Blake Lively Lives Her Life Alcohol Free - Except For Some Minor Exceptions

Health-conscious Blake Lively has never shied away from her choice to abstain from alcohol. "I don't drink," she declared during an interview for Allure in 2012. And later, in 2021, as reported by People, she doubled down on that sentiment, telling a gaggle of reporters that she didn't drink simply because she wasn't a fan of "the effects of alcohol." 

Interestingly enough, however, it was her alcohol-free lifestyle that gave her the idea for Betty Buzz, her line of non-alcoholic mixers, in the first place. According to Lively, it was all about being social. "I found that sometimes not drinking, the thing that was interesting was that it was a little alienating, because you don't feel — and maybe it's just in your own head — but you just don't really feel a part of it." 

It should be noted, however, that Lively does fancy herself as a person "who really likes flavor." She is willing to make some minor exceptions to her alcohol-free lifestyle, including adding a drop or two of liquor here and there and even wetting the rim of a glass with alcohol, strictly to enhance the flavor profile.

In 2021, People reported that Blake Lively confessed to zhuzhing up her mocktails with trace amounts of alcohol. "It gives it a flavor, but it's not going to give it a sort of experience — well, it'll give it a flavor experience — but not [much] alcohol," she explained. But that's not all. According to Lively, she's also been known to wet the rim of a margarita glass with tequila before salting the rim. "That would make the salt stay, but you're not actually getting real alcohol content," she said. "You're just kind of getting the taste." Still, Lively was adamant that her methods of enhancing the flavor profiles of a generally non-alcoholic drink with trace amounts of alcohol are not meant for those in active recovery.

While we now know that there is no safe amount of alcohol and that drinking alcohol can increase your risk of seven types of cancer, some also believe that re-introducing even trace amounts of alcohol into mocktails can become a slippery slope for those who are in recovery. "The reality here [is that there] is no moderation for people that suffer with addiction ... You can't just turn it off," interventionist and trauma professional Ken Seeley told ET Online in 2021 while discussing the meaning of a recent trend referred to as "California sober."

Additionally, in 2022, we exclusively interviewed an addiction specialist on just how dangerous California sobriety can be. "The only way to achieve sobriety is to embrace full sobriety and uncover the root causes of the addiction," Dr. Manish Mishra, the Chief Medical Officer of Ark Behavioral Health, stressed to us. 

Despite Blake Lively's comments about being mostly alcohol-free, she has also ventured into the alcoholic beverage industry. In June 2023, when Lively expanded her line of products to include Betty Booze canned cocktails, she penned, "Drinking isn't my thing. But for f* sake, flavor is. Homemade recipes. Real fruit. Real ingredients. Quality booze. No crap. Also a real time saver. Which is why I really did it. @bettybooze (via Instagram). 

Then, in July 2024, the brand came full circle when Lively launched a line of canned mocktails as well. According to Lively, it was actually the canned cocktails containing alcohol that ultimately spurred her decision to make the canned mocktails, too. "Once we canned the cocktails, they're like, 'how could you can the cocktails and not make mocktails?'" she recalled to Delish.

Meanwhile, Blake Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, has also dabbled in the alcohol business, serving as the co-owner of Aviation American Gin before ultimately selling it to the tune of an estimated $610 million, per People. However, unlike Lively, Reynolds does imbibe. "We had our children and that's when I realised that I love gin. That's when I bought Aviation Gin," Reynolds famously joked during a 2018 appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" while promoting the alcohol brand (via The Drinks Business). 

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).