Simon Pegg, best known for his roles in Star Trek and Shaun of the Dead, has revealed that he 'would be dead' if he had not quit drinking. The 56-year-old actor celebrated 16 years of sobriety and shared his journey from heavy alcoholism to a transformed physique.
Dark Times and Rehab
Pegg recalled the dark periods when he drank heavily during trips to Hollywood. He checked into The Priory, a private mental health and addiction rehabilitation service, in 2010. The flagship hospital in Roehampton is famous for treating celebrities. Pegg did not publicly disclose his alcoholism until 2018.
'Going through pain can be very lonely. I was someone people thought was superficially all right, but was not all right and that can make people think, 'Oh everyone feels like this - not just me',' he said.
Fitness and Sobriety
His new appearance, featuring a ripped physique, contrasts sharply with his earlier roles in comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run. Pegg attributed his transformation to quitting drinking. 'There was something positive about just looking after myself, and I love working out because it gets endorphins flowing and gives me a routine,' he told The Sunday Times.
He added: 'The guys that were 56 when I was a kid seemed like my f***ing grandad, and I just want to live for a long time. Because, you know what? I like life.'
Fame and Addiction
Pegg gained fame from the unofficial Shaun of the Dead trilogy and landed major roles in Hollywood franchises like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. He realized he would still be an alcoholic if he weren't famous. 'Fame didn't cause it [alcohol addiction], it might have exacerbated it at times and throw it into sharper relief but, no, it was in me before and just happened slightly in public rather than in private,' he explained.
Intense Training for Role
In 2019, Pegg undertook a six-month fitness regimen with trainer Nick Lower to prepare for his role as a hostage victim in the thriller Inheritance. He dropped from 12 stone to 10 stone but admitted the weight loss was incredibly difficult and discouraged others from following such a drastic method. The training included a daily 10km run, circuits, and strength workouts.
