Lucy Hale remembers drinking her first alcoholic drink at the age of twelve, before finally sobering up in her thirties.
Speaking about the Call Her Dad podcast, the 34-year-old actress described how she got drunk on Green Apple Pucker during a holiday to Florida.
Although she continued to drink occasionally until she was 18, she eventually realized that she had a drinking problem in her early 20s and sought help in rehab.
‘The first time I drank alcohol… I was probably twelve or thirteen? I was in Florida, on vacation… and we were drinking Green Apple Pucker. I remember my very first experience with alcohol was the same as when it ended.
‘I blacked out when I was twelve. “I don’t remember what happened, I threw up, I got really sick and I remember being so distraught when I realized what had happened,” she said.
‘I blacked out’: Lucy Hale recalls drinking her first alcoholic drink at age 12 before finally sobering up in her 30s; pictured September 2023
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, my mom is going to be so disappointed in me,'” she said.
As a teenager, Lucy was aware that her drinking habits were abnormal.
‘I remember shame after every drinking experience, because my drinking was never normal. Literally every time I drank… it was very clear that I was drinking to escape something, even at a young age,” she said.
While she sought help at age 23, she didn’t quit alcohol for good until she was 32.
‘I went to rehab when I was 23. I don’t think anyone on the show (Pretty Little Liars) knew. And it was my choice too. That was a pivotal moment in my life. (But) I wasn’t ready to stop drinking, so I didn’t get sober until I was 32,” she said.
‘I had tried so many different things: rehabilitation, outpatient, inpatient, trauma center, therapy, medication, you name it. And there was also a very strong desire to want to stop,” she said.
“Without COVID, I might not have gotten sober — or committed to it,” she said.
In February, Lucy announced that she had celebrated one year of sobriety with a photo of a cake with frosting and the caption “1 year!”
Reflective: Although she continued to drink “here and there” until she was 18, she eventually realized that she had a drinking problem in her early 20s and sought help in rehab; pictured in 2006
Go Lucy! In February, Lucy announced that she had celebrated one year of sobriety with a photo of a cake with frosting and the caption “1 year!”
‘Be patient, this is an alternative Valentine’s Day post. This is a post about self-love and the best thing I’ve ever done. On January 2, 2023, I celebrated one year of sobriety,” she posted.
“Although this journey has been largely private, tonight I felt compelled to let anyone who is struggling know that you are not alone and that you are loved.”
The fashionista recently starred alongside The Flash star Grant Gustin in the Amazon Freevee film Puppy Love.
At the request of Collider what she planned to tackle after her latest film project (in an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike), the petite beauty responded with, “There’s really no strategy other than, is this something that sounds fun?” Is this a new character?’
She added, “I think it’s important to be specific about the things you want to do, but I’m so open to it.”
Sobriety: While she sought help at age 23, she didn’t quit alcohol for good until age 32
With a sense of wisdom after years in the acting industry, Lucy noted, “I don’t really have a rule book for my life or for my career. I absolutely love making movies, and one-offs like this, but I also love TV, and having the structure and getting more time to play. I’m an open book.’
The star, who is currently single, opened up about her preference for older men in January, saying on Rachel Bilson’s podcast that older men have almost no bullshit.
She was referring to her past relationship with Riverdale’s older heartthrob, Skeet Ulrich, 53.
The Tennessee-born beauty has also been romantically linked to Bachelor Nation star Colton Underwood and actors David Henrie, Chris Zylka and Ryan Rottman in the past.
However, as of November 2023, the fit and muscular actress appears to be living her best single life.