This week I’m writing to you from sunny California!
A few days ago I was in LA doing lots of touristy things in Hollywood, where they’re getting ready for the Oscars. Walking around such an iconic place got me thinking about sober celebrities.
In this crazy, boozy world of ours, it’s easy to assume that everyone drinks – especially in showbiz, with all that glitz and glamour.
But the truth is that some of the most successful people on the planet have got to where they are because they don’t waste their time, money, health and energy on alcohol!
As I mentioned in the video, not every sober celebrity has a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.
There are tons more sober celebs who don’t get a mention in the video, so I wanted to give them a namecheck here:
Kristin Davis (Sex And The City) Bradley Cooper (star of The Hangover films!) Jada Pinkett-Smith (actress) Simon Pegg (actor) Sarah Millican (comedian) Jim Carrey (actor) Fatboy Slim (DJ) Gerard Butler (actor)
Christina Ricci (actress) Ewan McGregor (actor) Stephen King (author) Russell Brand (comedian) Robert Downey Jr (actor) Kendrick Lamar (rapper) Jonny Wilkinson (former rugby union player) Frankie Boyle (comedian)
Freddie Flintoff (former cricketer) Calvin Harris (DJ) Rachel Stevens (singer) Brad Pitt (a new edition to the sober club) Anna Wintour (Vogue editor) Blake Lively (actress) Christina Ricci (actress) Davina McCall (TV presenter)
Eva Mendez (actress) Leona Lewis (singer) Natalie Portman (actress) Zoe Ball (TV presenter) Chris Martin (from Coldplay)
Who’s your favourite sober celebrity?
Let me know if I’ve missed anyone off the list!
76 Responses
YOU Kate!! You’re MY favorite sober celebrity! Loved the video thanks for sharing your time away! Have a magnificent time and keep safe!! Xo
Ha ha, thanks Carmel! Your comment made me laugh! I’m glad you enjoyed the video 🙂
I loved the Thomas Edison quote that putting alcohol in a human body is like putting sand in an engine. Such an effective analogy. Thanks for another great missive 🙂
I love it too. There’s another quote of his I’ve been using for ages (“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”) which I also like. A very inspiring person!
Yep you are my favorite Late.
Thoroughly enjoyed your video
Ah, thanks Carol! That’s kind of you 🙂
Thanks Kate. Most interesting and inspiring. Chris Evans the radio presenter is sober too.
Got to say I agree :)…followed closely by J.Lo!
IM off alcohol for Lent and this is helping me get through it.
Made no decisions long term but feeling the benefits already
That’s great Jodie. Taking a break like that is a great place to start – you can always review how you feel when Lent finishes. Enjoy the benefits!
I’m also taking a break for lent. And again made no decision long term but feel it’s probably needed! I did dry January as well, Feb was not so dry!
Hi Kate,
Very inspirational, thank you! I think mine has to be Tom Hardy.;-)
X
I love Tom Hardy! I didn’t realise he didn’t drink 🙂
David Letterman!
Thank you – didn’t know about him!
I want to be alcohol free but my husband drinks atleast 2 /3 bottles of wine a day. So I join him
Live your life for you! Maybe you’ll inspire him to consider AF. My husband and I started 12/28.
Very inspiring. Thank you for the list and making sobriety look fun! I’m working on it.
Keep going Susan, all the work that goes into stopping is totally worth it. You won’t regret it 🙂
Hi Kate! Just watched your video from my hood, I live literally a few blocks from where you were walking around. Would love to meet for a quick coffee if you have time, but you probably left already/are too busy. Hope my city treated you well! As far as favorite celeb, I’d say Julian Casablancas (from the Strokes), he is so creative and bad ass with great style and don’t need any drink to do it. Thanks for being you and creating all this amazing content Kate. Cheers, Josefine.
Oh Josefine – I didn’t realise you lived round there. I would have loved to meet for coffee but I’ve already left (I’m now in San Diego). Next time I will be more organised and let people know where I’m going!
This is JUST what I needed to see today. I almost cried (from appreciation and knowing I’m not alone and surrounded by all of these talented people). My favorite sober celebrity would have to be Natalie Portman. Smart, talented, and a class-act!
She is such a classy person! Keep going Lo, you’re in good company here 🙂
I loved this video. It’s good to know that there are more and more people that don’t drink alcohol. I definitely believe you can have way more fun without it. I certainly do anyway.
Thanks Kate! So good to see you in good old USA!!! And I agree…..you are my fav!!!
Isn’t it a great place to visit?! I used to work right near where you are and LOVE LOVE LOVE it there! I also love the fact that many celebrities are sober celebrities! One of my favs is Chrissy Teigen (John Legend’s wife)who was very vocal last summer about not being able to stop at one drink, that she was point blank “just drinking too much” and that being a drunk wasn’t a good look for her. I don’t know if she’s still off the booze but I love how honest she was about wanting to stop!
Great Kate absolutely loved it. I like J Lo as she is right it does ruin your looks xx
Jennifer Lopez is my favorite AF celebrity. She is hard working, successful, and gorgeous. She is an inspiration to me. Have a fabulous vacation, Kate!
Thanks Karen! I’m a big fan of J-Lo too 🙂
Did i see David Bowie on that? If only i had known that when i was in my teens for he has always been my idol.My other fav Davina Mccall. Ive always admired her honesty about drugs and alcohol and her commitment to keeping fit and inspiring other Ladies to do so.
Yep, David Bowie was there. Totally agree with you about Davina – she won me over with that gruelling sport relief challenge a few years ago, I was so impressed 🙂
Hi Kate, thank you for the video, I loved it. I totally agree that is good to know of sober celebrities, especially those who have chosen to live without because they just don’t want or need it in their lives. It makes it more exclusive really doesn’t it…like we’re in a cool club with the celebs. Have a lovely time.
Oh and Daniel Radcliffe is also a non drinker…good old Harry Potter!!!
Thanks Lou. We’re definitely in the the cool club I reckon! 🙂
As always another positive, motivational read & video. I’m at day 37 today… some said it couldn’t be done. Being on this side of sobriety Im finding more & more people who are living their best life without the booze. Keep going people… we got this!!
Was gonna say Daniel Radcliffe but someone beat me to it! It’s funny how strange it seemed to not drink, before I quit 1.5 years ago. And now that I know it makes only positive difference in your life — and scarcely makes you miss out on any fun; on the contrary, it’s a lot more fun than worrying next day about my behavior — I feel like these non-drinkers are the normal ones!
Well when you think about it, pouring a toxic, mind-altering substance down your neck is a pretty weird thing to do, really…! So I think you’re right: we non-drinkers ARE the normal ones! 🙂
Congratulations on your 37 days Paula – it must feel good to prove people wrong! Wishing you many more alcohol-free days ahead 🙂
My fav not so celebrity is my husband, he’s the reason lm choosing not the drink & all the inspiration l need. Thank you for sharing this vid, I enjoyed seeing the sights of Hollywood and also great messaging. Thanks again.
Your husband sounds pretty great Lisa 🙂
Congratulations on your sobriety!
Can I spend one week with you? I have so many reasons to drink and so many reasons not to. What a hell of a story I have! The more I refer to it, the more I turn to alcohol.
Babs
Hi Babs, if you’d like some support from me, the best way for us to work together is via my online coaching programme. You can find some details here. Life gets SO much easier when you stop drinking, promise 🙂
Hi Babs, I feel exactly the same but need to give up for my own sanity
Hi Babs, I started Kate’s program on the 8th Jan, that’s 23 whole days.. and still going strong…
Highly recommend Kate’s Sober School… it’s very educational, and a fantastic supportive network of women who have and are grappling with the negative impacts of alcohol in our lives.. without judgements.
It’s a safe space where we are able to honestly share about how Alcohol has affected our lives and how it makes us feel. I’ve been surprised and relieved to find out how many of us suffer the same day-to-day challenges, and have felt the same guilt, anxiety and disruptions.
If you’re considering quitting alcohol – I highly recommend.
Loved the video! Actually, such a good point about Lassie being an AF celeb! 🙂 When I look at my dog I see how happy she is with a few things in life: eating, sleeping, walking and most of all, how much her face lights up when she gets to be with her favourite human beings! She is patient, caring and simply enjoys having fun in the simplest ways. She is always a reminder to me to live in the moment, to be content with the many wonderful things I already have, and to not go chasing a high that won’t satisfy me in the long run.
Totally agree! Dogs are such a great reminder of what’s really important in life 🙂
A fair few of those had big alcohol issues so good on them for steering away
A great incentive video! I am on day 60 of being alcohol free and feel so much better for it!
Congratulations on your 60 days Robin – sounds like alcohol-free living suits you 🙂
Thank you Kate for spreading the message. Your website is giving me the right push and I am happy to report I am on day 4.
That’s great Anita, well done and keep going!
Joe Walsh from the Eagles. Interestingly he said in an interview that he was worried he would not be able to perform live without alcohol. Well he proved that wrong!
And being an Aussie girl I would have to add Jimmy Barnes to the list as well!
Thanks for the video Kate.
Thanks for these additions to list Karen! 🙂
Kate, I came up with 93 days and a January Sober School Grad!! You are my favorite AF Celebrity!! Hope the U.S. treats you well. Have a great trip!
Thanks Jean – and many congratulations on your 93 days! That’s fantastic 🙂
Kate just seeing your smiling genuinely happy face , gives me hope , don’t know when and how to begin , but I’m very gradually getting there . Thanks Kate
I’m glad this resonated with you Moya. If you’d like any more support from me, my online stop drinking course would be a great way of taking a break from booze in a supported environment. There are some more details here: https://thesoberschool.com/course/
Keep going!
Loved the video Kate. Thank you so much for the weekly inspiration! Edison was my favorite with the quote putting alcohol in your system is like adding sand to an engine. 118 days AF, with more energy for my kids, my husband , my friends and myself. My cup is filling up do to the small change with a huge effect of not picking up that glass or three of redwine everynight to unwind. Last night my husband was tired because he had a bottle of red wne alone the night before. I made him an epsom bath with lavender oil, and put him to bed thinking that 117 days agao, we would have been arguing about who was more tired. We would be fighting about who puts the kids to bed. I used to literally lie down at 19.30 to rest and be unable to put my kids to bed, several night a week. Last night my son had a nightmare, and climbed in at 5 am, and i was ready mentally to comfort him and be there for him, the way a mother should be. Thank you Kate, you help me every monday get ready for my next week since Nov 2017. All the best from Norway
What a lovely post Mini. It sounds as if alcohol-free living really suits you and it’s great to hear how much has changed. Many congratulations on your 117 days!! 🙂
Thanks for the video. I didn’t realise there were so many sober celebs. Sarah Millican!
I’ve not had a drink since the end of last year and I do feel like a fog has been lifted. All my senses seem to be improving. I’m thinking clearer. No more waking up regretting something I’ve said or just not remembering the night before. Feels good actually. I feel as though I’m functioning better.
I could do a separate blog post on the number of sober comedians – it’s really interesting how many don’t drink! Congratulations on your sobriety Emma, sounds as if 2018 is off to a great start for you 🙂
Very inspiring – Jen Lopez would be my fav!
Gabriel Byrne an Irish actor gave a very inspiring interview on 17 February with Ryan Tubridy recently about not drinking in the hope that in being so honest it might even help one person – just like our Kate…
Hi Kate, Carmel is right! You’re our favourite sober celeb ⭐️ But I do think it must be tougher to give up when you are in that world! I’m on my 16th sober day and you, Kate Bee, were the inspiration! I then read Annie Grace’s wonderful This Naked Mind and am now on The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Grey. Three strong, sober, amazing women who have changed my life
Hi kate, Tom Hardy is another sober success story!!
Sir Anthony Hopkins
Davina McCall such an inspiration and great roll model. I loved your video and always get excited when your emails appear in my inbox!
Yes San Francisco. My first experience with AF was isolating. And after a year I drank again. Now, just this week I started consciously doing sober stuff with sober people and it has made a difference. Not talking about booze per se, just making a social plan that intentionally excludes alco.
Hi Kate thanks for the video! Am so surprised to learn so many major stars don’t drink, thank you for sharing. So inspiring. Just makes me even more motivated. Am still on target for my 100 days from Jan 1st!! Am so into it now I don’t even think about alcohol and it’s all thanks to you. I love my life, I am so much happier and I feel free. The biggest surprise is suddenly feeling a sense of euphoria at random times of the day that just arrives totally unexpectedly – now that is something I don’t mind getting addicted to! My very best wishes to you x
And Bruce Dickinson lead singer of Iron Maiden is silently sober (can’t say if he hit ‘rock bottom’ or not, questionable rock years) But look today, he’s a pilot and flies his own 747!
Great video Kate! I love loads of Sober celebrities but my favourites are Anne Robinson and Alistair Campbell. Both have written really great books about their demons with the booze. Enjoy the rest of your trip – looks amazing! Xx
Hi Kate,
I’m trying for 100 days alcohol free, last drink New Years eve… feeling great as a result! My fave sober celeb is John Taylor from Duran Duran….showing my age, loved him as a kid and still do now
Thank you Kate! It does feel good to see real people maintaining an alcohol free life. I don’t have a favorite but do appreciate your role in supporting so many women working on sobriety!
Thanks Maura!
Donald Trump. His energy is amazing at 70+ years old. Like him or not his success and joy in life are evident….and you Kate. I’m starting today. I had 7 1/2 years sober…had 1 drink and haven’t been able to stop for over 3 years! You are giving me hope. Studied it throughout the summer…reading several books and listening to people…The Naked Mind was eye opening for me. Wish me luck.
I’m probably going to make a few enemies here but I’m going to be a rebel! I say Donald Trump. He doesn’t drink!
This is a powerful temperature check, seeing some of these highly successful celebrities and know that they say “NO” to alcohol. So many to admire…. But a few wake-up call ones. Zoe Ball, love listening to her on the radio and she always seems so much fun! “Shania Twain” Love her songs! Naomi Campbell – so beautiful. This list is endless and quite liberating.