15 Sober Celebs I Tip My Hat To

Jordan Claes
Brad Pitt in 'Bullet Train', wearing thick glasses and a bucket hat.
Sony Pictures Releasing | Sony Pictures Releasing

When you're an A-list celebrity, the booze comes easy and the drugs come cheap. It's enough to turn even the most righteous and determined individuals into a shadow of their former selves.

Fortunately, there are countless examples of celebrities who have seen the error of their ways and managed to come out the other side. Have a look below at this list of sober celebrities, to whom I tip my cap.

Jack Harlow

Jack Harlow wearing a toque and a colorful mosaic long-sleeved shirt.
instagram | @jackharlow

On August 15th, 2021, Jack took to Instagram in order to post a very important update for his fans. "Haven’t had a single sip of alcohol in 2021," Jack wrote. "Going the rest of the year without it. Maybe I’ll never take another sip, who knows?"

Keith Urban

Keith Urban taking a selfie in front of the Arc de Triomph in Paris, France.
instagram | @keithurban

Keith Urban has completed two stints in rehab; one in 1998 and another in 2006. While speaking with Rolling Stone in 2016, Urban revealed that it was his wife, Nicole Kidman, who helped him to find the strength and motivation to stay sober.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore making an awkward wink face.
Giphy | The Drew Barrymore Show

During a 2021 appearance on CBS This Morning, Drew revealed that it had been more than two years since she'd had even a sip of alcohol. She said that during a time of reflection and introspection, she decided it no longer served her.

Theo Von

Theo Von owes his sobriety in many ways to ex-MLB All-Star and former addict, Darryl Strawberry. While making an appearance on a morning radio show, Theo was too hungover to talk. Darryl was also a guest, and after Theo saw how poised and collected he was, he decided to make a change.

Adele

Adele in her garden, wearing a red t-shirt, smiling with the sun on her face.
instagram | @adele

Adele quit drinking in order to protect her most prized asset — her voice. Adele explained during an Instagram Live session how she found herself drinking more and more during the COVID-19 lockdowns and how she couldn't continue down the path she was treading.

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey catching a kiss and pulling it into her heart.
Giphy | Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey's journey to sobriety began when she was only 14 years old. "I would drink every day. I would drink alone. I thought the whole concept was so [expletive] cool," she explained to GQ. "A great deal of what I wrote on Born To Die is about these wilderness years."

50 Cent

50 Cent sittinf in a diamond encrusted leather chair, smoking a cigar.
instagram | @50cent

Although 50 Cent portrays a certain image of himself in the media, fans will likely be surprised to learn that the multi-Platinum artist doesn't touch drugs or alcohol — and prefers to fill his champagne flute with Ginger Ale, as opposed to Dom Pérignon.

Kit Harington

Jon Snow seated at a table, saying "Winter is coming."
Giphy

Kit Harington has been sober for three years. During an interview with The Guardian, Kit remarked how "Addiction gone wrong is a very selfish trait. Even a sober addict can be a very selfish person. It's a self-centered disease."

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. wearing a bunny costume, standing in a karate stance, standing beside another person in a bunny costume.
instagram | @robertdowneyjr

Addiction nearly took everything Robert Downey Jr. held dear: his family, his career, and his life. He was sentenced to a court-ordered rehab facility and in 2003, slowly began to turn his life around. Since then, he's become one of the biggest actors in Hollywood.

Eminem

Eminem eating spaghetti at Mom's Spaghetti in Detroit.
instagram | @eminem

Eminem has never shied away from speaking about his drug abuse or his road to recovery. The rap icon struggled immensely with prescription drug addiction over the years and is now more than 13 years sober. His Relapse and Recovery albums explain his journey in vivid detail.

John Mayer

John Mayer standing in front of a green screen of Time's Square, with his hand on his hip, wagging his finger.
Giphy | John Mayer

John Mayer quit drinking after celebrating Drake's 30th birthday. Supposedly, the singer/songwriter was hungover for six straight days after the wild bash. Once he'd regained his composure, he vowed never to put his body through such torture, ever again.

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper walking away from a student in 'The Hangover'.
Giphy

Bradley Cooper saw the light of sobriety, thanks to Will Arnett. "I was so lost and I was addicted to cocaine," Bradley said on Will's SmartLess podcast. "Will took that risk of having that hard conversation with me in July of 2004 and that put me on a path of deciding to change my life."

Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson standing in front of a blue-painted cottage door, wearing a black campaign hat, dark sunglasses, and cut-off jean shorts.
instagram | @jessicasimpson

Jessica decided to get sober after one fateful Halloween night when she'd had too much to drink. Jessica explained that she was so drunk that she couldn't remember whether she'd dressed her kids for bed. The next day, she decided to quit alcohol for good.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar staring into the camera and stroking his chin.
Giphy | SZA

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, a fact that rap-god Kendrick Lamar understands all too well. While the majority of rappers talk about the euphoria that comes with Molly and Percocet, Kendrick chooses to use his voice to push sober living on his young and impressionable fans.

Robe Lowe

Rob Lowe taking a selfie while suntanning in his backyard.
instagram | @roblowe

"All of my understanding about life has come from getting sober and being in recovery,” he told Variety. “The work that you do once you stop whatever it is you’ve been abusing — that’s when the real work begins. And that continues to this day."

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck walking, wearing a tuxedo with the tie undone.
Giphy

Ben's recurring struggles with alcohol have been widely discussed and well-documented. His approach to recovery is a bit more philosophical than most, as he firmly believes that the only cure for addiction is suffering. You suffer and you suffer until you can't suffer anymore. Only then can the road to recovery truly begin.

Zac Efron

Zac Efron holding his baby sister.
instagram | @zacefron

Zac Efron got into a fight with a homeless person while under the influence. Before that, he "slipped" in a puddle of water, broke his jaw, and had to have it wired shut. Shortly thereafter, he entered a treatment facility and is now more than six years sober.

Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor saying "Hello there" in 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'.
Giphy | Disney+

"I became sober in 2000," Ewan told Variety. "So now, when I’m looking at characters who are addicts, I look at it through a different lens of understanding it more. An everyday part of my life is being sober."

Elton John

Elton John and Olivia Newton-John posing for a photo together.
instagram | @eltonjohn

Back in 2020, Elton John celebrated 30 years, clean and sober. He told CBS News that if he hadn't made the decision to ask for help 30 years ago, he wouldn't be alive today. "It nearly destroyed my soul," he said.

Jamie Lee Curtis

The Everything, Everywhere, All At Once Star spoke to AARP magazine last year and talked about her 22-year-long sobriety from alcohol and pain meds. She called addiction ruinous and vowed to never let it take her away from those she loved.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt dancing in 'Burn After Reading'.
Giphy | Focus Features

"I had to step away for a minute," Brad explained in a 2017 interview with GQ. "And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good."