Patricia Heaton Credits God with Helping Her Stop Drinking: 'I'm Willing, but I'm Unable'
Emmy-winning actress Patricia Heaton is speaking candidly about her past struggles with alcohol, saying it once gained control over her before the power of God helped her stop drinking.
Heaton is best known for her role in the popular comedy series "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996-2005), but in recent years has also lent her talent to a string of faith-based projects, including "Moms’ Night Out" (2014), "The Star" (2017), "The Unbreakable Boy" (2025) and the podcast series "The Christ" (2026).
Heaton says in a new interview with Woman’s World that faith has played a key role in her life, including in helping her recognize her growing dependence on alcohol.
“Right before the [2020] pandemic, my children had left home, and I wasn’t working. The things that had always anchored me – my family and my work – were gone. I started thinking, ‘What am I supposed to do today?’ A glass of wine while cooking became wine with dinner, wine while cleaning up and wine while watching "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!." One night, I realized I had almost finished an entire bottle by myself.”
Heaton, now 68, said she began noticing troubling changes in her daily habits.
“As an actor, you study behavior. I noticed my own behavior changing. I was thinking about alcohol differently. I said a prayer: ‘God, I think You want me to stop drinking. I would be willing to stop, but You have to make it happen because I can’t. I’m willing, but I’m unable.’”
It didn’t take long for God to answer her prayer through an embarrassing moment that served as a wake-up call.
“The next night I was with my sons and their friends, and I couldn’t pronounce the word ‘tradition.’ I tried three times. My youngest son said, ‘That’s great, Mom. You can’t even speak.’ I was completely mortified. The next morning, I said, ‘Okay, God. Message received.’ That was eight years ago.”
Her faith, she said, has been a source of strength her entire life.
“My faith was always there,” she told Woman’s World. “When my mother died when I was 12, there wasn’t grief counseling. There wasn’t therapy. You just buried your head in your pillow and cried. My Catholic faith became the place I landed whenever things felt like they were falling apart. To this day, I’m never not talking to God. It’s not ritual to me. It’s relationship. I think one of the most important things I ever learned was surrender. Not work harder. Surrender.”
Meanwhile, Heaton’s love for wine didn’t disappear – she simply learned to enjoy it without the alcohol. In fact, she and her husband, David Hunt, launched an alcohol-removed wine company called Solubrae earlier this year. The company’s wines are aimed at people who enjoy wine and the social experience surrounding it but want to avoid the loss of control that can come with alcohol.
“Women like to participate socially without feeling left out. I wanted something that felt special.”
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Jason Kempin / Staff
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published August 19, 2026.
