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Will Arnett is a famous comedian and actor best known for his role in BoJack Horseman, a popular animated series. Despite enjoying a prolific career in the entertainment industry with extensive experience in doing voice-overs, Will has his share of struggles, especially with addiction. The actor had been battling alcoholism for a major part of his life. Fortunately, he is one of the lucky ones who made it out of their addiction cycle, and he even proceeded to make a character based on his personality to portray the challenges an addict has to face. His life is an example that addiction is conquerable, and it is possible to leave it behind to restart a high-quality life.
Will Arnett Alcoholism Struggles: An Overview
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Will Arnett moved to New York to pursue an acting career in 1990. While his original intention was to become a serious drama actor, Arnett got opportunities for voice-over work and gigs. As he struggled to get roles for his breakthrough in the television world, the actor experienced depression and eventually started wasting his money earned through gigs in bars. Reportedly, Will used to visit the same bar daily to drink and slowly started increasing his time there.
As he continued to battle his drinking problems, Will finally got an opportunity in the form of an important role in an NBC sitcom. However, the show was canceled only after two episodes, causing the actor to become depressed and rely on drinking even more. The situation worsened until one of his friends got concerned and attempted to intervene. After this, Will attended support group meetings and eventually moved to Venice, CA. These daily meetings with Alcoholics Anonymous helped him become comfortable and enjoy his sobriety. As Will Arnett addiction continued to get better, the actor met Amy Poehler and fell in love with her. Around the same time, he got his true break by landing a major role in an acclaimed comedy called Arrested Development.
Will Arnett Addiction: Creating a Personal Role
Will Arnett initially considered making a film on his life when he was in a particularly difficult place following his divorce from Amy Poehler. During this time, he started writing the character of “Chip,” who is also in recovery and has experienced a divorce. According to the actor, writing this character was a way for him to tackle his issues more easily, but the process never felt as liberating as he thought. On the contrary, Will continued tackling his demons as he continued writing this character and show after rejecting many other offers from Hollywood. Shortly after, he released the series inspired by his life under “Flaked.”
In general, Will’s career has been going high ever since his memorable roles in “30 Rock”, “Arrested Development,” “The Lego Movie,” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. He is known as a gifted actor and is loved on late-night talk shows because of his witty and funny presence. The actor had been hoping to show his ability as a dramatic actor through his series Flaked. However, the show received some bad reviews, which made him question whether making it was worth it.
Is Will Arnett Sober? Relapsing and Regaining Sobriety
Despite having two children, Will and Amy’s marriage eventually split through an amicable split. Despite facing this shocking turn of events leading to a divorce, Will remained headstrong and determined while maintaining sobriety through the tough times. However, as soon as he started filming “Flaked,” his sobriety journey started staggering. The actor attempted to justify his drinking habits by convincing himself that he needed to play the role of Chip. However, he later expressed shame and disappointment about the relapse it led to. Fortunately, the actor quickly realized he was going down the addiction road with a dead end, so he quickly returned to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and regained sobriety in 2016.
Despite receiving a mix of reviews for his series “Flaked,” Arnett received much support from his fans on social media, who also shared their recovery stories. The show made a return with a shorter season on Netflix later. While the show initially led to some difficult emotions and a relapse for Will, he now considers it a cathartic experience as it depicted his personal life.
Will Arnett Addiction and Sobriety: Inspiring Others
Despite having a brief period of relapse, Will Arnett alcoholic recovery has always been an inspiration for his colleagues and friends. Many people have shared their experiences with substance abuse and addiction, many of whom sought motivation from Will’s life story, while others served as a source of willpower for him.
Jason Bateman
While Will had a rough patch with her then-wife Poehler, Arnett started drinking again. During those circumstances, his best friend Jason Bateman served as a source of inspiration for him. According to the actor, he was heavily motivated by Jason’s decision to quit alcohol in 2016 and that he had always been a great example and even greater friend to him.
Amy Poehler
Amy, a famous comedienne, and ex-wife to Arnett, also suffered from alcohol and drug abuse. She mentioned how she used to take ecstasy and cocaine during her 20s, apart from drinking heavily at parties, as it made her confident and funny. However, following her marriage to Will, Amy dropped her abuse after she became a mother and realized her new role and responsibilities. Will’s own struggles also inspired her to do something about her ongoing drug abuse.
Bradley Cooper
Will Arnett achieved sobriety for his own sake and used his experience to help many others in their struggles. One of these is his close friend of almost two decades, Bradley Cooper. Many years ago, both actors shared an apartment, and that was when Arnett had a tough discussion with Cooper regarding his addiction in 2004. Cooper has repeatedly described Arnett as a reason for his sobriety in different interviews. Moreover, both actors attempted to quit smoking together and continue supporting each other’s decision to date.
FAQs
Is there a TV series based on Will Arnett addiction?
“Flaked” is a comedy-drama starring Will Arnett, who is also the director and co-writer of the show. The show’s main character appears to be in recovery from his underlying alcoholism and regularly participates in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Arnett mentioned how the main character is based on his life story.
When did Will Arnett undergo a relapse?
According to the actor, he relapsed while working on his TV series “Flaked.” He had been successfully practicing sobriety for 15 years before the production began, and it caused him to use alcohol again secretly. Will believes that the stress of writing, creating, producing, starring in the series, and revisiting some dark parts of his life pushed him to start drinking again. Moreover, he also mentioned that making the show was hard for him, and it started affecting his behavior and mood. Consequently, he had to get help from alcohol.
Did Will Arnett also have any other addiction apart from alcoholism?
During an interview in 2019, Will Arnett opened up about his determination to quit alcoholism in 2010 following a relapse. He also mentioned conquering another addiction related to his smoking habit. Previously, the actor smoked two packs a day for almost 30 years. While overcoming this addiction was difficult, nicotine gums, tablets, and patches helped him overcome the withdrawal.
