Lucy Hale, the 32-year-old dynamo known for her stint on Pretty Little Liars, recently celebrated her one-year milestone in the sobriety department.
Picture this: A pre-teen Lucy, with all the sophistication of a ‘tween tourist, finds herself in sunny Florida. The year is 2003, and she’s about to embark on a fateful encounter with an elixir known as Green Apple Pucker. At the tender age of 12 or 13, Lucy takes her first sip, and what follows is a Hollywood-worthy plot twist. The young actress goes from giggles to gulps, and before she knows it, she’s starring in her own reality show called “Lucy’s Blurry Misadventures.”
Blacking out at 12, Lucy woke up with a less-than-glamorous hangover, pondering, “Oh my god, my mom is going to be so disappointed in me.” Who would’ve thought that a Florida vacation could lead to such early onset existential dread?
Fast forward to her teenage years, and Lucy’s relationship with alcohol is anything but pretty or little. She drinks on occasion from ages 12 to 18, but every sip is accompanied by a side dish of shame. Her drinking isn’t the “let’s have a casual drink with friends” type; it’s more like “let’s escape from reality because reality is a tough crowd” kind of drinking.
Lucy didn’t earn her sobriety badge until her early 20s, and by that point, she realized that her thoughts were doing the Macarena on a dance floor of booze. Going out without alcohol felt like an episode of Pretty Little Liars without any secrets, so she decided it was high time to ring the sobriety hotline.
At the age of 23, Lucy checked herself into rehab, and here’s the kicker—nobody on the Pretty Little Liars set had a clue! It was her secret mission, and she was determined to ace it. She even declared it a pivotal moment in her life, but you see, Lucy wasn’t quite ready to let go of the liquid allure.
Fast forward a bit more, and Lucy had tried every remedy in the sober handbook, from rehab to therapy and even considering medication – she went all-in. It was like she was playing a game of Monopoly, but instead of properties, she was collecting different methods to quit drinking.
And then, the plot twist to end all plot twists – COVID-19 entered the scene. Without this uninvited guest, Lucy might never have fully committed to the sobriety cause. Yes, even pandemics have silver linings. Lucy Hale, the real-life heroine of her story, emerged from this wild ride with her sobriety intact and a newfound commitment to living life on her own terms. Cheers to that!
