Not Just Brad Pitt: Celebrities Who Gave Up Alcohol, Then Reintroduced It Into Their Lives

Celebrities have cemented the idea that sobriety isn't a linear journey by being candid about their experiences. In the past, many A-listers, including Brad Pitt, have openly discussed how they gave up drinking after learning about the effects alcohol has on the body and mind. Then, they have gone on to reveal that they have reintroduced alcohol into their lives in moderation. 

Now, it can be easy to believe that drinking alcohol in smaller quantities is safe. However, that might not be the case. In a chat with the WHO, Carina Ferreira-Borges, Ph.D., Regional Advisor for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the WHO Regional Office for Europe, explained that there was no such thing as a "safe level" for alcohol consumption. "It doesn't matter how much you drink – the risk to the drinker's health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage," Ferreira-Borges explained. "The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is – or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer it is." 

Likewise, in a chat with Stanford Report, Keith Humphreys, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, confirmed that alcohol, regardless of the amount consumed, could increase the odds of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and colon. Women who consumed alcohol were also at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. In total, drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing seven types of cancers. Given these risks, it may be worthwhile to explore the journeys of stars who have given up alcohol and later resumed drinking.

During an August 2026 interview with Esquire, Brad Pitt confirmed that he had started drinking again. "I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon," the "F1" star said, before clarifying, "In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, Yep, nope, not good for me. Not in big quantities." When the interviewer said that he could enjoy a glass of wine, Pitt replied that he could have "a few" as long as he upheld his boundary of being "professional" about his drinking. 

Back in May 2017, the Oscar winner told GQ that he had decided to practice sobriety about six months prior after realizing that he had been going overboard with his alcohol consumption. While he was happy to be sober, he had understandably found his journey "bittersweet" as a whole. Then, during a September 2019 interview with The New York Times, Pitt shared that he had participated in Alcoholics Anonymous for about a year and a half. The "Fight Club" star said that the support group's non-judgmental atmosphere had helped him view his own journey through a non-judgmental lens. 

Meanwhile, when Pitt appeared on the "Armchair Expert" podcast in June 2025, he shared that he had been at a real low point in his journey before he started attending Alcoholics Anonymous and "was trying anything and everyone, anything anyone threw at [him]" to remain sober. Ultimately, he found Alcoholics Anonymous to be just the wake-up call he needed to get more serious about sobriety.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan in August 2017 (via Mashable), Chrissy Teigen shared that she had come to the conclusion that she was consuming too much alcohol and couldn't restrict herself to just one drink. While nobody in the model's life intervened and told her that she was going overboard with her drinking, she knew in her gut that something had to change. For Teigen, that change started when she went on a month-long wellness retreat in Bali and decided not to drink. When Teigen experienced what happens to a person's body when they stop drinking alcohol, she realized she wanted to stay sober. 

However, in a May 2025 Instagram post, the author shared that she had reintroduced alcohol into her life. She also candidly confessed that she was unsure why she had gone back to drinking, as she explained, "I one hundred percent know I like me better sober. I one hundred percent know I get more done, I absolutely feel better in my body without it." Teigen further admitted that she felt particularly frustrated that she couldn't restrict herself to enjoying one cocktail while she was vacationing with her husband John Legend or that she was reliant on alcohol to get through public-speaking events. After a lot of reflection, the model had decided she wanted to "continue to be mindful" about her alcohol consumption. 

However, in a January 2026 Instagram post, she wrote that while she had initially wanted to be someone who enjoyed a drink on date nights or as a toast, she had eventually started drinking far more than she had liked. So, she had given up drinking 52 days prior.

Speaking to InStyle (via Business Insider) in January 2022, Bella Hadid revealed that she had given up drinking around the middle of 2021. The model shared that she had come to the decision after realizing that alcohol made her feel out of control during nights out, brought tremendous late-night anxiety, and just caused an overall drain in her energy levels. Her doctor had only further aided her decision by showing her scans which revealed what drinking alcohol does to a person's brain. 

However, in an August 2022 interview with InStyle (via Business Insider), Hadid said that she had reintroduced alcohol into her life. "Moderation is everything for me," she explained. "While I rarely get 'drunk' anymore, I've completely stopped drinking hard alcohol... I have learned what my body can and can't handle." For Hadid, moderation looked like enjoying a glass of champagne. 

In a January 2023 Harper's Bazaar interview, the Victoria's Secret model revealed that she eventually realized that champagne, or any alcohol for that matter, didn't do much to help her feel better. Hadid then opened up about how that realization led to a change in perspective that apparently greatly aided her in her sobriety journey, saying, "It helped my anxiety in so many ways to realize I didn't want the drink—not telling myself I couldn't have it." In a July 2023 Instagram post, Hadid happily shared that she had been completely sober for nearly 10 months.

During a February 2022 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" (via Bravo), Lindsay Hubbard shared that she had given up drinking about two months prior to support her then-partner, Carl Radke, as he navigated his own sobriety journey. Then, during a February 2023 episode of "Summer House," the reality TV show star confirmed that she had started drinking again after practicing sobriety for five months. However, she apparently reintroduced alcohol with a more mindful approach so that she doesn't "black out" when drunk. 

Meanwhile, in a February 2023 interview with E! News, Hubbard revealed that she initially intended to remain sober until Radke's one-year sobriety anniversary in January 2022. During that time, she hadn't found herself gravitating towards a drink because she was wholeheartedly enjoying her relationship with Radke. However, when Easter rolled around, she decided she wanted to enjoy a glass of wine with her aunt. Right after that, she returned to Los Angeles and continued her tradition of having wine with Danielle Olivera during their hangouts. 

Ultimately, she had "a natural progression into my natural lifestyle of drinking, but this time with what [she] had learned during those five months that [she] wasn't drinking." Hubbard added, "Now, I understand a little bit more balance, I understand what's going to make Carl comfortable in his sobriety, but also staying true to myself and my lifestyle." As for Radke, he was fully supportive of his now-ex-partner's decision to drink in moderation and was ultimately grateful that she temporarily swore off alcohol for his sake.

During a November 2020 chat with Zane Lowe (via YouTube), Miley Cyrus shared that she had given up drinking because excessively consuming alcohol impaired her decision-making and made her more likely to reach out to people she had cut out of her life for good reason. The "Flowers" hitmaker further elaborated on her reasons for choosing sobriety, saying, "When we drink, sometimes, there's almost like, no future [...] I become very impulsive." Ultimately, Cyrus just wanted to "wake up [at] 100% 100% of the time." 

Then, during a December 2020 appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" (via E! News), Cyrus confirmed that she had briefly started drinking again during the pandemic. The Grammy winner explained that she had been compelled to reintroduce alcohol in her life because she felt she wasn't getting a sufficient dopamine hit from her Instagram Live show that she hosted during the pandemic. However, it didn't take Cyrus long to realize that alcohol negatively impacted all her relationships and prevented her from being the best version of herself. During her November 2020 chat with Lowe, she confirmed that she had been sober for around two weeks. 

The "Hannah Montana" alum also shared an important perspective that had helped her get back to sobriety, saying, "One of the things I've used is 'Don't get furious, get curious.' So don't be mad at yourself, but ask yourself, 'What happened?'" Then, during a May 2025 chat with Lowe for Apple Music, Cyrus shared that she felt her brief return to drinking was almost meant to happen because it prompted her to write "Flowers," which ended up being one of her biggest hits.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).