Daniel Radcliffe became world famous in 2001 when he starred in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. We’ve grown with him, watching him morph from a skinny kid into a mature twenty-something while playing the leading role.
While it’s no secret that many celebrities battle with drug or alcohol abuse, many people were surprised to discover that Daniel Radcliffe, who always seemed so young and so clean-cut, had these issues too.
Daniel Radcliffe’s Alcohol Addiction
Daniel Radcliffe always kept his struggles with alcohol private, unlike other wealthy young celebs like Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan often made headlines for substance use issues, Radcliffe didn’t. He managed to keep a clean public image, only captured by the media drinking on his 18th and 21st birthdays.
When Daniel turned 18 – the legal drinking age in the U.K. – he was seen drunk after a party, but people saw it as a normal rite of passage for that age. His 21st birthday celebrated in Russia was similar. While Daniel was demonstrably drunk, it didn’t cause a big stir. People viewed both moments as a successful young person having fun rather than signs of a mounting problem.
Under the surface, though, he was dealing with a great deal. It was not until the final Harry Potter movie wrapped in 2010 that he started drinking more heavily and more frequently. Daniel has told many interviewers that he was often either hungover or still feeling slightly drunk on set and that this affected his acting. He has flagged specific scenes where he looks really out of it. Daniel excelled at keeping this hidden, though, just like many people who are battling alcohol addictions.
So, rather than days of active drinking on set, destructive incidents, and highly publicized rehab stints, Daniel Radcliffe’s alcoholism played out off the radar, showing how people often fight addiction quietly and out of sight, and demonstrating that addiction can affect anyone, even those who appear outwardly to be doing well.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhy Did Daniel Radcliffe Start Drinking?
As kids, many of us dream of being famous, imagining the excitement of being recognized on the street and asked for autographs, thinking that was what it meant to be respected and important.
Imagine, then, what it was like for Daniel Radcliffe, starring in one of the biggest movie franchises ever as the eponymous Harry Potter, a role he played for a full decade. The first movie alone grossed more than $1 billion at the box office. Daniel was just 12 years old at the time. The rest of the movies made almost $8 billion.
What’s easy to forget about being famous and successful is that it can also trigger lots of pressure, as well as a constant need to remain relevant and in the public eye. Daniel has admitted that this one of the things that prompted him to start drinking as he neared his 18th birthday.
He talked about this once in an interview, saying, “If I went out and got drunk, I’d start to notice people were interested in that. Because it wasn’t just some guy getting drink, it was, oh, Harry Potter’s getting drunk in the bar.”
Daniel confessed that the stress of trying to live up to this self-created wild celebrity image combined with the relentless pace needed to keep up with the global success of the Harry Potter franchise, drove him to use alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Functional Alcoholic
Daniel Radcliffe serves as a prime example of what is known as a functional alcoholic. This term describes individuals who manage to maintain their personal and professional responsibilities despite their struggles with alcohol. In Daniel’s case, he was able to continue his acting career, portraying one of the most beloved characters in film history, all while wrestling with alcohol abuse.
For many years, Daniel fought a private battle with alcohol use. Despite the demanding nature of his role as Harry Potter and the constant public scrutiny to which he was subjected, he managed to keep his image squeaky clean while fulfilling his acting commitments. It was only after he completed filming that he took serious steps to address this issue, at the same time as he revealed how he was affected by alcohol abuse during the filming.
The fact that Daniel continued to function at such a high level professionally, while privately dealing with alcohol use disorder, illustrates the complex and nuanced nature of this chronic condition. Alcohol abuse is not always detectable to outsiders and the struggles can be well-concealed. Daniel’s story shows that alcohol addiction does not discriminate, impacting even the most apparently composed and successful individuals.
Getting Sober, Relapsing and Staying Sober
Daniel Radcliffe first quit drinking in 2010, aged 22. He has not shared much detail about how he achieved this, but he didn’t keep his decision to stop drinking a secret. This first attempt at abstinence didn’t last long, though. In 2012, Daniel was asked to leave a New York City bar for drinking too much and causing trouble.
After doubling down on sobriety in 2012, Daniel has been sober since then. He has publicly stated that this was not easy, and it took him a few tries and a few years to achieve his goal, something for which he is now enormously grateful.
Once he sobered up for the second time, Daniel returned to work, starring in movies, plays, and TV shows. Some of the most successful of these projects include The Cripple of Inishmaan (2013), Victor Frankenstein (2015), and The Gamechangers (2015). It has become increasingly evident from the way he talks and acts that Daniel embraces sober living. He has also claimed that being sober lets him live without feeling scared or anxious, and that this feels great.
Daniel has also mentioned that not drinking has helped him feel more at ease with himself. He used to drink as a means of dealing with being famous and because he thought it would make him happy. Toward the end of his drinking days, though, he realized that he was still unhappy, even after going out and drinking. To stay away from alcohol, he works out at the gym, reads lots, and enjoys shopping. Regaining his love for reading, he claims, is one of the best thigs about sobriety.
Get Treatment for Alcohol Addiction at Gratitude Lodge
If you or a loved one needs help addressing the complications of alcohol abuse, we can help you at Gratitude Lodge. Our welcoming and inclusive treatment centers are pet-friendly and located in Long Beach and Newport Beach, California.
Most people tackling alcohol addictions benefit from supervised detoxification, with access to medications and continuous care mitigating the intensity of withdrawal. After detox, you can transition to ongoing residential rehab at one of our beachside facilities.
All alcohol addictions are different, so all Gratitude Lodge treatment plans reflect this with individualized care that may include:
- Talk therapies
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Group therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Family therapy
- Individual counseling
- Aftercare and support
Alcohol addiction is disruptive but treatable. Call 844-576-0144 for immediate assistance. If you’d like to learn more about other celebrity recovery stories, like Carrie Fischer or Samuel L. Jackson, check out more on our blog today.
