and in some cases, their lives. Learn from their mistakes and make alcohol and drug abuse a part of your past, not your future.

To start your journey to sobriety today, call us at 888-280-4763.

Sources:

Huff Post - Eva Mendes Opens Up On Substance Abuse And Being Latin In Hollywood
Oprah Mag - Jamie Lee Curtis Discussed Her Painkiller Addiction—and How She "Shared Drugs" with Her Dad
MTV - EMINEM DETAILS DEPTHS OF DRUG ADDICTION: 'MY BOTTOM WAS GONNA BE DEATH'
Face The Music - Eminem’s Continued Journey of Addiction and Recovery
Today - Rob Lowe marks 29 years of sobriety with inspiring message
The Fix - 'Pretty Little Liars' Star Lucy Hale Talks Giving Up Alcohol
US Magazine - Gerard Butler Finally Opens Up About Rehab: “I Haven’t Had a Drink in 15 Years”
Allure - Blake Lively: Her AllurePhoto Shoot
Metro - What Tom Hardy has said about his problems with addiction

Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing

Alyssa is the National Director of Digital Marketing and is responsible for a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. All articles have been written by Alyssa and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne.