In Hollywood, alcohol and drugs are affluent in a city that is rich with temptation due to an abundance of illegal substances in social settings. For the actors who work and live in Tinseltown, it can often be difficult to avoid drugs and alcohol, which oftentimes leads to an unhealthy dependency. However, there are a few actors who are known for overcoming their addictions and regaining their life and careers again.
1. Robert Downey Jr.
Today, Robert Downey Jr. is known as a successful actor who has made a name for himself in Hollywood, but in prior decades he was troubled and landed himself in jail several times for being intoxicated and in possession of drugs. He began using at the early age of six after his father introduced him to weed. His addiction began at the age of eight, but he was finally able to break free in 2005 after being admitted in a 12-step program. He credits his wife for pushing him to become clean after 20 years of drug use.
2. Russell Brand
Notorious for his crazy antics and character in Hollywood, Russell Brand is an actor who was once addicted to heroin to neutralize his pain in life. He used regularly for five years before becoming clean in 2003 with the help of his agent, John Noel. He has since been clean for over a decade and now works to help others recovery through a fund he began, called Give it Up.
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman
Few people in Hollywood know Philip Seymour Hoffman, an Oscar-nominated actor, as a man who once struggled with a drug addiction. After graduating from New York University’s drama school, he used anything he could get his hands on during his busy social life. Although he enjoyed the allure of various drugs, he began to have fear that he would lose his accomplishments and his future. At the age of 22, Hoffman admitted himself into rehab and became permanently clean. He now has compassion for young actors who achieve success at a young age and begin to struggle with different substances.
4. Robin Williams
Although Robin Williams has maintained a successful career in acting since the 1970s he began his career as a cocaine addict and had used a number of drugs in conjunction. What woke him up to the reality of his addiction was the death of fellow comedian John Belushi in 1982, which is when Williams checked himself into male rehabilitation center and became clean.
5. Samuel L. Jackson
Known for using both heroin and cocaine regularly, Samuel L. Jackson struggled with his addiction for several years before his wife and daughter found him passed out on the kitchen floor next to a wrap of cocaine. The incident is what prompted him to check into rehab and become clean in 1991 before furthering his acting career.
There are a number of successful actors in Hollywood who have appeared in hundreds of films as respected individuals after a past that involved heavy drug addictions. Each were able to recover from their dependency after receiving professional treatment and regaining respect for themselves and their future. Although some still struggle with the temptation of different drugs, the benefits of recovery have helped sustain their sobriety.
