John Goodman Credits Devoted Wife Of 33 Years For Rescuing Him From Addiction

Mar 29, 2023

When speaking about legendary character actors, John Goodman’s name should come up. He has accomplished much since his career began in the 1980s. He is credited as an actor in over 160 productions, including films and television series. His work covers a wide variety of genres, making Goodman a versatile and impressive actor.

Goodman is best known for his portrayal of Dan Conner on the hit ABC sitcom “Roseanne.” He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for the role in 1993. He has also hosted the show “Saturday Night Live” 13 times, which makes him the third most frequent host of all time. He has collaborated regularly with the Coen brothers on such films as “Barton Fink,” “The Big Lebowski” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou.”

Goodman is also known for voicing a number of characters in children’s films, including the voice of Sully in Disney’s “Monsters, Inc.” franchise. He voiced Pacha in “The Emperor’s New Groove” and Eli “Big Daddy” LaBouff in “The Princess and the Frog.” His ability to bring animated characters to life is not overshadowed by his other impressive works. Goodman is truly one of the best actors of all time.

Born and raised in Affton, Missouri, Goodman moved to New York City when he was 23 to pursue a career in acting. Outside of acting, he used to play football and has been a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. He has been married to Annabeth Hartzog since Oct. 27, 1989. The couple has been married for an incredible 33 years, and Goodman has credited much of his personal success to his wonderful wife.

Goodman's work on “Roseanne” from 1988 to 1997 — as well as the 2018 "The Conners" reboot — is what coined him as the classic family man for countless viewers on TV. The sitcom featured both drama and comedy, and John Goodman's role as Dan Conner secured him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 1993. Goodman's role in Roseanne surely mirrored some aspects of his real life at home.

While Goodman has had the fortune of becoming an actor that is not only good at what he does but also has a great ability to resonate with his audience, he has also struggled with alcoholism behind the scenes. The Guardian reported that he found it difficult to cope with his sudden push into fame that came with his role in “Roseanne,” which had turned him into "tabloid fodder." 

“It took a while for me to deal with it. It was very unnatural,” he said.

After relocating to New Orleans with his wife, Annabeth Hartzog, to get away from the spotlight and have a chance at a more normal life, Goodman stated that he further spiraled into alcoholism during the transition. In 2007, he checked himself into rehab and reported that he has stayed sober ever since and that his wife has stayed by his side throughout.

"It was getting to be too much," he said. "It was 30 years of a disease that was taking its toll on everyone around me and it had got to the point where, every time I did it, it was becoming more and more debilitating. It was life or death. It was time to stop."

The tipping point for Goodman was one instance where he was “still drinking” but “still shaking.” Goodman shared, “I got so lucky because I was still getting hired for things, but the fact is I was drinking at work.” Goodman added:

“My speech would be slurred. I thought I was fooling people. But my cheeks would turn bright red when I was liquored up. I just looked like a stop sign.”

After enduring a “long weekend” filled with drinking, Goodman realized that his habit was becoming a bad one – and an uncontrollable one. Knowing he needed help, he called his wife. “She made some phone calls and she got me into a treatment center,” Goodman said. “And I detoxed there and decided I like the feeling.”

Along with getting sober, Goodman continued focusing on his health and began shedding the pounds. According to Page Six, he once weighed about 400 pounds. However, the actor began his weight loss journey in 2007 and worked hard to lose the weight and keep it off.

“In the old days, I would take three months out, lose 60 or 70 pounds, and then reward myself with a six-pack or whatever and just go back to my old habits,” Goodman explained. “This time, I wanted to do it slowly. Move, exercise. I’m getting to the age where I can’t afford to sit still anymore.”

“It was basically just portion control and ‘I don’t need it,'” the actor furthered. “I was just shoving everything into my mouth.”

And in 2015, Goodman debuted his 100-pound weight loss at the premiere of his film “Trumbo.”

Hartzog has certainly been a pivotal figure in Goodman’s life – she has been his wife for over 33 years! In 2012, Goodman spoke with ELLE about how he met his wife at a Halloween party at Tipitina’s music club. He explained:

“I was shooting ‘Everybody’s All-American.’ I went to this Halloween party, and she walked up to me and said, ‘Hi.’ I couldn’t figure out why anyone that pretty was talking to me.”

In a 2021 interview on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” Goodman spoke more about the first time he met Hartzog. “She kind of thought I was a zombie, so I had a buddy of mine keep track of her, and we started dating a year later.” he said. “Yeah, I kind of stalked her, real long-distance.”

During a 2018 interview on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Goodman swore that he wasn’t a romantic, but his proposal story says otherwise. He proposed to Hartzog “on the banks of the Mississippi River.” He continued, “We knew it was coming for a while but yeah we actually went to the jewelry store to get the ring before we went down to the river.”

Goodman and Hartzog tied the knot in October 1989. The following year, they welcomed their daughter, Molly Goodman, who is now a production assistant in the film industry. The family later relocated to the Garden District in New Orleans, Louisiana.

To this day, Goodman and his wife are still going strong. It’s evident that Goodman’s wife has been very prominent in his recovery over the years, and their love has continued to flourish.

What do you think about John Goodman’s long-lasting marriage? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends, too.