TRUSTED CONTENTWritten and reviewed by the RehabSeekers Editorial Team. Our team brings together backgrounds in mental health, psychology, addiction recovery, and clinical rehabilitation. Every profile below is drawn from each individual’s own public statements — interviews, memoirs, and on-the-record remarks — and checked against our editorial policy.
Last updated: June 2026 · Data sources: CDC, SAMHSA, NIDA, NIAAA, ASAM · Facilities listed on RehabSeekers are verified against CARF, The Joint Commission, LegitScript, SAMHSA, NAATP, and ASAM standards. View our accreditation criteria.
Recovery rarely looks the way people imagine it. For every dramatic rock-bottom story, there are far more quiet mornings, missed milestones reclaimed, and decades of steady work that never make headlines. What the public figures on this page share is not a single template but a willingness to talk openly — to put language around something that millions of people experience in private. When a well-known person describes their own struggle with alcohol or drugs and the work it took to recover, it chips away at the shame that keeps so many others from picking up the phone.
Below, we’ve gathered figures from film, music, comedy, sport, and public life who have spoken candidly about substance use and long-term recovery. We’ve paired their stories with the clinical context behind them, current 2026 data from leading U.S. health agencies, and direct links to the kinds of treatment programs and evidence-based therapies that make recovery possible for anyone — famous or not.
These numbers carry a message that runs through nearly every story on this page: addiction is a treatable medical condition, not a moral failing — and treatment works. The same tools that helped the people below get well, from medically supervised detox to cognitive behavioral therapy and peer support, are more accessible in 2026 than at any point in history. For the full picture, see our 2026 rehab trends report.
How we built this list. Each person below has discussed their own experience with substance use or recovery on the record. We focus on what individuals have said themselves, avoid speculation, and update this page as people share new chapters of their stories. Where a public figure has spoken about a different kind of struggle — a mental health condition or an eating disorder, for example, rather than substance use — we leave them off, because accuracy matters more than a longer list. Recovery is personal, and no summary can capture it fully; these are starting points, not the whole story.
1
Actors and Filmmakers
Hollywood’s relationship with substances has been written about endlessly, but the more useful stories are the ones told by the people who came out the other side. Many of the actors below now treat their recovery as the most important achievement of their lives — bigger than any award.
Robert Downey Jr.
Actor · in recovery since the early 2000s
Few comebacks are as well known. After a stretch of arrests and relapses that nearly ended his career, Downey has spoken for years about the structure — treatment, accountability, family, and work — that allowed him to rebuild. He has been candid that there was nothing glamorous about it, and that the help of people who refused to give up on him was decisive. His story is often cited precisely because it pushes back on the idea that addiction is a one-way door.
Related care: residential treatment · programs for high-profile professionals
Jamie Lee Curtis
Actor · sober since 1999
Curtis has been unusually direct about a quiet, decade-long dependence on opioid painkillers that began after cosmetic surgery — the kind of high-functioning addiction that rarely fits the stereotype. She often describes her recovery as her proudest accomplishment and has urged honest conversation about prescription drugs in particular, a category that fueled much of the overdose crisis. Her openness has made her a steady advocate for people whose addiction hides in plain sight.
Related care: prescription opioid addiction · women’s programs
Anthony Hopkins
Actor · sober for more than 50 years
Sir Anthony Hopkins has marked over five decades of sobriety, describing in a 2025 interview the moment he understood his drinking had become unmanageable and that he needed help. He has spoken about reaching a point of no return and choosing recovery instead — a turning point he credits for the life and career that followed. His long view is a reminder that recovery is measured in years and decades, not just the first hard weeks.
Related care: alcohol use disorder · programs for older adults
Danny Trejo
Actor · in recovery since 1968
Trejo found sobriety while incarcerated as a young man and has spent the decades since helping others do the same, long before acting found him. He frequently tells audiences that everything good in his life came after he got clean and started showing up for other people in recovery. His story is one of the most powerful arguments that a past does not have to be a sentence.
Related care: heroin addiction · sober living
Matthew Perry
Actor (1969–2023) · spoke openly about addiction and recovery
Perry wrote and spoke with rare honesty about years of struggle with alcohol and opioids, including the many hospitalizations and relapses behind a career that looked, from the outside, like an unbroken success. He hoped above all to be remembered as someone who helped others, and his frankness gave many people permission to seek help. His death in 2023 was a painful reminder that addiction can remain dangerous even for those doing the work — and that ongoing support matters at every stage.
Related care: ketamine · intensive outpatient programs
Many more performers have spoken publicly about their experiences with alcohol or drugs and the recovery that followed:
- Bradley Cooper — sober since his mid-20s, he has described how getting clean unlocked the career he has today.
- Drew Barrymore — entered treatment as a teenager and has spent her adult life talking openly about that early chapter.
- Daniel Radcliffe — has discussed using alcohol to cope with fame as a young actor, and the relief of stopping.
- Ben Affleck — has spoken candidly about treatment for alcohol use and the ongoing nature of recovery.
- Samuel L. Jackson — has credited rehab in the early 1990s with turning his life and career around.
- Bradley’s peers in sobriety — Rob Lowe, Tim Allen, Alec Baldwin, and Craig Ferguson have all marked decades of recovery and spoken about it openly.
- Jamie Lee’s message echoed by others — Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Simpson, Lucy Hale, Jane Lynch, Kat Von D, and Naomi Campbell have each discussed stepping away from alcohol or substances.
- Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Tom Hardy, John Goodman, Gary Oldman, Mickey Rourke, Dennis Quaid, Mel Gibson, Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen, John Stamos, Jason Biggs, Will Arnett, Dax Shepard, Whoopi Goldberg, Chevy Chase, Melanie Griffith, Kristin Davis, Zac Efron, Gerard Butler, Jon Hamm, and Michael J. Fox have all spoken about their relationships with alcohol or drugs and their recovery.
Dax Shepard deserves a particular mention: his weekly conversations about staying sober — including honestly admitting a relapse with prescription opioids — have become a model for talking about recovery without shame. That kind of ongoing accountability is exactly what outpatient care and peer support are built around.
2
Musicians
Touring culture and easy access have made music one of the industries hit hardest by addiction — and, as a result, one with the deepest bench of recovery stories. Several of the artists below have built parts of their public identity around being honest about getting and staying clean.
Sir Elton John
Musician · sober since 1990
Elton John has spoken for more than three decades about the years he lost to cocaine and alcohol, and the moment he finally asked for help. He has since channeled that experience into advocacy and philanthropy, and frequently frames sobriety as the foundation that made the rest of his life possible. His candor about how long he waited to get help is, by his own account, meant to spare others the same delay.
Related care: cocaine addiction · private residential rehab
Eminem
Musician · in recovery since 2008
After a near-fatal overdose, Eminem has been open about rebuilding his life around recovery and has publicly marked his sobriety milestones year after year. He has described relearning how to write and perform without substances, and credits a structured program and exercise with keeping him grounded. His willingness to put a date on his recovery has made it visible to a huge audience.
Related care: prescription opioid & sedative addiction · medication-assisted detox
Demi Lovato
Musician · in ongoing recovery
Lovato has been one of the most visible voices on recovery for a younger generation, speaking and singing openly about relapse, overdose, and the long, non-linear road back. By treating recovery as something that can include setbacks rather than a single clean break, they have given language to an experience many people recognize but rarely hear discussed publicly.
Related care: co-occurring mental health treatment · young adult programs
Ozzy Osbourne
Musician (1948–2025) · spoke openly about decades of substance use and treatment
The Black Sabbath frontman, who died in July 2025, was unusually frank across his life about the alcohol and drug use that shaped much of his career — including being fired from his own band over it — and about the repeated efforts at treatment that followed. He rarely sanitized the story, which is part of why so many fans found it relatable. His openness, alongside that of his family, helped normalize talking about addiction as an illness rather than a punchline.
Related care: alcohol addiction · dual diagnosis programs
The list of musicians who have spoken about getting clean is long, and spans every genre:
- Steven Tyler, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, Alice Cooper, and Slash — rock veterans who got sober decades ago and have spoken at length about it; Clapton went on to found a treatment center, and Alice Cooper often credits a new routine for replacing the old one.
- Nikki Sixx and Duff McKagan — both survived life-threatening addiction and have written and spoken extensively about recovery.
- Anthony Kiedis and James Hetfield — have discussed long battles with substances and the treatment that helped them.
- Robbie Williams, Lily Allen, Florence Welch, Sia, and Kelly Osbourne — have each spoken candidly about stepping away from alcohol or drugs.
- Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Trent Reznor, Kid Cudi, Mary J. Blige, and Macklemore — have all described seeking help and rebuilding their lives in recovery; Macklemore in particular weaves it through his music.
- Lana Del Rey — has spoken about getting sober as a teenager.
A recurring theme across these stories is that the substance was rarely the whole problem. Many artists describe underlying anxiety, depression, or trauma that the drinking or drug use was masking — which is exactly why modern treatment screens for and treats both at once through co-occurring (dual diagnosis) care.
3
Comedians, TV Personalities, and Authors
Writers and comedians often make the most precise observers of their own addiction — and several have turned that clarity into some of the most useful public conversations about recovery anywhere.
John Mulaney
Comedian · in recovery after a 2020 intervention
Mulaney has spoken and performed openly about a relapse, the intervention staged by friends, and the rehab stay that followed — turning a painful chapter into material that has helped destigmatize asking for help. His account of how the people closest to him stepped in is a real-world picture of how interventions and structured treatment actually work.
Related care: cocaine addiction · family therapy & interventions
Stephen King
Author · in recovery since the late 1980s
In his memoir on the craft of writing, King described a period when alcohol and drugs had taken over — to the point that he barely remembered writing some of his books — and the family intervention that pushed him toward sobriety. His matter-of-fact account, from one of the most prolific writers alive, quietly dismantles the romantic myth that substances fuel creativity.
Related care: alcohol use disorder · evidence-based therapy
Others in this world who have spoken openly about substance use and recovery include:
- Russell Brand — long an outspoken advocate for abstinence-based recovery, drawing on his own history with drugs.
- Marc Maron and Theo Von — have made their recovery a recurring, honest thread in their work.
- Davina McCall and Ant McPartlin — British television figures who have spoken publicly about treatment and rebuilding; McPartlin discussed his recovery in detail in a widely read 2019 interview.
- Oprah Winfrey, Chelsea Handler, and Nicole Richie — have each discussed past substance use as part of their broader stories.
4
Athletes and Public Figures
The discipline that makes elite athletes successful does not make them immune to addiction — and several have spoken powerfully about the moment they realized willpower alone was not enough.
Michael Phelps
Olympic swimmer · treatment and mental health advocate
The most decorated Olympian of all time has spoken openly about hitting a low point, entering treatment, and confronting the depression underneath. He has since become one of the most prominent advocates for mental health and integrated care, repeatedly making the point that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Related care: mental health & dual diagnosis · CBT
Buzz Aldrin
Astronaut · in recovery for decades
One of the first people to walk on the Moon, Aldrin has been remarkably candid about the depression and alcoholism that followed that singular achievement, and about the recovery that gave him his life back. His story is a striking illustration that addiction does not discriminate by accomplishment.
Related care: alcohol use disorder · veterans & service-member programs
Darren Waller
Professional football player · in recovery after a near-fatal overdose
Waller has spoken openly about an overdose that nearly killed him and the recovery that followed, and he has used his platform to support others facing addiction. His willingness to detail how close he came has made him a credible, direct voice for younger people in particular.
Related care: opioid addiction · young adult programs
Other athletes and public figures who have spoken about substance use and recovery include:
- Mike Tyson — has discussed long struggles with substances and his ongoing recovery.
- Tony Adams and Paul Merson — former footballers who have been outspoken about alcohol and gambling addiction; Adams founded a charity to support athletes facing the same issues.
- Naomi Campbell, Cara Delevingne, and Chrissy Teigen — have each spoken about stepping away from alcohol or substances and choosing sobriety.
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What These Stories Have in Common
Read enough of these accounts and the same threads appear again and again. Almost no one recovered alone — there was an intervention, a program, a sponsor, a clinician, or a family that refused to look away. Recovery was rarely a straight line; relapse featured in many of these stories without ending them. And underneath the substance, there was usually something else — trauma, depression, anxiety, or grief — that treatment had to address for recovery to hold.
That is precisely the model modern treatment is built on. A typical pathway moves through medical detox, then residential or inpatient care, stepping down through a partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient program into ongoing outpatient support and sober living. Along the way, CBT, DBT, and family work address the conditions underneath, while medication-assisted treatment — now recognized by ASAM and SAMHSA as the gold standard for opioid use disorder — keeps people alive long enough to do the rest of the work.
The encouraging news in 2026 is that this care is more reachable than ever. Overdose deaths have fallen for a third consecutive year, telehealth has made the first appointment easier to keep, and insurance parity rules mean more of this treatment is covered. If you want the full landscape, our 2026 addiction treatment trends report and our addiction statistics hub go deeper, and our recovery quotes collection and recovery glossary are good companions for anyone starting out.
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If You or Someone You Love Is Struggling
Every story on this page began with a single decision to ask for help. You can make that same decision today. The most important step is the first one.
Call SAMHSA’s free, confidential National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357, available 24 hours a day, or reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do celebrities talk publicly about their addiction?
Many describe it as a way to reduce stigma and reach people who feel alone in their struggle. Research consistently shows that stigma is one of the biggest barriers to seeking treatment, so visible, honest recovery stories from well-known people can genuinely lower the threshold for someone else to ask for help.
Is long-term sobriety actually achievable?
Yes. Several people on this page have maintained sobriety for 30, 40, or 50 years. Recovery is a long-term process and sometimes includes setbacks, but sustained recovery is common and well documented. Outcomes improve significantly with a full continuum of care and ongoing support after the initial treatment episode.
What if I can’t afford treatment?
More treatment is covered by insurance in 2026 than ever before, and free and low-cost options exist. See our guides on how to pay for rehab, typical rehab costs, and insurance coverage, or call the SAMHSA National Helpline for free referrals.
References and Citations
All external sources meet RehabSeekers’ editorial standards for clinical credibility and institutional authority. Celebrity accounts are drawn from each individual’s own on-the-record statements as reported by established news organizations. See our editorial policy for full sourcing criteria.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. “U.S. Overdose Deaths Decrease for Third Consecutive Year in 2025.” May 13, 2026. cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/releases/20260513.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “About Overdose Prevention” (provisional data, 12 months ending January 2026). Released June 17, 2026. cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts” (NVSS Vital Statistics Rapid Release). cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National Survey on Drug Use and Health and National Helpline (1-800-662-4357). samhsa.gov
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Research on medication-assisted treatment and addiction. nida.nih.gov
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcohol use disorder data and treatment guidance. niaaa.nih.gov
- American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Clinical standards and MAT guidelines. asam.org
- The Guardian. “‘I knew I needed help…’: Anthony Hopkins on alcoholism, anger, and 50 years of sobriety.” November 3, 2025. theguardian.com
- The Guardian. “Ant and Dec reunited” (interview on rehab and recovery). March 30, 2019. theguardian.com
- The Guardian. “Ozzy Osbourne: intense therapy” (treatment and recovery). August 4, 2016. theguardian.com
- The Guardian. “A history of rock musicians in sobriety and rehab.” July 3, 2001. theguardian.com
- NPR. “Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal icon, dies at 76.” July 22, 2025. npr.org
This article is produced by the RehabSeekers Editorial Team for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not provide treatment for the individuals named. Profiles are based on those individuals’ own public statements. Substance use, suicide, and self-harm are sensitive topics; if you are struggling personally, please reach out to the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a medical emergency, call 911. For facility verification standards, see our accreditations.
