You might know Russell Brand as a voice actor in the animated films Despicable Me in 2010, Hop in 2011, and Despicable Me 2 in 2013. He’s an actor, radio host, author, and now activist. Brand was born in England but is well known throughout the world.
Brand began his career as a comedian and later a presenter on MTV. His career began to develop further when he played his first major film role in St Trinian’s, and the following year he landed a major role in the romantic comedy-drama Forgetting Sarah Marshall. You might have also seen him in the 2004 show Big Brother’s Big Mouth.
What you might not know about Russell Brand is that he’s also a strong activist for recovery addicts. Take a look at a documentary about his life and you’ll hear him say that “we need to start treating addiction as a health issue and not a criminal one.” He also supported recovering addicts for a short time through the Give It Up Fund. Although he’s no longer supporting those in recovery financially, he continues to do so through his writing and his documentary.
Brand admits that he became addicted to drugs and alcohol at an early age. He finally gave it up at the age of 27, which he explains was the same age Amy Winehouse was when she died. But Brand admits that even at the age of 41, he’s continues to work hard at sobriety. It’s not easy. He admits in his documentary, “If I didn’t have my program, I’d be a drug addict today.”
And you can understand why Brand might have a hard time resisting drugs and alcohol day after day when you read about his experiences with heroin, for instance:
I cannot accurately convey to you the efficiency of heroin in neutralizing pain. It transforms a tight, white fist into a gentle, brown wave. From my first inhalation fifteen years ago it fumigated my private hell and lay me down in its hazy pastures and a bathroom floor in Hackney embraced me like a womb.
At the same time, he also knows the pleasures of remaining sober:
It is ten years since I used drugs or drank alcohol and my life has immeasurably improved. I have a job, a house, a cat, good friendships and generally a bright outlook.
Since getting sober, Brand has had the opportunity to act, host a radio show, and display his political activism. For instance, The Russell Brand Show began airing in April 2006 on BBC and later Brand co-hosted the radio show TalkSport with Noel Gallagher. In addition to hosting, Brand also produced a twice weekly podcast titled The Russell Brand Podcast in 2015. And he released his first autobiography in November of 2007 which received favorable reviews.
Although there have been some controversies in his public life, Brand’s life is a good example of the struggle men and women go through as they enter and remain committed to recovery. Certainly, it’s not easy. But it appears that Brand uses his enthusiasm and passion for the causes he cares about, including his own sobriety and the sobriety of others in recovery.