The Anything But Love Co-Star Jamie Lee Curtis Credits For Helping Her Stay Sober

Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis has been honest about her addiction and recovery journey for years. The "Halloween" star said it began in 1989 when she was prescribed opioids after plastic surgery. A decade-long addiction to opiates and alcohol followed, which Curtis kept a secret from her husband Christopher Guest until the day she decided to go to her first recovery meeting in February 1999. Her addiction and the secret she kept from those closest to her will always be one of the many tragic details of her life, but once she opened up, Curtis had many friends and loved ones to support her through recovery.

Curtis told Variety that one of the reasons it took her so long to get sober was that she was afraid of the negative attention she'd get as a famous addict. So, she called a friend and asked to have another famous person she'd never met attend her first recovery meeting with her. She said she's been sober ever since, and has credited her former "Anything but Love" co-star and fellow addict, the late Richard Lewis, with helping her in that goal. 

"27 years ago, I had pain and sorrow. I reached out my hand and my old colleague and friend, Richard Lewis, reached out and took my hand," she captioned a photo of herself with Lewis in a February 2026 Instagram post about being 27 years sober. "The miracle of sobriety is that it just takes one other person to relate to how you're feeling and THAT can change everything." 

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Fans might not know that Jamie Lee Curtis' sobriety is especially significant because her family has a history of addiction. Although Curtis didn't name him to Variety, per her words, Richard Lewis, who was also a recovering addict, was likely the first person she called about her addiction. So, he likely contacted the fellow famous woman who met the "Freaky Friday" star at the recovery gathering. Curtis also credited Lewis with her sobriety in her tribute to him on Instagram after his February 2024 death. "He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone," she captioned photos of him promoting "Anything but Love." 

In the 2026 Instagram post celebrating her sobriety, Curtis said Lewis didn't stop helping her after the first time she reached out. "Richard introduced me to many others and for these 27 years I have met so many people who share our common link of addiction and recovery from that daily prison," she wrote. She then declared that she intended to honor the late "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star by helping others when they need it most, following the example he set for her when she needed him.