sobriety began with his earlier attempt to quit in 1989.
Recovery did not erase his past or instantly solve every difficulty in his life. It did, however, create the conditions for McCarthy to develop interests and relationships that had been overshadowed by addiction. He gradually became less attached to the Hollywood social environment that had surrounded his early fame. The identity of “teen heartthrob” became less relevant as he entered his thirties and forties. Instead of trying to recreate his youthful celebrity, McCarthy began developing a career with several distinct
