Denzel Washington Reflects on Sobriety, Past Struggles with Alcohol and Drugs

Denzel Washington, the celebrated actor and cultural icon, is marking 10 years of sobriety and opening up about his past experiences with alcohol and drug use, which he admits caused significant harm to his body.

In a candid interview with Esquire magazine, the “Gladiator II” star shared insights into his history of substance use, including periods of heavy drinking and experimenting with drugs.

While Washington emphasized that he never became addicted to hard drugs, he revealed how alcohol, particularly wine, played a central role in his life for years.

A Dangerous Relationship with Wine

For Washington, wine wasn’t just a casual indulgence—it was a habit that escalated over time. “Wine is very tricky. It’s very slow. It ain’t like, boom, all of a sudden,” he said, reflecting on the dangers of what initially felt harmless. At one point, the actor found himself drinking up to two bottles of wine daily.

“I never got strung out on heroin. Never got strung out on coke. Never got strung out on hard drugs,” he explained. “I shot dope just like they shot dope, but I never got strung out. And I never got strung out on liquor either.”

Still, Denzel Washington acknowledged how his fascination with fine wine developed into a costly and unhealthy habit. He recounted stocking his home wine cellar with some of the finest vintages, including bottles priced at $4,000, which he would consume quickly.

“I learned to drink the best. So I’m gonna drink my ’61s and my ’82s,” he said. “I’d call up Gil Turner’s Fine Wines & Spirits on Sunset Boulevard and say, ‘Send me two bottles, the best of this or that.’”

Washington’s wife, Pauletta, often questioned his decision to limit orders to just two bottles. His reasoning was simple: “Because if I order more, I’ll drink more. So I kept it to two bottles, and I would drink them both over the course of the day.”

Balancing Work and Addiction

Despite his struggles, Denzel Washington maintained discipline when it came to his work. The Academy Award winner avoided drinking while preparing for or filming movies, but he admitted that he would return to his habit as soon as a project wrapped.

“I never drank while I was working or preparing. I would clean up, go back to work — I could do both,” Washington said. “However many months of shooting, bang, it’s time to go. Then, boom. Three months of wine, then time to go back to work.”

The actor reflected on his role as an alcoholic pilot in the 2012 film Flight, which earned him an Oscar nomination. While he didn’t drink during the production, he connected deeply with some of the struggles his character faced.

“That was getting toward the end of the drinking, but I knew a lot about waking up and looking around, not knowing what happened,” he shared.

Washington made the decision to quit drinking in December 2014, shortly after turning 60. Reflecting on the journey, he acknowledges the toll his past habits have taken on his body. “I’ve done a lot of damage to the body,” he admitted. “We’ll see. I’ve been clean.”

Now 10 years sober, Washington’s honesty about his struggles serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges of addiction and the possibility of recovery.