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The Kremlin said Greenland is in Russia's sphere of 'national and strategic interests' — and it's got its eye on Trump's claims on the territory

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

  • The Kremlin is closely watching Greenland after Trump expressed interest in the US acquiring it.
  • The Kremlin's press secretary said the Arctic is a zone of national interest for Russia.
  • Trump said earlier this week that he would not rule out using military force to seize Greenland.

Russia is keeping a close eye on President-elect Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland.

The Kremlin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russia is "watching the rather dramatic development of the situation very closely," according to a report by Reuters.

"The Arctic is a zone of our national interests, our strategic interests," Peskov said. "We are interested in preserving the atmosphere of peace and stability in the Arctic zone."

Russia has ramped up its military presence in the Arctic in recent years. For example, it has deployed a substantially larger fleet of icebreaker ships — which break up ice in strategic waterways and increase maneuverability for other ships — to the Arctic than the US.

Trump, who expressed interest in buying Greenland as early as 2019, resurfaced his proposition in December and has since doubled down on his stance.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said that he would not rule out using force to secure Greenland, which is an autonomous Danish territory, and regain control of the Panama Canal, a critical waterway for trade.

When asked for assurance that he would not resort to "military or economic coercion" to seize the two, he said, "I can't assure you."

"I'm not going to commit to that," he added.

"People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for National Security," he said of Greenland in the press conference.

He then threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark "at a very high level" if the Scandinavian country resisted giving up control of the Arctic territory.

Russia's statement comes after Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., landed in Greenland on Tuesday and met with locals in Nuuk, the capital city, according to his X posts.

A Tuesday video on his X showed the president-elect calling his son to talk to Nuuk locals.

In response to Trump's comments, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said to a local news outlet on Tuesday that Greenland is "not for sale."

Greenland's Prime Minister, Múte Egede, said in a December Facebook statement, "We are not for sale and will never be for sale."

Trump, meanwhile, has also talked about seizing control of the Panama Canal, a roughly 50-mile canal built in 1914 to link the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It was under US control until it was given to the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) in 1999.

Trump called for the canal's control to be returned to the US, slamming "exorbitant" fees for US ships passing through it.

Representatives of Trump and the Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I married an American and moved to the US 12 years ago. I'm happy now, but I didn't realize how tough the transition would be.

Aerial view of illuminated houses and water in Queenstown Island in New Zealand
I moved to the US 12 years ago, but I still miss my life in New Zealand.

Dragonite_East/Getty Images

  • When I moved from New Zealand to the US, I didn't realize how much it would actually cost me.
  • It's been hard for me to be away from family and to build a community in a new place.
  • When I visit my home country, I often experience reverse culture shock.

I moved from New Zealand to California more than 12 years ago after I met and married an American.

Even though I've been in the US for a long time now, I still experience some of the same challenges I did when I first moved here. Plus, I never stopped feeling the pull of home and the family I left behind in New Zealand.

However, visiting home doesn't always bring the same comfort it once did, as it can be hard to readjust to a culture I haven't lived with for over a decade.

Sometimes, it feels like I have my heart in two countries, but I don't completely belong to either.

Here are some of the biggest challenges I've faced as an expat.

Figuring out how to navigate unfamiliar cultural norms has been difficult

When I first moved here, I discovered the US tends to have a much more cutthroat, competitive culture where people can be overlooked or dismissed if they're not prepared to speak loudly and clearly about their accomplishments.

Back in New Zealand, however, I was used to — and raised in — a culture that encourages people to act humble.

As Kiwis, we don't tend to talk up our accomplishments and we try to give credit to others (even if it rightly belongs to us) for fear of being seen as braggarts. Those who are seen as being "too big for their boots" are deliberately knocked down a peg — a phenomenon so popular in Australia and New Zealand that locals have a term for it: "tall poppy syndrome."

Though they may be small, these sorts of cultural differences can feel like a minefield to navigate and have made some social interactions a source of stress for me for many years.

Being far from family has been tough for me, both financially and emotionally

Four children and a man standing on a large tree branch in a wooded area filled with trees and a creek
When I can afford to visit New Zealand, my daughter loves spending time with her cousins and uncle.

Katie Joll

Although my husband is American, we live far from any family — his nearest relatives are four hours away.

It's been tough to raise our daughter without access to a village of family members.

I especially miss having a community at my 10-year-old daughter's soccer games, where I'm often surrounded by many multigenerational families cheering on their kids. I can't help but feel sad that she doesn't get to experience having a ready-made fan club on the sidelines because her family is so far away.

A child in a green soccer uniform kicks a blue and yellow ball on a field
I wish my daughter had more family cheering her on during her soccer games.

Katie Joll

I'd love to visit our family overseas more often, but it's just not possible when flights between San Francisco and Auckland typically cost over $1,000 — even when booking months in advance.

We can only afford to visit New Zealand every two years or so, and I worry how the distance will impact my daughter's relationships with family over time.

My daughter has cousins in New Zealand and Australia ranging in age from 4 to 16. She's often asked me if we can move closer to them, and I feel bad we can't visit more often.

It's also tough for my family overseas to visit the US, in part due to the exchange rate. The New Zealand dollar is worth about 60 cents here, so a USD$1,000 plane ticket would cost them about NZD$1,790. My brother and sister-in-law even cut a planned trip to the US short because of how expensive it was for them.

These travel costs have also made it tough to navigate family emergencies over the past few years — especially when I got a call that my dad was in the ICU after a nasty fall last year.

Any flights home within the next two weeks would've cost well over $2,500 — way over my budget. Instead, I had to get updates from family over the phone and cheer him on from home as he recovered.

I don't feel completely at home in New Zealand anymore, either

Most of my family still lives in New Zealand, but time and distance naturally create a disconnect with everyday life in my home country.

I look forward to my visits back home, but over the past few years, I've experienced reverse culture shock, a phenomenon that can cause expats to feel like tourists in their country of birth.

It can manifest in relatively simple things, such as not understanding local pop-culture references or feeling removed from the everyday issues that concern my fellow Kiwis. Unfortunately, this has meant my old home can feel strikingly unfamiliar, and there's sometimes a disconnect when I visit.

I can cheer on the All Blacks rugby team, hunt down Kiwi-inspired meat pies, and enjoy the company of fellow expats. However, both my home country and my family are inevitably changing and growing — so I don't always feel a sense of belonging in either the US or New Zealand.

Still, I've done my best to adapt to a new culture and accept a new sense of "normal" about people, places, and routines. Despite the challenges, I feel like I'm in a good place in California, and the relationships I've slowly been building with those around me make life worthwhile.

My experience as an expat hasn't felt easy — but at the end of the day, I'm happy I took a chance on myself and followed my heart.

Read the original article on Business Insider

THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Modern Family' 16 years later

ariel winters modern family then and now
Ariel Winters started on "Modern Family" when she was a child.

Getty/Frederick M Brown/Amanda Edwards

  • ABC's "Modern Family" aired in 2009 and ended in April 2020 after 11 seasons.
  • Actors Ty Burrell and Sofía Vergara made names for themselves in the US because of "Modern Family."
  • Many of the stars haven't acted much since "Modern Family" ended.

ABC's "Modern Family" first aired in 2009.

The popular family sitcom ended in April 2020 after 250 episodes and 11 seasons.

Here's what the cast has been up to in the 16 years since "Modern Family" made its debut.

Ty Burrell made audiences laugh as Phil Dunphy.
ty burrell
Ty Burrell's character's goofy persona made him a fan favorite.

Getty/Jon M. Heller

Burrell played the dad-est dad of all the dads, Phil Dunphy, on the show. His character became known for his goofy and lovable humor.

Prior to this role, Burrell had appeared in a few movies and shows.

Burrell's sense of humor is now his trademark.
Ty Burrell in 2021
Ty Burrell is still cracking jokes.

Araya Doheny/Getty Images

If anything, his humor became a signature of both Dunphy and Burrell and has carried over into his side projects.

Famously, Burrell voiced Bailey in "Finding Dory" (2016), and he was also in a series of humorous Gain detergent commercials that almost felt like a subplot of a "Modern Family" episode.

Recently, he voiced a character on Fox's comedy "Duncanville." The actor is currently set to star in "Tightrope!" — a Roku comedy executive produced by Bryan Cranston.

Julie Bowen found her niche as Claire Dunphy.
julie bowen
Julie Bowen found fame as this now-iconic character.

Getty/Jason Meritt

Before starring as Claire Dunphy, Bowen made the rounds on a variety of television series, including "ER," "Weeds," and "Ed."

She hadn't landed the job that would be her claim to fame — until "Modern Family" aired.

Bowen is still in the industry.
Julie Bowen in 2024
Julie Bowen has taken on multiple roles since "Modern Family."

Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Since "Modern Family" debuted, she's won two Emmy awards for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.

In 2021, she wrapped up voice work on Disney's animated "DuckTales" series and appeared in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and the movie "Mixtape."

In 2024, she was in the Peacock series "Hysteria!"

Ariel Winter played the uber-intelligent Alex Dunphy.
Ariel Winter
Ariel Winter had a few voice-acting roles while appearing on "Modern Family."

Getty/Frederick M Brown

Winter started on the show as middle child and girl genius Alex Dunphy when she was 11 years old.

As she made her way through her teen years as the practical perfectionist on "Modern Family," she lent herself to other big-name shows as a voice actor, like "Phineas and Ferb" and "Sofia the First."

Winter was pursuing her college degree but has paused her studies.
Ariel Winter
Ariel Winter started on "Modern Family" as a kid.

Christine Bartolucci/Variety via Getty Images

Winter began pursuing her college degree at UCLA in fall of 2017, according to Entertainment Tonight.

She paused her studies after a few months, but did say, "I think education's really important. I love being there. I love learning," Winter said. "I will continue to keep learning."

She's been in a few movies since "Modern Family," including "The Quarry" and "Bully."

In recent years, she's spoken about her choice to leave Los Angeles — and, in 2022, she purchased a mansion in Tennessee.

Sarah Hyland played the rebellious oldest Dunphy.
Sarah Hyland
Sarah Hyland's character made a lot of interesting choices.

Getty/Frazer Harrison

Hyland played the troublemaking Haley Dunphy, who had a few mishaps throughout the series, including an underage-drinking arrest.

Before landing her part on "Modern Family," the actor appeared in a number of small roles in TV shows, like "Law & Order," and TV movies, including "Annie" (1999).

Hyland has continued performing.
Sarah Hyland in 2024
Sarah Hyland has done some work in the music industry.

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

In the past few years, Hyland has created viral videos with Boyce Avenue on YouTube, covering popular songs like "Closer" by The Chainsmokers and "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5.

She also performed the catchy song "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" on the television remake of "Dirty Dancing" in 2017.

According to her Instagram bio, she's also the cofounder of the vitamin-infused chocolate brand Sourse.

Nolan Gould starred as Luke.
Nolan Gould
Nolan Gould played the youngest Dunphy kid.

Getty/Jason Meritt

Like Winter and Rico Rodriguez, Gould started on the show at just 11 years old.

As the youngest child in the Dunphy family, Luke started out as a rambunctious and dim-witted kid who was often the center of mischievous antics.

As the series has progressed, however, he's shed his playful ways and the writers have progressively leaned into Luke's lack of intelligence, much like his older sister, Haley.

Gould has shown off his academic chops.
Nolan Gould in 2024
Nolan Gould hasn't acted much since "Modern Family."

Christine Bartolucci/Variety via Getty Images

Even though his "Modern Family" character is famously not bright, the actor is actually very intelligent.

Gould graduated with a GED at just 13 and told Ellen Degeneres in 2013 that his IQ was 150. He's also a member of high-IQ society Mensa International.

He has acted in a handful of projects since "Modern Family" wrapped — recently, he was on an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" and in a few films, including Camp (2023) and "The Nana Project" (2023)

Ed O'Neill owned his role as everyone's favorite (and brutally honest) patriarch.
ed o'neill
Ed O'Neill played the patriarch of the families.

Getty/Frazer Harrison

As the patriarch of the Dunphy-Pritchett clan, O'Neill's character, Jay Pritchett, was problematic at worst and simply ignorant at best during the beginning of the series.

Over the course of the show, Jay became more accepting of the other characters — especially those most different from him.

Prior to this role, the actor appeared in many films but was perhaps most known for playing Al on the series "Married ... With Children" for over a decade.

O'Neill's performance is sure to remain iconic.
Ed O'Neill in 2024
Ed O'Neill is an actor.

Phillip Faraone/WireImage

O'Neill has taken on just a few roles since "Modern Family" ended, including one on FX's "Clipped."

Sofía Vergara became memorable as Gloria on the show.
Sofia Vergara
"Modern Family" helped Sofía Vergara rise to fame in the US.

Getty/Evan Agostini

Before "Modern Family," Colombian-American actor Vergara had small roles in various American television shows and movies and even hosted two shows on Univisión in the late 1990s.

Once she owned the role of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, she became a household name in the United States.

The show helped make Vergara a household name in the US.
Sofia Vergara in 2025
Sofía Vergara has even been the face of CoverGirl.

Earl Gibson III/GG2025/Penske Media via Getty Images

Since then, she's been the face of CoverGirl, been nominated for both Emmys and Golden Globes, and has starred in successful movies like "Hot Pursuit" and "Chef."

She spent years on Forbes' list of the highest-paid television actresses in America. She's also been a judge on "America's Got Talent" and host on "Extra."

In 2024, she lent her voice to "Despicable Me 4" and starred in the Netflix limited series "Griselda."

Rico Rodriguez played Manny Delgado, a kid wise beyond his years.
Rico Rodriguez
Rico Rodriguez embraced Manny's wit and charm.

Getty/Angela Weiss

When 11-year-old Rodriguez was introduced as the unbelievably mature Manny Delgado at the start of the show, his wisdom and class hilariously mismatched the young kid on the screen.

Rodriguez hasn't done much acting since.
On Right: Rico Rodriguez in 2022
Rico Rodriguez played Manny on "Modern Family."

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Since then, Rodriguez has had small roles in several small projects over the years but hasn't acted in a major production since "Modern Family."

Before starring in "Modern Family," Jesse Tyler Ferguson was on Broadway.
jesse tyler ferguson
"Modern Family" was one of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's first big acting roles.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Before he played lawyer Mitchell Pritchett on "Modern Family," the actor had a successful theater career, originating the role of Leaf Coneybear in "The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee."

Ferguson has returned to his theatrical roots.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson in 2024
Jesse Tyler Ferguson has been on Broadway.

Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic

Ferguson and his character Mitchell Pritchett share the same love of theatre and film.

In years since the show first aired, he's taken on off-Broadway roles in "The Tempest" and "Spamalot" and again originated a Broadway role as Sam in "Fully Committed" in 2016.

He also appeared in Taylor Swift's music video for "You Need to Calm Down."

Recently, he released a cookbook with recipe developer Julie Tanous and was in a Broadway revival of "Take Me Out," which opened in 2022.

In 2023 he appeared in the movie "Cocaine Bear."

Eric Stonestreet became the star of the show as Mitchell.
Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet's character is known for being bubbly.

Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez

The chronically optimistic, bubbly, and caring Cameron Tucker on "Modern Family" brought Stonestreet from guest-star status to recognizable TV star.

Before he landed the role, Stonestreet was most recognizable as Ronnie Litre on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and as a hotel desk clerk in "Almost Famous."

He has two Emmy awards for his role on the show.
Eric Stonestreet in 2022
Eric Stonestreet was a star on "Modern Family."

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Stonestreet won two Emmys for his role in "Modern Family."

He's also done voice work for a few shows, including "You're Not a Monster" and "Sofia the First."

In recent years, he appeared in the comedy "American Auto."

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons started the show very young.
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons was a little kid when "Modern Family" began.

Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez

Anderson-Emmons played Lily Tucker-Pritchett, who Cam and Mitchell adopted in season one of the show.

Although twins Jaden and Ella Hiller originally played Lily, Anderson-Emmons took over the role when she was 4 years old.

Anderson-Emmons hasn't done much acting since.
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons in 2024
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons has built herself quite a following on social media.

Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

She has not acted in major projects since the show wrapped in 2020.

She's built up a fairly large following on TikTok and is fairly active on social media.

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Ryanair is suing someone it said forced a flight to divert — as it says it will take action against 'disruptive passengers personally'

Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8 as seen during taxiing, take off and flying phase in Eindhoven Airport EIN.
Ryanair is Europe's largest airline.

Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • Ryanair is suing a passenger it said had forced a flight to divert, it announced Wednesday.
  • The airline said it paid for 160 passengers' accommodation after the diversion meant an overnight delay.
  • It said it would take action against "disruptive passengers personally."

Ryanair announced a clampdown on passenger misconduct as it revealed it was suing someone it accused of disrupting a flight and forcing it to divert.

The budget airline said it wants to claim over 15,000 euros, around $15,500, in damages, having filed proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the airline said it would now take action against "disruptive passengers personally" in a "major misconduct clamp down."

It added it would "continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behavior."

In the statement, it said that the incident occurred on April 9, 2024, on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote — a popular vacation destination in Spain's Canary Islands.

The flight, with 160 passengers on board, diverted to Porto, Portugal, and was delayed overnight, the airline said.

The airline accused the passenger of "inexcusable behavior" but did not elaborate on what they had specifically done.

A Ryanair spokesperson said the incident cost the airline 15,000 euros for overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs.

"It is unacceptable that passengers — many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday — are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger's behavior," the spokesperson said.

"This demonstrates just one of the many consequences that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair's zero-tolerance policy, and we hope this action will deter further disruptive behavior on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment," they added.

Read the original article on Business Insider

A bakeware company is facing nearly $200,000 in fines after 2 workers required amputations due to workplace injures

A man working in a metal smithing workshop.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the Cleveland-based firm for one willful violation and five serious violations.

Phynart Studio/ Getty Images

  • An Ohio-based bakeware company is facing fines of almost $200,000 after two workers suffered major injuries.
  • The workers both experienced what the Labor Department described as "amputation injuries."
  • OSHA cited the company for one willful and five serious violations, urging safety reforms.

A Cleveland, Ohio-based metal bakeware company is facing $182,000 in fines after two employees suffered injuries that resulted in amputations.

According to a press release by the US Department of Labor, the first incident at G&S Metal Products Co., which was founded in 1949, occurred on June 25, 2024, when a 37-year-old worker was using a power press.

As the staff member serviced the machine, the press cycled without warning because its pullbacks were not properly secured, inspectors from the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration said. This contributed to the amputation injury.

Two weeks later, a 64-year-old worker who had been employed by the firm four months previously suffered an amputation injury when clearing scrap from a mechanical power press.

The machine's die closed unexpectedly because it lacked necessary guarding and was not locked out to stop operation during maintenance, OHSA said.

No further detail about the exact nature of the injuries was shared publicly.

G&S Metal Products did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Business Insider.

OHSA ultimately found that G&S Metal Products Co. did not equip its machinery with adequate guarding, did not enforce vital safety protocols — such as enforcing proper lockout/tagout procedures — and did not provide sufficient training to workers in machine safety.

It cited the Ohio company for one willful violation and five serious violations, resulting in $182,000 in proposed penalties.

"These two workers must live with permanent injuries because their employer failed to ensure that adequate guarding was in place," Howard Eberts, the OSHA area director in Cleveland, said in a statement.

"G&S Metal Products Co. Inc. must take immediate action to evaluate and address machine safety across its operations," he added. "Employers have an obligation to adhere to basic safety standards to ensure every worker returns home safely."

In 2017, the firm was also cited after an employee suffered amputation injuries while adjusting a power press.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Tennis player hits woman in front row with errant racket throw

A woman in New Zealand had a scary moment on Tuesday when a tennis racket unexpectedly came flying in her direction.

The incident occurred during the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland when Cameron Norrie hit a forehand return into the net.

Out of frustration, Norrie, who was playing in the same city he was born, threw the racket behind him, but he apparently flung it a little too far.

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The racket hit the woman in the front row, and Norrie was assessed a warning.

The woman was not hurt and actually played it off quite well.

"[The fan] was laughing, and I just said, ‘So sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.’ And she said, ‘Yeah, I’m completely OK.’ That was not a big deal," Norrie said after the match. "But as we saw with some other players, you can easily be defaulted if it catches them in the wrong spot or they’re not looking or something."

The racket throw occurred while Norrie was trailing 6-2, 5-3. He would lose that game shortly afterward to drop the match.

"It is completely not me to do something like that. I apologized very quickly, and I want to apologize in general. I’m not happy with how I behaved," Norrie said.

TENNIS STAR GABRIELA DABROWSKI REVEALS SHE PLAYED IN WIMBLEDON, OLYMPICS WHILE BATTLING BREAST CANCER

The first-round exit for Norrie comes two years after he made the final in the tournament.

At the 2020 U.S. Open, with the stands empty due to COVID-19 restrictions, Novak Djokovic was disqualified after accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball. At the 2023 French Open, Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted from the women's doubles after a ball hit by Kato struck a ball girl.

The Auckland tournament gives players one final warm-up before the Australian Open. The singles draw will be revealed on Thursday, with the first round beginning Sunday.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Trump refuses to rule out using military force to take Greenland or the Panama Canal

Donald Trump
President-elect Donald Trump has a keen interest in Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

  • Trump wouldn't rule out using military force to take Greenland and retake the Panama Canal.
  • The president-elect made the remarks during a major press conference just days before his 2nd term.
  • Denmark has emphatically stated that Greenland isn't for sale.

President-elect Donald Trump isn't ruling out using military force in an effort to gain control of Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal.

During a Tuesday press conference, Trump was asked if he'd assure the world that he wouldn't use military or economic coercion to secure the sovereign territory and the vital waterway, respectively.

The president-elect in his response reinforced the critical economic importance that he sees in Greenland and the Panama Canal.

"I can't assure you," he said. "I'm not going to commit to that. It might be that you'll have to do something."

Q: Can you assure the world that as you try to get control of areas like Greenland or Panama you are not gonna use military or economic coercion?

TRUMP: No. I can't assure you. I'm not going to commit to that. It might be that you'll have to do something. pic.twitter.com/YbscfcOgmH

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 7, 2025

"We need Greenland for national security purposes," he continued. "People don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it. But if they do, they should give it up."

Late last year, Trump spoke about possibly taking back control of the Panama Canal from Panama as well as his wish to secure Greenland from Denmark. He also floated buying Greenland in 2019.

Trump during Tuesday's press conference also threatened to "tariff Denmark at a very high level" if the country didn't give up control of Greenland.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark earlier on Tuesday said that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders," adding that the strategic Arctic island is "not for sale."

Greenland is a Danish colony, though it has had self-rule since 1979. Greenland could declare its independence but would need to hold a formal vote first. Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede said recently that it was "time to take the next step for our country," hinting at the possibility of a referendum this year.

As for the Panama Canal, the Carter Administration signed a treaty in 1977 that began a process that led to Panama taking full control of the canal in 1999. Last month, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a statement that his nation controls "every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area."

Shortly after, Trump responded on Truth Social by stating, "We'll see about that," and then posted a photo with the caption, "Welcome to the United States Canal!"

Business Insider has reached out to representatives of Trump for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Trump Jr. is heading for Greenland, shortly after his father said the US should take over the island

Donald Trump Jr., son of President-Elect Donald Trump attends the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President-Elect Donald Trump, is visiting Greenland this week.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

  • Donald Trump Jr. is visiting Greenland, a territory his father said the US should take over.
  • President-elect Trump recently resurfaced a first-term idea of his to buy the Arctic island.
  • Greenland and Denmark have strongly rebuffed the idea.

Donald Trump Jr. is heading to Greenland shortly after his father renewed remarks that the US should take over the Danish territory.

President-Elect Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that his eldest son and "various representatives" would be traveling to the Arctic island to "visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights."

Trump added that "the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation."

The post was accompanied by a video featuring someone, seemingly from Greenland, wearing a MAGA hat and saying that the country doesn't want to be "colonized" by Denmark anymore.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a US ally and NATO member.

A private visit

In a statement provided to Business Insider, Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged Trump Jr.'s trip but said it had no further comment as it was not an "official American visit."

During his first term in office, Trump proposed that the US buy Greenland, which the country's then-Prime Minister, Kim Kielsen, firmly rejected, saying, "Greenland is not for sale and cannot be sold."

In recent weeks, as he gears up for his second term, Trump has once again revisited the idea of buying the massive island, which is replete with natural resources.

On December 23, he said in a Truth Social post that ownership and control of Greenland is an "absolute necessity" for the US.

He made the comments in a post announcing his choice for US Ambassador to Denmark, soon after he threatened to take over the Panama Canal.

Reuters, citing a source familiar with the upcoming trip, said Trump Jr. will not be meeting Greenlandic politicians and is instead traveling to the country to record video footage for a podcast.

Representatives for Trump Jr. did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Nuuk in Greenland
Greenland, the world's largest island, is an autonomous territory of Denmark.

Jessie Brinkman Evans/Getty Images

Elon Musk, who is expected to help guide Trump's second term, has also weighed in, posting on X that "the people of Greenland should decide their future and I think they want to be part of America!"

While Greenland residents hold Danish citizenship, the government manages local affairs.

In response to President-Elect Trump's post in December, Greenland's Prime Minister, Múte B. Egede, said, "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our struggle for freedom."

In a recent speech, Egede expressed hopes that the territory would pursue independence from Denmark.

Hours after Trump's December post, the Danish government announced a huge boost in defense spending for Greenland. On Monday, King Frederik of Denmark updated the royal coat of arms to more prominently feature Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Trump, who will take office on January 20, has also referred to Canada as the "51st state."

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40 celebrities who have been open about their sobriety

A composite image of Tom Holland, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Bradley Cooper.
Tom Holland, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Bradley Cooper are among the stars who have spoken about their sobriety.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP; Evan Agostini/Invision/AP; Myrna M. Suarez/Getty Images for ABA

  • Some celebrities are open about their sobriety.
  • For some stars, abstaining from alcohol and drugs comes after overcoming addiction.
  • Bradley Cooper, Tom Holland, Jessica Simpson, and more stars have spoken about their sobriety. 

Some celebrities are open about personal hardships, like efforts to abstain from alcohol and drugs. 

Actors like Jamie Lee Curtis, Bradley Cooper, and Anthony Hopkins have been sober for over a decade, while stars like Tom Holland and Lucy Hale have been candid about embarking on their sobriety journeys in recent years. Others, including Dax Shepard and Kelly Osbourne, have been honest about the challenges of maintaining their sober lifestyle.

Here are 40 celebrities who have spoken about their sobriety. 

Anjelica Oswald contributed to a previous version of this article. 

Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper at the LA premiere of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
Bradley Cooper in April 2023.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Cooper has been sober since he was 29. He told GQ in 2013 that he got sober because he realized that "if I continued it, I was really going to sabotage my whole life."

Cooper played a musician struggling with addiction in 2018's "A Star Is Born," which he also directed. He told Variety that it was a "cathartic" experience. 

"Anytime you're trying to tell the truth you need to go to places and use things that have happened to you, or you've read about or experienced," he said. "And that's all part of the beauty of turning whatever things you've gone through into a story. I find that to be very cathartic."

During an appearance on a 2023 episode of "Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge," Cooper said that he was "very lucky" to overcome his addictions. 

Cooper also said he was grateful to be sober when he played Jackson Maine in "A Star Is Born."

"Thank goodness I was at a place in my life where I was at ease with all of that, so I could really let myself go," he said. "I've been very lucky with the roles I've had to play. It's been a real blessing. I hope I get to keep doing it."

Tom Holland
Tom Holland at the NY premiere of "The Crowded Room" in June 2023.
Tom Holland in June 2023.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Holland spoke about his decision to become sober during an appearance on the podcast "On Purpose With Jay Shetty," released in July 2023.

After having a "very boozy December," the British actor chose to participate in Dry January. During that time, Holland found that he kept thinking about drinking, "and it just really scared me," to the point that he realized he has a dependency. 

Holland said he was "definitely addicted to alcohol" and didn't know how to navigate social settings without drinking. 

"I was really, really struggling and I started to really worry that maybe I had an alcohol problem. So I decided that I would wait until my birthday, which is June 1," the actor said. "I said to myself, 'If I can do six months without alcohol, then I can prove to myself that I don't have a problem.' And by the time I got to June 1, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life."

"It's honestly been the best thing I've ever done," Holland added. "I'm a year and a half into it now. It doesn't even cross my mind. I've found amazing replacements that I think are fantastic, ones that are also really healthy."

Holland's sobriety also led him to launch Bero, a premium non-alcoholic beer brand in 2024. 

Jamie Campbell Bower
Jamie Campbell Bower in November 2022.
Jamie Campbell Bower in November 2022.

Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix

"12 and a half years ago I was in active addiction," the "Stranger Things" star wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, in July 2022. "Hurting myself and those around me who I loved the most. It got so bad that eventually I ended up in a hospital for mental health. I am now 7 1/2 years clean and sober."

"I have made many mistakes in my life, but each day is a chance to start again. Atone for mistakes and grow," he continued. "For anyone who wakes up thinking 'oh god not again' I promise you there's a way."

"I'm so grateful to be where I am, I'm so grateful to be sober," he said. "I'm so grateful to be. Remember, we are all works in progress."

Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson in September 2022.
Jessica Simpson in September 2022.

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Jessica Simpson Collection

Simpson celebrated seven years of sobriety in November.

"I was at a place where I was literally spiraling with the alcohol and I was missing out on moments with my children, and then they were seeing me and they were very confused," Simpson said during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in 2020.

"I just wanted to be present and have clarity and be a good role model for my children, because I always wanted to be a good role model for the world, so why in the world would I be stuck in this cycle of having to wake up and have a drink before going to one of their school assemblies?" she continued. 

"It got to the point where all of my life has escalated and I couldn't suppress it," Simpson said. "And alcohol, it wasn't working. It was making me completely check out."

The star said that when she stopped drinking, she had "so much clarity."

 

Eminem
Eminem performing in November 2022.
Eminem performing in November 2022.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, almost died from an accidental overdose of the drug methadone in 2007. He later entered rehab and celebrated 12 years of sobriety in April 2020.

Eminem opened up about his addictions in a 2022 essay for XXL magazine, saying that drugs became "a part of the way I was living my life" once he got signed to a record label. 

The rapper recounted going to Tijuana multiple times to get drugs like Vicodin because it was "so easy to go back and forth to do it."

He said the "heaviest drug usage and addiction spanned only about five years of my life." His addiction worsened following the release of "The Marshall Mathers LP," as he was readying for his "Encore" album. 

"I was taking Vicodin, Valium, and alcohol," Eminem said. 

At one point, the rapper said he was taking 75 to 80 Valiums "a night."

During an appearance on Paul Rosenberg's "Paul Pod" podcast in 2022, Eminem spoke about how his life changed when he got clean while working on his "Relapse" album. 

"I remember when I first got sober and all the shit was out of my system, I remember just being, like, really happy and everything was fucking new to me again," he said. "It was the first album and the first time that I had fun recording in a long time." 

Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. at the UK premiere of "Oppenheimer" in July 2023.
Robert Downey Jr. at the UK premiere of "Oppenheimer" in July 2023.

Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP

Robert Downey Jr. was arrested multiple times on drug-related charges over the span of a few years in the late '90s. He later spent time at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison and has focused on staying sober since.

"Job one is get out of that cave," he told Vanity Fair in 2014. "A lot of people do get out but don't change. So the thing is to get out and recognize the significance of that aggressive denial of your fate, come through the crucible forged into a stronger metal."

Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe in April 2023.
Rob Lowe in April 2023.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Rob Lowe received the Spirit of Sobriety award in 2015 to celebrate 25 clean years.

"Being in recovery has given me everything of value that I have in my life," Lowe said when accepting the award. "Integrity, honesty, fearlessness, faith, a relationship with God, and most of all gratitude. It's given me a beautiful family and an amazing career. I'm under no illusions where I would be without the gift of alcoholism and the chance to recover from it."

Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris in June 2023.
Calvin Harris in June 2023.

Joe Maher/Getty Images

DJ and producer Calvin Harris told the BBC that he stopped drinking at 24 because it was affecting his work.

"I wasn't an alcoholic or anything like that, but it was clearly affecting what I do," he said. "My live shows are a million times better now. If you drink, you can't even remember if it's a good show or not — and that's probably for the best, because it would have been rubbish because I'd have been drunk and not making any sense."

Lucy Hale
Lucy Hale in July 2023.
Lucy Hale in July 2023.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Miu Miu

Hale told Byrdie that she decided to quit drinking after spending a few years in the party scene.

"I'm just always trying to surround myself with better people and be the best version of myself possible," she said. "I know it sounds obnoxious to hear people say that, but why not?"

Hale celebrated three years of sobriety with an Instagram post in January 2025. Hale said that since choosing to abstain from alcohol, "I've experienced moments that can only be described as pure miracles and magic."

"I am deeply grateful every day—for the people who have been guiding lights, for a power greater than myself that loves me unconditionally, and for my own perseverance in not giving up," she wrote. "To all of you who have supported my journey, I have felt your love and it means everything to me."

Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe in November 2022.
Daniel Radcliffe in November 2022.

Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

In a conversation with Marc Maron for his "WTF" podcast in 2015, Daniel Radcliffe opened up about his alcohol addiction. 

"There was definitely a time when I was coming out of 'Potter' and I was into the real world, suddenly I was in a world where I'm not going to have that consistency anymore," he said. "I was pretty inconsolable on the last day of 'Potter.' I was really worried. I was living alone, and I think I was really freaked out ... I drank a lot, as has been recorded."

Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey performs on stage at L'Olympia on July 10, 2023 in Paris, France.
Lana Del Rey performing in July 2023.

Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

In an interview with British GQ in 2012, Lana Del Rey spoke about her struggles with alcohol and drugs as an underage teen.

"That's really why I got sent to boarding school aged 14 — to get sober," she said. "I was a big drinker at the time. I would drink every day. I would drink alone. ... I knew it was a problem when I liked it more than I liked doing anything else."

She eventually ended up at a rehab center for drug and alcohol addicts when she was 18.

Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck at the world premiere of "Air" in March 2023.
Ben Affleck in March 2023.

Ashley Landis/AP

Affleck first checked into rehab in 2001 and has continued to work on his sobriety through the years. In March 2017, the actor took to his Facebook page to talk about going back to rehab. 

"I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction; something I've dealt with in the past and will continue to confront," he wrote. "I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be." 

His ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, took him to rehab again in August 2018. 

In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Affleck named Bradley Cooper and Robert Downey Jr. as "guys who have been very supportive and to whom I feel a great sense of gratitude."

He also said that it "took me a long time to fundamentally, deeply, without a hint of doubt, admit to myself that I am an alcoholic."

Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt in February 2023.
Brad Pitt in February 2023.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

In a 2017 interview with GQ, the actor talked about quitting drinking. 

"I mean, we have a winery. I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground," he said. "I had to step away for a minute. And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good." 

Kristin Davis.
Kristin Davis on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen" in June 2023.
Kristin Davis on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen" in June 2023.

Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images

Davis spoke with Health magazine about her addiction in 2010. 

"I'm a recovering alcoholic," she said. "I've never hid it, but I've been sober the whole time I've been famous, so it wasn't like I had to go to rehab publicly."

Keith Urban
Keith Urban performing in June 2023.
Keith Urban performing in June 2023.

Terry Wyatt/WireImage

Keith Urban told Rolling Stone in 2016 that he turned to drugs and drinking in the late '90s. 

"I stepped up my drinking. I started doing more drugs," he said. "Yeah, man. The whole back end of the '90s were just awful."

He added: "You know, early on in my sobriety, there was a period when I wished I hadn't succumbed to drugs and everything the way I did. It sucked up so much creative time, when I should have been in the studio working. But I don't know what came from that time, other than that I'm where I am because of, or in spite of, nobody knows and never will."

Joe Manganiello
Joe Manganiello in March 2023.
Joe Manganiello in March 2023.

Cindy Ord/VF23/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

"I battled with addiction at a young age and got to the other side of that," he told Haute Living in 2015. "That's an ongoing battle. I think there's a story in there somewhere about trying to find my way through that and making it to where I am today." 

In 2018, he accepted a Spirit of Sobriety award.

"Sixteen years ago … I crashed and washed ashore on the banks of sobriety," he said. "When I was growing up, when I thought of an alcoholic, I thought of some toothless old guy in a trench coat in a basement somewhere. I just never thought that would apply to me. That type of stigma kept me from getting the help that I needed when I knew I needed it."

Gerard Butler
Gerard Butler in January 2023.
Gerard Butler in January 2023.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Butler spoke to Men's Journal in 2012 about being 15 years sober then. He said he went to rehab before he could reach full-blown pill addiction. 

"Maybe a stronger person wouldn't have needed to go," he said. "When you hear the word rehab, you think, 'He's a mess, he's fucked up.' But I'm glad I did it. I've made a shitload of wrong decisions in my life. But I know I've made some right ones as well."

Tobey Maguire
tobey maguire
Tobey Maguire in 2019.

Hutton Supancic/Getty Images

In 2003, the actor opened up to Playboy about being a recovering alcoholic and going to Alcoholics Anonymous.

"It's just all practical," he said. "There are no holes in the program. It's so, so simple. I come in, I ask for help. It has totally changed my life."

Russell Brand
Russell Brand in January 2020.
Russell Brand in January 2020.

Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Brand went on "Megyn Kelly Today" to discuss his recovery in 2017. He previously had an addiction to heroin and alcoholism. 

"When I started, I took it one day at a time," he said. "Ultimately, I found that spirituality worked for me."

He celebrated 20 years of sobriety in December 2022.

"I'm 20 years clean and sober today," the comedian said on Instagram. "Thank you to all the people who have helped me to remain clean. It's never done on your own."

Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor in April 2023.
Ewan McGregor in April 2023.

Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney

Ewan McGregor has been sober since 2001. He told Playboy in 2005 that he stopped drinking before it could ruin his life.

"I knew I was lucky, and somehow I knew that if I didn't stop, everything would go tits up — my career, my family, my everything," he said. 

Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell in May 2023.
Naomi Campbell in May 2023.

Lionel Hahn/Getty Images

Vogue reported that the model didn't know if she'd make it through the early 2000s. 

"The time between 1998 and 2005 was especially bad," she said. "During that time I avoided looking in the mirror, because I didn't like the person who was looking back at me. To be honest, there were times I thought I wouldn't survive. I used to have a lot of problems. Amongst others I drank too much so I joined Alcoholics Anonymous to get and stay sober."

She is also a member of Narcotics Anonymous. 

"It doesn't matter what walk of life — addiction and alcoholism doesn't discriminate," she said at the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in 2017. 

Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell at the 2023 Oscars.
Colin Farrell at the 2023 Oscars.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2017, Farrell celebrated his recovery. Farrell reportedly checked into rehab again in 2018 as a preventive measure when he began to feel urges, according to The Sun. 

He spoke about getting clean in a 2021 interview with The Irish Times, saying: "After 15 or 20 years of carousing the way I caroused and drinking the way I drank, the sober world is a pretty scary world."

"To come home and not to have the buffer support of a few drinks just to calm the nerves, it was a really amazing thing," Farrell added.

Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw performing in June 2023.
Tim McGraw performing in June 2023.

Terry Wyatt/WireImage

Tim McGraw quit drinking in 2008 when his family and friends began to worry about him.

"When your wife tells you it's gone too far, that's a big wake-up call," he told Men's Health."That, and realizing you're gonna lose everything you have. Not monetarily, not career-wise, but family-wise. I drank too much. I partied too much. And did other things too much." 

Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy in September 2021.
Tom Hardy in September 2021.

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sony

Hardy has been sober since he was 25. The actor sobered up in 2003 by using a 12-step program. He told Esquire it was his "first port of call." 

"It was hard enough for me to say, 'I'm an alcoholic,'" he said. "But staying stopped is fucking hard."

Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne in May 2023.
Kelly Osbourne in May 2023

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

Osbourne relapsed in 2021, after almost four years of sobriety.

"I am an addict and had thought that I had enough time under my belt and I could drink like a normal person, and it turns out I cannot and I will never be normal," Osbourne told Extra at the time. 

"This is something I am going to battle for the rest of my life," she added. "It's never going to be easy."

She celebrated one year of sobriety the following year.

"What a difference a year can make!" she wrote on Instagram. "If you would have told me 365 days ago that I would be sober, happy, and about to be a mumma I would have laughed in your face. Life is truly amazing when you do the work. Thank you to everyone that has supported me on this journey."

John Goodman
John Goodman in June 2023.
John Goodman in June 2023.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Goodman struggled with alcoholism for years and even drank while filming the original "Roseanne." At one point, star Roseanne Barr confronted him about it. 

While on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show in March 2018, Goodman said, "She was scared for me, but she was more confrontational. She'd already had a husband go through the process."

He added: "The last four years were pretty bad, and I was drinking at work and [Barr] was scared for me. I was ashamed of myself, but I couldn't stop."

Dax Shepard
Dax Shepard in March 2023.
Dax Shepard in March 2023.

Jason Bollenbacher/Getty Images for SXSW

In 2012, Shepard told Playboy that he struggled with an addiction to drugs and alcohol. He said that from the ages of 18 to 29, he was a "heavy smoker, heavy drinker, drug addict, terrible eater, and philanderer."

"I just loved to get fucked-up — drinking, cocaine, opiates, marijuana, diet pills, pain pills, everything," he told Playboy. "Mostly my love was Jack Daniel's and cocaine."

He said that he'd get sober for some movie roles but then get right back into his drug and alcohol habits. 

Shepard's wife Kristen Bell wrote an emotional post on Instagram in September 2018 to celebrate his 14th year of sobriety. 

"I know how much you loved using. I know how much it got in your way. And I know, because I saw, how hard you worked to live without it," she wrote. "I will forever be in awe of your dedication, and the level of fierce moral inventory you perform on yourself, like an emotional surgery, every single night...'m so proud that you have never been ashamed of your story, but instead shared it widely, with the hope it might inspire someone else to become the best version of themselves."

In 2020, Shepard revealed on his podcast, "Armchair Expert," that he relapsed after 16 years of sobriety following a motorcycle accident that resulted in him using painkillers. At the time of the episode's release, the actor was seven days sober. 

Stephen Moyer
Stephen Moyer in February 2023.
Stephen Moyer in February 2023.

Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF

The "True Blood" star stopped drinking and went into rehab after the birth of his first son. 

"I got to a point in my life where I was totally out of control," he told The Telegraph in 2017. " I was shocked into doing something about it and fatherhood was definitely a big aspect of that —the catalyst that shook me. And I would never want to go back there." 

He added: "People, say, 'When are you going to be able to have a drink again?' And my answer to that is, 'I've already drunk all the drinks that I was supposed to drink in one lifetime.'"

John Mayer
John Mayer in August 2023.
John Mayer in August 2023.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Following Drake's 30th birthday party, Mayer was hungover for six days. It was after that experience that he decided to stop drinking.

"I looked out the window and I went, 'OK, John, what percentage of your potential would you like to have? Because if you say you'd like 60, and you'd like to spend the other 40 having fun, that's fine," he told Complex. "'But what percentage of what is available to you would you like to make happen? There's no wrong answer. What is it?' I went, '100.'"

During a 2022 interview on the podcast "Call Her Daddy," Mayer said that he hasn't really dated since getting sober.

"I don't think I have to, to be quite honest," he said. "I quit drinking like six years ago, so I don't have the liquid courage. I just have dry courage."

Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid in August 2023.
Dennis Quaid in August 2023.

Ed Rode/Getty Images

Quaid opened up about his cocaine addiction in an interview with The Sunday Times in 2018.

"I liked coke," he said. "I liked it to go out. I missed it for quite a while. I was doing about two grams a day."

He said he was "lucky" to get a sign that led him to rehab. 

"I had one of those white-light experiences where I saw myself being dead and losing everything I had worked for my whole life, so I put myself in rehab," he said. 

He stopped drinking for 10 years while kicking his drug addiction but later got back into alcohol.

"I started drinking again, because alcohol was never my problem," he said. "I never liked the feeling of being drunk. I would do coke and I would use alcohol to come down." 

Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen in May 2021.
Charlie Sheen in May 2021.

Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images

Sheen has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for years. He quit doing cocaine and drinking for 11 years, but he told Dr. Oz in 2016 that he relapsed following his HIV diagnosis. 

"It was to suffocate the anxiety and what my life was going to become with this condition and getting so numb I didn't think about it," he said. "It was the only tool I had at the time, so I believed that would quell a lot of that angst. A lot of that fear. And it only made it worse." 

The actor told Us Weekly in 2019 that his daughter helped him realize he needed to get sober. 

"It was a Sunday. My daughter called and said, 'I need to get to this appointment immediately,' and I'd already had a few drinks," he said.

Sheen called a friend to drive because he couldn't.

"On the drive back, I was just like, 'Damn, man, I'm not available. I'm just not responsible, and there's no nobility in that,'" he said. "It was that night, I just sat with all that." 

Sheen continued: "If you can't be available for the basic necessity of being there for your children, then something really needs to shift. It was that next day that I said, 'All right. It's time. Let's give this a shot.' And then a month went by, a couple months went by, I'm [like], 'Alright. This feels good. This feels good.'"

The actor also told Jay Leno in 2019 that his sobriety "didn't require anything super dramatic and crazy and front-page news."

Zac Efron
TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 13: Zac Efron attends "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" Premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 13, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario.
Zac Efron in September 2022.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Back in 2013, Efron went to rehab for an alcohol addiction.

"I was drinking a lot, way too much," he told The Hollywood Reporter about a year after his stint at rehab. "It's never one specific thing. I mean, you're in your 20s, single, going through life in Hollywood, you know? Everything is thrown at you."

He joined Alcoholics Anonymous and started seeing a therapist to help him on his journey, but added that battling addictions is a "never-ending struggle."

He told Elle in 2016 that getting sober provided him with "structure" in his life. 

 

Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis in 2023.
Jamie Lee Curtis in 2023.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

Curtis has been sober for more than 20 years. In an interview with People magazine in 2018, Curtis revealed that she became addicted to opioids for 10 years following minor plastic surgery in 1989.

"I was ahead of the curve of the opiate epidemic," Curtis told the magazine. "I had a 10-year run, stealing, conniving. No one knew. No one."

Her husband didn't even know until she went to her first recovery meeting in 1999. 

"Getting sober remains my single greatest accomplishment," Curtis said. "Bigger than my husband, bigger than both of my children, and bigger than any work, success, failure. Anything."

Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin in May 2022.
Josh Brolin in May 2022.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Amazon Studios

Brolin entered rehab in 2013 and honored his five-year anniversary of being sober with an emotional Instagram post detailing a horrific night he was drunk. 

"Drunk: when you think you're having a rip roaring time and the next morning you wake up and your brain has broken into a frenzied beehive, and your body is shattered shards of sharp glass desperately searching for what fits where and your spirit is being eaten by worms with great white bloodied teeth and your heart has shriveled into a black prune churning your intestines to the point where dysentery feels attractive," he wrote. 

He continued: "And you can't remember anything you did so you roll out of bed over last night's urine and you dial your best friend's phone number because you recall him lifting you over his head, your whole self, before you hit and broke through the drywall and, you think, a large aquarium and the phone on the other end rings and he picks it up, that clambering for a phone, the clumsiness of a hardline, and you say: 'What did I do last night?!' and he answers, after a great pause: '…Dude…'. #5years."

In 2021, he celebrated his sobriety by posting a photo of his younger self, accompanied by a lengthy caption.

"Sobriety is finally loving without every thought being about how it affects only you," he said in part. "Sobriety is a moment of being able to love and be consumed by the glee it brings someone else. Sobriety is knowing the difference between selfishness and integrity."

In his 2024 memoir "From Under the Truck," Brolin said that he hit rock bottom when he visited his sickly 99-year-old grandmother while intoxicated. 

"I knew that was going to be the last time I drank," he wrote. 

"I love being sober," Brolin added. "I have more fun. There's nothing that I go through that I am absolutely certain wouldn't be worse if I was drinking."

Rob Delaney
Rob Delaney in June 2022.
Rob Delaney in June 2022.

Guy Smallman/Getty Images

"It's almost two decades," Delaney shared on Instagram in February 2022. "And I'm shocked and overwhelmed and grateful."

"Twenty years ago I was in jail in a wheelchair and now I'm on a couch, with a lovely quilt, and my life is unrecognizable," he said. 

"I got a lot of help from a lot of wonderful people," the actor added. "I started doing volunteer work after I'd been sober for a while, and through that I met my wife 18 years ago, and we've had so many children together. And I had the courage to pursue the career that I really wanted to."

Delaney lost his two-year-old son Henry in 2018 and credited his sobriety with helping him experience grief. 

"Sobriety allowed me to be a reasonably good dad, husband, and worker through it all," he said on X in 2019, when he celebrated 17 years. "Sobriety allows me to grieve fully, and grief is an expression of love." 

John Stamos
John Stamos in May 2023.
John Stamos in May 2023.

Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

The actor spoke about his sobriety while presenting "Full House" costar Jodie Sweetin with the Writers In Treatment's Experience, Strength and Hope Award for her advocacy work for people in recovery. 

"It took me a long time, a long time disappointing everyone who cared about me, culminating in a terrible DUI where I could have killed somebody," Stamos said. "I hit rock bottom."

He continued: "Jodie lovingly allowed me to walk my own path and when I finally humbled myself to ask for your help, I realized that the perky little blabbermouth had become the master of wisdom and was right by my side during some of the most difficult days of my life." 

Elton John
Elton John performing in June 2023.
Elton John performing in June 2023.

Jim Dyson/Redferns

In a 2019 Instagram post, John wrote that "29 years ago today, I was a broken man. I finally summoned up the courage to say 3 words that would change my life: 'I need help.'" 

"Thank you to all the selfless people who have helped me on my journey through sobriety," he said. "I am eternally grateful."

John reflected on his addiction in a 2019 interview with Variety, saying that he "had reached the lowest ebb in my life — the absolute bottom."

"I hated myself so much," he said. "I was consumed with shame. All I wanted to do was get well. I put all of the energy I had left toward my recovery."

Kit Harington
Kit Harington in August 2024.
Kit Harington in August 2024.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

In an interview with GQ Hype, Kit Harington said that pre-sobriety, it was "physically and emotionally impossible for me not to drink again," and he's "lucky" he got clean before parenthood. (Harington shares a son and a daughter with his wife and "Game of Thrones" costar Rose Leslie.)

"The very fact that I can be proud of it is an achievement," he said, explaining that he used to be self-loathing and despise himself. "So the fact that I am proud of getting sober is in and of itself a mark of being an entirely different person."

Harington added that his sobriety has positively affected his work life, too.

"And now, every set I step onto, whatever work I do, I'm proud of, because I know I put everything into it," he said. "Whereas before I had this huge monkey on my back that was just, like, weighing me down. So yeah, the whole nature of being proud of myself is a relatively new prospect for me."

Flavor Flav
Flava Flav in February 2023.
Flava Flav in February 2023.

Matt York/AP

Flavor Flav, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr., has been sober since 2020.

On World Mental Health Day in October, he shared an Instagram post days ahead of celebrating four years of sobriety.

"My mental health is an important part of my sobriety journey," he said.

The musician said that he speaks to two therapists: a real one and an AI therapist, whom he uses between his hectic schedule and work travels.

Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins in March 2022.
Anthony Hopkins in March 2022.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Days before turning 87 in late December, Hopkins shared an encouraging message about his sobriety and the moment he had a wake-up call.

"I was having such fun," Hopkins said in a video shared on Instagram. "But then I realized I was in big, big trouble because I couldn't remember anything and I was driving a car drunk out of my skull."

"Then on that fatal day, I realized I needed help. So I got it," he added. "I phoned up a group of people like me — alcoholic. And that was it. Sober. I've had more fun these 49 years than ever."

 

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I moved from the US to Spain. Instead of going home for Christmas, I ditched my family for my dream trip to Ireland.

temple bar in dublin decorated for christmas
I'm glad I skipped Christmas in the US and traveled to Ireland instead.

Goncharovaia/Shutterstock

  • I moved from the US to Spain, and instead of going home for the holidays, I went to Ireland.
  • I didn't do a ton of planning, but I decided to limit my trip to West Cork and Dublin.
  • I had such a great time and met lots of friendly fellow travelers along the way.

Last year, I moved from New Jersey to Spain.

As much as I love my family, being in the US stresses me out. Instead of flying home, I wanted to experience something new this holiday season that would hopefully be a salve to the constant political disappointment I've been feeling as a Black woman living in the country.

Although Barcelona (my current city) comes alive during December with Christmas markets, festive lights, and a wave of tourists, I was craving greenery, the tranquility of nature, and maybe a sprinkle of luxury (at least for a few days). I knew I'd find that in Ireland, which I've loved every time I've visited.

Less than a month before Christmas, I did some last-minute planning to make my dream trip a reality.

I set my sights on County Cork

bathtub in a suite at an estate in west cork ireland
I stayed at Liss Ard Estate in West Cork.

Shayna Conde

I've been to Ireland a few times, and multiple people I've met abroad have encouraged me to visit West Cork.

The somewhat underrated foodie destination is covered in farmland and remnants of Ireland's once-abundant temperate rainforests.

My curiosity was fully piqued, so I booked an extended weekend at Liss Ard Estate in the town of Skibbereen.

The luxurious estate was a bit of a splurge for me — the cheapest suites start at 160 euros, or about $166, a night — but I considered it a Christmas gift to myself.

The county's natural views were straight out of a movie

heavily forested area in west cork ireland
I thought West Cork looked a bit like something out of "Jurrasic Park."

Shayna Conde

I hoped to spend time in nature during my trip, but I wasn't expecting to see greenery similar to "Jurassic Park" in the winter Irish countryside.

I spent most of my time in West Cork wandering the Irish Sky Garden, which James Turrell created in the 1990s.

I didn't even know about the internationally renowned masterpiece of interactive natural art when I booked my stay, but it's safe to say I was forever changed by the beautiful installation.

shayna posing in the sky garden in west cork ireland
Every nature lover should visit the Sky Garden.

Shayna Conde

The Sky Garden is basically just a giant concave oval. When standing inside it, the sounds of nature are amplified, and the sky turns into a massive portrait.

As I lay on the rock slab, staring at the sky and hearing blades of grass shuffle in the breeze, I was reminded how wonderful it is to just be present in the moment.

I returned to an old haunt for Christmas Day

dorm room at Jacob's inn hostel in Dublin
I've stayed at Jacob's Inn before.

Shayna Conde

I loved the solitude of West Cork, but I planned on spending Christmas Day in Dublin, more specifically, at Jacob's Inn.

I've stayed in this hostel every time I've visited Dublin. As an avid solo traveler, I rarely find accommodations that organically create the feeling of family among strangers, but this place does it for me every time.

Immediately after entering and putting my bags in storage, I met a travel buddy at the bar who mildly peer-pressured me into going to a reggaeton club (something I didn't even know existed in Dublin).

We had a blast.

There was plenty to do in the capital city

large painting on display at the irish national gallery
The National Gallery is free to visit.

Shayna Conde

Although Dublin was crowded with a wave of holiday tourists and locals gathering with friends and family, I was still able to carve out dedicated time to rest, regroup, and explore the city at my own pace.

Two of my favorite adventures were finding The Little Pig Speakeasy and visiting the city's museums.

The four properties of the National Museum of Ireland and the National Gallery are all free to the public, so I took my time wandering through as many exhibits as I could.

inside the little pig speakeasy in dublin
I'm glad we were able to find the Little Pig Speakeasy.

Shayna Conde

The speakeasy was the most authentic-feeling one I've been to in years.

To enter, my hostel buddy and I had to find a pay phone, type three numbers, say a code that we got from a local store owner, enter a trick wall, and then follow the neon pig. The tasty cocktails were worth the effort we spent getting into the bar.

My trip ended up being the perfect way to spend Christmas

shayna in front of a christmas tree at an estate in west cork
I can't wait for another solo trip next Christmas.

Shayna Conde

Other than talking to my mom on Christmas Day, everything about this holiday was new for me.

At times, it was a bit overwhelming. However, not knowing what each day would bring during a season that's usually steeped in tradition was also exciting.

Whether I return to Ireland in December 2025 or set off to another country, I'm excited to make solo travel my new holiday tradition.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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