Anne Hathaway achieved a significant milestone in her journey of maintaining sobriety. The 41-year-old actress revealed that she has been living a healthy lifestyle for five years. Hathaway also expressed her joy about reaching this milestone and shared an incident that helped her break the bad habit.
Hathaway brought up her sobriety, when asked about her thoughts on middle age.
In her new movie, The Idea of You, Hathaway played Solène, a 40-year-old divorced mom who finds herself in a romance with a younger man—a singer in a boy band, played by Nicholas Galitzine. During an interview about her new role, she was questioned about her thoughts on middle age.
Hathaway responded, “I don’t take it seriously. There are so many other things I identify as milestones. I don’t normally talk about it, but I’m over five years sober. That feels like a milestone to me.” She admitted that this problem was probably a method she used to deal with physical stress caused by feeling disconnected from her body.
What about an age, the actress said she feels blessed to be her age, “40 feels like a gift. The fact of the matter is, I hesitate at calling things ‘middle age’ simply because I can be a semantic stickler and I could get hit by a car later today. We don’t know if this is middle age. We don’t know anything.”
She also revealed an incident that made her choose sobriety.
The actress from Princess Diariesexplained that her choice wasn’t a criticism of this particular habit. “I knew deep down it wasn’t for me,” she said, mentioning how hard it was to explain to people that she wasn’t drinking at all in the beginning.
Eventually, Hathaway had a realization that made her stop being tough on herself for her decision, “If you’re allergic to something or have an anaphylactic reaction to something, you don’t argue with it. So I stopped arguing with it,” the star said, making it clear that she doesn’t judge anyone.
Hathaway’s choice to start a healthy lifestyle came as she was adjusting to being a mom of two. Her oldest son Johnathan just turned 8, and youngest son Jack is 3 years old. The actress mentioned that she made this decision for the next 18 years while her sons live in her house.
Talking about her eldest son, she opened up about an incident that made her think about quitting the bad habit, “He’s getting to an age where he really does need me all the time in the mornings. I did one school run one day where I dropped him off at school, I wasn’t driving, but I was hungover, and that was enough for me. I didn’t love that one.”
The Oscar winning actress also decided to cut out other unhealthy habits from her life as much as possible, like social media. “I make a lot of my lifestyle choices in service of supporting mental health. I stopped participating in things that I know to be draining or can cause spirals. I actually don’t have a relationship with myself online,” Hathaway shared.
Other celebrities who have been open about their sobriety.
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper has been sober since he was 29. In 2013, he said that he chose sobriety because he realized it was going to ruin his life if he kept going. In 2023, Cooper expressed gratitude for overcoming his bad habits, saying he feels “very lucky.”
Tom Holland
Tom Holland mentioned that he’s the “happiest I’ve ever been in my life” since he started his journey of sobriety. Holland admitted he definitely had a problem, “I was really, really struggling, and I started to really worry that maybe I had a problem. So I decided that I would wait until my birthday, which is June 1. I said to myself, ’If I can do six months without it, then I can prove to myself that I don’t have a problem.’ And by the time I got to June 1, I was the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson decided to become sober so she could be there for her kids, “I was at a place, and I was missing out on moments with my children, and then they were seeing me, and they were very confused.”
“I just wanted to be present and have clarity and be a good role model for my children, because I always wanted to be a good role model for the world,” she explained her decision.
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe struggled a lot during the filming of the Harry Potter movies. In the interview in 2015, Radcliffe talked about his battle, “There was a period when I was transitioning out of ’Potter’ and entering the real world, where suddenly I didn’t have that stability anymore. I was quite distraught on the final day of ’Potter.’ I was really anxious. I was living by myself, and I think I was really scared.”
Lana Del Rey
In a 2012 interview, Lana Del Rey revealed her teenage battles, “That’s really why I got sent to boarding school aged 14. I knew it was a problem when I liked it more than I liked doing anything else.”
Anne Hathaway revealed the heartbreaking reason why she lost roles after an Oscar win. Click here to know the details.
My Husband Kept Taking Our Kids to ‘Visit Grandma’—Until One Day, My Daughter Revealed, ‘Grandma Is Just a Secret Code’
When my husband started taking our children to visit their grandmother every week, I thought nothing of it. But when my daughter let something suspicious slip about their weekly outings, I found myself trailing them one day.
I never thought I’d question my husband’s honesty until recently. See, Mike had always been a dependable partner and an incredible father to our two kids, Ava, seven, and Ben, who had just turned five. But lately, he’d been acting strange.
Two siblings | Source: Midjourney
My husband was an amazing and present father to our children. He played hide-and-seek in the backyard with them, attended school plays without complaint, and was the kind of dad who always had time for one more bedtime story.
So I didn’t think twice when he started taking the kids to “visit Grandma,” his mother, every Saturday morning. His mom, Diane, had always doted on our kids. She baked cookies with them, taught them how to knit, and even let them “help” with her garden.
A happy grandmother with her grandchildren | Source: Midjourney
After losing her husband a year ago, Mike seemed determined to ensure she wasn’t lonely, and I admired that about him. They’d gotten closer since, and for months he’d visit her with the children on Saturdays.
But then… little things started bothering me.
For starters, my mother-in-law (MIL) stopped mentioning the visits. We usually spoke at least once a week, and she’d always gushed about the kids.
A happy grandmother | Source: Midjourney
But when I casually asked if she enjoyed seeing them so regularly, there was an odd pause. “Oh, uh, yes. Of course, sweetie,” she replied, but her voice had a weird edge like she wasn’t telling me the whole story. I chalked it up to grief.
Maybe she was struggling more than I realized.
Then there was Mike’s insistence that I stay home. “It’s bonding time for my mom and the kids, plus you need a break and some time to yourself, Amy,” he’d say, pulling me close for a quick kiss. “Enjoy a quiet house for once.”
A husband kissing his wife | Source: Midjourney
He wasn’t wrong—I loved the peaceful mornings—but something about how he avoided eye contact when I offered to tag along made me wonder. I should’ve trusted my gut.
One crisp Saturday morning, Ava came rushing back inside after Mike and Ben were already buckled in the car. “Forgot my jacket!” she called out, her ginger curls bouncing as she darted past me.
“Don’t forget to behave at Grandma’s!” I teased, ruffling her hair as she grabbed her coat. She froze mid-step and turned to me, her face serious. Then she said something I could never forget…
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
My daughter paused mid-run, giving me a strange look.
“Mommy,” she whispered, like she was sharing a secret, “Grandma is just a SECRET CODE.”
I blinked, my heart skipping. “What do you mean, sweetheart?”
Ava’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes widened. She quickly glanced in the direction of my husband outside, like she’d already said too much. “I’m not supposed to tell,” she mumbled, then bolted outside before I could ask anything else!
A nervous girl | Source: Midjourney
I stood there in the doorway, watching them get ready to drive off, my mind racing. Secret code? What could that mean? Was Mike lying about where he was taking them? My stomach churned as I imagined the possibilities. Was “Grandma” a code for something he was hiding—or someone else?
I needed answers, and it was now or never. Without thinking, I grabbed my purse and keys, my hands shaking as I did so. Mentally canceling my plans for the day, I decided to follow them secretly.
A worried woman holding car keys and her purse | Source: Midjourney
Mike’s car took an unexpected turn, one that definitely wasn’t toward Diane’s house!
I trailed behind, careful to keep my distance. My pulse quickened when he pulled into the parking lot of a quiet park on the other side of town. From my spot a few rows back, I watched him get out with our children, holding their hands as they approached a bench under a large oak tree.
Then I saw her…
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
A woman, maybe in her late thirties, with auburn hair tied back in a loose ponytail, was waiting near the bench. She held the hand of a little girl—maybe nine years old, with the same hair color.
My chest tightened as I watched the little girl break into a grin and sprint toward Mike, who knelt to scoop her into his arms like he’d done it a hundred times before! Ava and Ben giggled as they joined the older girl, the three of them playing while my husband spoke to the woman.
Children playing | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t just sit there! My anger and the need for answers burned in my chest! But my legs felt like jelly as I stepped out of the car and approached them, my heart pounding in my ears. Mike’s face paled the moment he saw me.
“Amy,” he said, standing so quickly the woman flinched. “What are you doing here?”
I folded my arms, willing my voice not to shake. “I think I should be asking you that. Who is she? And who is that little girl?”
An upset woman standing | Source: Midjourney
Before he could answer, Ava and Ben spotted me and came running, calling out, “Mommy,” with the little girl in tow.
“Honey, could you guys please go and play on the swings while Mommy and I talk?” Mike said, intercepting the children, who quickly turned back to the playground.
The woman looked away, her face pale. My husband ran a hand through his hair, his mouth opening and closing like he couldn’t decide where to start. Finally, he gestured for me to sit down. “We need to talk,” he said quietly.
A remorseful man | Source: Midjourney
The woman introduced herself as Hannah, and the girl was Lily—her daughter. As Mike began explaining, my stomach twisted in knots.
Years before he and I met, he had a brief relationship with Hannah. When she found out she was pregnant, he panicked.
“I wasn’t ready to be a dad,” he admitted, his voice thick with guilt. “I told her I couldn’t be involved. It was… the worst decision I’ve ever made.”
An embarrassed man | Source: Midjourney
Hannah raised Lily alone, never asking Mike for help. But a few months ago, they ran into each other at a coffee shop. Lily, now old enough to start asking questions, had learned about Mike and wanted to meet him.
Hannah had been hesitant and worried about disrupting his family life, but Mike insisted on building a relationship with his daughter.
“And the kids?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why involve Ava and Ben without telling me first?!”
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Mike hesitated, rubbing his temples. “I didn’t know how to explain it. I was afraid you’d be angry—or worse. I thought it would be better to ease them into it first. I know it was wrong, Amy, but I just… I didn’t want to lose you!”
I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs! He’d lied to me! He’d taken our kids to meet a sister they didn’t even know they had, while I was left completely in the dark. But as I looked at Lily, who was now playing tag with Ava and Ben, something inside me softened.
Children playing | Source: Midjourney
This wasn’t about Mike’s betrayal—it was about a little girl who wanted to know her father. I told him we’d finish our conversation at home, introduced myself properly to Hannah, and then said goodbye to all the children before driving back home to mull things over.
That night, my husband and I had the longest conversation of our marriage, while the kids were actually at Grandma’s place, sleeping over for the night. I yelled, I cried, and I demanded to know why he thought lying was the answer.
An angry woman shouting | Source: Midjourney
He listened, apologizing over and over, his voice breaking as he admitted how much he regretted his choices. Mike also confessed that Diane knew about Hannah and her daughter, and agreed to cover for him on the days he took the children to see Lily.
My MIL had warned him not to keep it a secret from me, but he’d believed that he could tell me in due time. It wasn’t easy, but I started to see the situation for what it was: a man trying to make amends for a mistake that had haunted him for years.
A sad man | Source: Midjourney
The next morning, I asked him to invite Hannah and Lily over. If they were going to be part of our lives, I needed to meet them properly. When they arrived, Lily was shy at first, clinging to her mother’s side.
But since we’d already fetched Ava and Ben, they ran up to her like old friends, and soon the three of them were sprawled on the living room floor, building a tower of blocks! I won’t lie, the sight warmed my heart. Children somehow had that superpower over me.
Children playing | Source: Midjourney
Hannah and I sat at the kitchen table, awkward at first but eventually settling into an easy conversation. She wasn’t the enemy I’d imagined in my head. She was a single mom who had done her best for her daughter, and now she just wanted Lily to have the family she deserved.
It’s been a few months since that day, and while it hasn’t been perfect, our family is stronger for it. Lily comes over every weekend now, and Ava and Ben adore her! Mike and I are working on rebuilding the trust that his secrecy broke, but I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.
A happy couple | Source: Midjourney
Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. What started as a story of suspicion and betrayal became one of forgiveness and second chances. And now, every Saturday, we all go to the park together—no secrets, no lies, just family.
A happy couple at the park | Source: Midjourney
In a similar but different tale, a wife discovered her husband had a second secret phone and when she read his messages, she found something that eventually led to the end of their marriage.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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