Brat Pack Star Says Fame Didn’t Cause His Addiction

For years, many people assumed one of the most recognizable faces of 1980s Hollywood turned to alcohol because of the pressures of sudden fame. But 👤Andrew McCarthy says that explanation misses the mark entirely.

According to Fox News, the actor, who rose to prominence as a member of the famed “🎬Brat Pack,” recently reflected on his long battle with alcoholism during an appearance on Ted Danson’s podcast, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.”

McCarthy, now 63, pushed back on the idea that his success in Hollywood was responsible for his drinking problem.

“People always go, ‘Oh, well, you were too young, successful. That was too much for you, so you drank,’” McCarthy told Danson. “I’m like, ‘No, I would have drunk anyway. I was just able to afford better vodka.’”

The actor acknowledged that while he was able to keep functioning professionally for a time, alcohol eventually took a major toll on both his life and career.

“To a point,” he said when Danson suggested he had remained functional in the early years.

McCarthy explained that he had only begun drinking during the period when many of his best-known films were being released.