“Full House” star Jodie Sweetin has been candid about her struggles with sobriety over the years, revealing that she first started drinking alcohol at the age of 14 before sharing that her interest in substances eventually spun out of control. Now, in a new interview, the “Fuller House” actress is revealing how her co-star, John Stamos, supported her on the difficult journey toward recovery while also staying on the straight and narrow himself.
While appearing on the “Dory Jackson Interview” podcast, Sweetin, 44, opened up about how Stamos’ support and kind words helped keep her in check as she pursued sobriety.
“John and I really, really connected in a lot of ways over [sobriety],” she said on the most recent episode. “We have been there to celebrate each other’s big successes and milestones, and I am so glad that I got to be an example of attraction rather than promotion, which is a big principle in recovery.”
Stamos and Sweetin’s relationship dates back to the ’80s, when they both booked leading roles in the ABC sitcom “Full House,” which ran from 1987 to 1995. They reunited on screen for the Netflix reboot, “Fuller House,” from 2016 to 2020.
According to Sweetin, she’s learned a lot about herself throughout her sobriety journey. “[The principle is] don’t beat people over the head. Just be the result of all of your work, and chances are, people that are looking will find you,” she said.
The Last Time Jodie Sweetin Touched A Drink
Elsewhere in the interview, the mom of two opened up and revealed that the last time she even touched an alcoholic drink was in 2011, adding that it’s been a “journey.” She explained that she began a 12-step program and engaged in work outside the program, such as therapy, to help guide her. Sweetin described the feeling of being untethered to alcohol as “very freeing.”
“You get the opportunity to become a different person, and once you start actually liking that person, it becomes really hard to go back and continue destructive behavior,” the actress said. “You kind of go like, ‘Oh, wait, hold on, I want to take care of this little person inside here and see what they’re capable of.’ And I’ve been really fortunate to be able to do that.”
Jodie Sweetin Struggled With Alcohol During Her Teenage Years
Sweetin previously opened up about her addiction to alcohol in a different interview, revealing that it all began for her when she had her first drink at co-star Candace Cameron Bure’s wedding when she was 14. In another interview, she said that she leaned on alcohol as a teenager to help her relate to those around her.
“I had this weird, I’ll say, I had this, particularly after the show ended, like, in high school, there was this strange feeling that I had, because everyone assumed I was quote unquote a TV star. So, like, you know, the rumor before you would even start at a school was like, ‘Oh, she’s a stuck-up b-tch,’” she said.
Sweetin attempted to shed that label by outdrinking her peers and taking harder drugs, per The Blast.
Stamos Recalls The Moment He Knew He Had To ‘Straighten Up’
Stamos has also dealt with substance abuse, and he even made headlines in 2015 when he was arrested for an alleged DUI. Stamos went on to seek treatment in a rehab center and detailed the moment in his memoir, “If You Would Have Told Me.”
He told PEOPLE in 2023 that he realized he was drinking too much and that it was partially caused by the people he was hanging around. “I had that DUI and I was like, ‘I can’t do this. I’ve got to straighten up,’” he said. “That’s when I was confusing the universe because I’m not a bad person, but I was doing crappy things.”
What Helped Stamos Stay Focused On His Well-Being?
Thankfully for Stamos, he was able to lean on his sister and his “Fuller House” co-stars for support throughout his journey. In addition to them, Stamos credited his wife, Caitlin McHugh Stamos, and their son, Billy, for holding him tightly even when he felt he let them down.
“They have kept me on this path because going down the road of being sober and taking care of yourself, everybody tries. Everybody does it. You could get going for a little while. Then, it’s like, ‘I can drink again,’” he said. “So it’s staying on the path is what they mostly do for me.”
