For decades, Hollywood's biggest celebrations were soaked in champagne. Red carpets sparkled with toasts, clubs pulsed until sunrise, and a star's wild party reputation often fueled their fame. But lately, a new kind of flex is taking center stage: sobriety.
Quitting alcohol or drugs isn't as flashy as a wedding, a new baby, or an Oscar win, but it's every bit as life-changing. For celebrities, the decision to go public with their struggles adds another layer of courage -- they're not just holding themselves accountable, they're showing millions of fans that change is possible.
It doesn't hurt that the culture itself is shifting. Mocktails and "zero-proof" cocktails are now staples at trendy restaurants. Alcohol-free bars are popping up across cities. Gen Z, in particular, is leading the sober-curious wave, swapping hangovers for productivity and wellness. With health concerns, social shifts, and endless new non-alcoholic options, going dry feels less like a sacrifice and more like self-respect.
And in this new climate, some of our favorite stars are speaking openly about the highs and lows of their sobriety journeys.
Allen Iverson built his reputation as one of basketball's ultimate rebels. Tattoos, cornrows, and a refusal to play by the league's rules made him unforgettable on the court. Now, Iverson is rebelling against something else entirely -- alcohol.
In October 2025, he revealed on CBS Mornings that he's been sober for months, calling it "one of the best decisions that I ever made in my life."
"When you get drunk, you're not how you usually are," Iverson admitted. "The more and more I see it on other people, the more and more it makes me happy about the decision. And the more and more I see how the people around me appreciate it, I love it."
For a man who once embodied resistance, sobriety feels like his most radical victory yet.
Ari Lennox's relationship with alcohol used to be painful -- literally. After passing out in an airport in 2022 from drinking too much wine, she realized something had to change.
By December 2023, she proudly posted her first sober anniversary on Instagram: "I'm one year sober from alcohol today.. I love you all. I needed an excuse to drink and not feel the pain of everyday life and trauma. My toxic relationship with alcohol left me stagnant with closed eyes, hindering my growth and my healing. Hindering my ability to overcome fear [...] I'm letting go and letting God!"
Her honesty struck a chord with fans who saw their own struggles in hers. For Lennox, sobriety isn't just survival -- it's a spiritual reset.
Denzel Washington may be known for portraying calm, powerful men on screen, but his private battle with alcohol wasn't always so steady. In 2024, he told Esquire he gave up drinking at 60, after more than a decade of consuming two bottles of wine a day.
"Wine was my thing, and now I was popping $4,000 bottles just because that's what was left," he revealed. "I've done a lot of damage to the body. We'll see. I've been clean."
Now, he's closing in on his 10th sober anniversary, reflecting with the same gravitas he brings to his roles: "Things are opening up for me now -- like being 70. It's real. And it's okay. This is the last chapter -- if I get another 30, what do I want to do?"
Even legends can hit reset.
Once best known for her wild persona as Blac Chyna, Angela White is steadily writing a new story. In September 2025, she celebrated three years of sobriety, crediting her faith for the strength to keep going.
"Thank you God and the mercy of Jesus Christ for walking with me on this journey of healing and everlasting life. 3 years Sober today 9/14/22," she shared on Instagram.
White acknowledged temptation but stood firm: "Temptation may whisper, but I stand firm in the light, grateful for the steady guidance that has kept me true."
Her sober journey often includes her biggest cheerleaders -- her kids, King and Dream -- reminding fans that the work of sobriety ripples outward to the people we love most.
If anyone knows how to command attention, it's Flavor Flav. The rapper and reality star shocked fans in April 2025 when he admitted to relapsing after 45 years of sobriety. But instead of hiding, he owned it publicly.
By September, he was back on track and told PEOPLE: "Right now it's going very well. I'm back on point. I'm back on track. You know what I'm saying? And this is the way that I plan on staying for the rest of my life."
Flav's mantra for recovery? Simple: "If you take a fall, don't lay there and stay stuck... You have to K-I-M -- keep it moving."
It's a reminder that sobriety isn't about perfection, it's about persistence.
Todd Bridges' story reads like wisdom earned the hard way. The former Diff'rent Strokes star has been sober for more than three decades, a decision that saved him from repeating destructive patterns.
"I couldn't be the same guy anymore," Bridges shared in 2025. "I got tired of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and getting the same results."
He credits his faith and the support he found in rehab: "This light came over me and God said, 'I'm going to put people in your path and you just listen... and you will be sober for a long time.' That's exactly what happened and I finally got it."
Three decades later, his clarity is proof that long-term sobriety is not only possible -- it can become second nature.
These celebrities remind us that saying no can be just as empowering as saying yes. Their journeys highlight that growth is ongoing, relapses can happen, and triumph comes in the form of getting back up again.
As culture continues shifting away from alcohol-first socializing, sobriety isn't just a private victory -- it's becoming a public celebration. And maybe the next time we toast, it won't matter what's in the glass, only what we're celebrating.