'I regained my life': John Goodman gets candid on 16-year sobriety journey after decades of addiction
'I was sober for a couple of weeks and after that I knew that I would never go back,' John Goodman, 71, said
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: John Goodman has asserted that he is in a happy place after getting past his bad habits.
The 71-year-old legend shared how he feels now, being sober since 2007 after battling addiction for over three decades. He told Reader's Digest magazine, “It was a matter of surrendering [to sobriety].”
“I was sober for a couple of weeks and after that, I knew that I would never go back. It frightens me and I know I can only speak for one day at a time but I know I'm not going to drink today,” Goodman said.
‘The Big Lebowski’ star also asserted, "And I gained so much by giving it up. I regained my life.”
John Goodman on career and self-doubt
Goodman also spoke about his illustrious career as well as self-doubt.
He mentioned, “I didn't think there was any possible way that I'd succeed but I knew that if I didn't give it a go I would hate myself for the rest of my life. I didn't expect to stay long but I knew I had to try.”
Goodman revealed, “So I grew up without a father and there was always a feeling of being different.”
‘The Flintstones’ actor stated, “I was a loner and I used to escape by watching television, at least when our television set wasn't broken,” before adding, “You had to keep banging it to get it to work.”
John Goodman’s friend helped him get fitter
This comes months after Goodman’s trainer disclosed about the actor’s weight loss journey.
Mackie Shilstone told The New York Post, “People think this is overnight, but most people make a contribution to weight management, but they don’t make a commitment to it.”
The trainer continued, “John decided that he was going to make a commitment. I’ve known John for a long time, and 85 pounds coming off and then regained, it didn’t work. So I said, ‘What am I gonna do?’”
“John was my friend and my neighbor, so I said to myself, ‘Let me become an actor for a moment,’” he shared.
Shilstone took an unexpected and shocking approach to make Goodman realize the importance of fitness as he took him to a cemetery.
“I said, ‘John, here’s a shovel. You told me you’re going to recommit yourself and follow this plan. I said, ‘I want you to dig your grave. Until you dig your grave, you won’t understand what it means to live,” he added.
