Catherine Carlen was born in Cookeville, Tennessee. She studied acting in New York City with legendary teachers Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, and Susan Batson. She is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, and works in television and film. She currently lives in Lake Balboa, California. She has a beautiful talented daughter, who is an executive at Focus Features. She goes to AA meetings on a regular basis. Anytime she’s out of town, she’s in a meeting. She is so grateful that Alcoholics Anonymous is all over the world. She loves her life, her family and friends, and most of all, she loves her sobriety because she does not drink or use no matter what!

www.realcatherinecarlen.com

Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?

A. My sobriety day is August 3, 1985, so that makes me the class of 85, and we’re still going strong in 2026. My drugs of choice was whatever you had. I especially loved cocaine, Quaaludes to come down, and cognac to even it out. Vodka, lots of wine, and any other drug you could think of.

Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety toolkit that helps keep you sober?

A. Meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings! And of course, working with others, praying, meditating, and always going to the steps. That’s my life and I love it! I don’t drink or use no matter what, and there’s been a lot of no matter what’s in 40 years.

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?

A. I think it’s a disease with a mental obsession.

Q. Where are you from and where do you reside now?

A. I was born in Cookeville, Tennessee. I lived in Atlanta for a few years when I was a junior and senior in high school. A lot of my heavy drug use was there. A lot of drinking in Cookeville, Tennessee, then I moved to New York City. I really went off the rails there, and did a geographic to LA 41 years ago, and got sober in LA.

Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

A. Fearless.

Q. Describe how you came to your “rock bottom” point.

A. I lost my wallet one more time in a bar. I had no money, no driver’s license, and I didn’t know how I was gonna get my wine and my drugs. The guys at the apartment building I lived in were all sober, and I didn’t know they sent a lady up to get me. She took me to a meeting, and the rest is history. I’ve been sober ever since.

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, desert, or penthouse?

A. Ocean, but most of all, I need to be near meetings that I like. My people are the glue that holds me together.

Q. How do you measure success?

A. Number one, I’m sober. That’s my greatest success, and of course, my daughter, my husband, and the love that we share as a family. My dear friends, that I trust completely. I am a very successful lady in these areas of life.

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?

A. Anything to do with children.

Q. Who has been the biggest influence throughout your life?

A. Well, my father was the first one, and then it was Donald Madden who was my sponsor, who was now in heaven. He taught me how to live sober, and how to give it away. He used to say give them hope, baby.

Q. If you could give advice to your younger self what would it be?

A. Number one, calm down. You got time, don’t drink and use, relax, you’re OK. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone. You’re perfect the way you are.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

A. Lots of people — Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino to name a few actors, and many more … I admire people who have principles and morals and values. So of course, Obama, I loved him as our president.

Q. What major event or realization shaped who you are?

A. It was the event of losing that wallet in that bar, not knowing what to do, lost, confused, worn out, just didn’t have any more game in me to run after the fix.

Q. What sound or sounds do you most remember from your childhood?

A. I remember a lot of Nature Sounds — dogs barking, cats meowing, the wind blowing. I lived outside when I was a little girl, most of the time swinging on my swing set, riding my bike around the neighborhood, ringing a little bell on my bike.

Q. What do you love most about living sober?

A. I love my friendships. I am so blessed to have good friends that I love and trust and respect, and I love that my daughter, who is 31, has never seen me drink or use. I live a spiritual life, and that is the best.

Q. Which part of your treatment and recovery do you feel was the most interesting or unexpected?

A. I guess when I got Donald Madden to be my sponsor, he had me go to H&I and start giving it away in panels in hospitals and institutions. It was very unexpected that I met the love of my life Biff Johnson, who is 38 years sober, and we’ve been married for 32 years.

Q. What’s your concept of a Higher Power?

A. That concept changes all the time, but I do believe that God comes in shoe leather — when two or more are gathered, I think the power of God is there, higher power universe, love, whatever you wanna call it. When I’m helping someone else, I feel it.

Q. What is your Astrological sign?

A. Cancer.

Q. What book(s) have you read more than once?

A. The Big Book, 12 and 12, As Bill Sees It, 24 hour book.

Q. What books are you reading now?

A. I’m reading one of the many self-help books. I love to read about perspective expectations, letting go of fear.

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. The Godfather.

Q. Who is your favorite film director?

A. Martin Scorsese.

Q. Are you binge watching any TV series?

A. Oh, I binge watch a lot of television, especially English detective shows and anything that has to do with detectives, murders, mayhem.

Q. What is your favorite App?

A. Venmo makes my life so easy.

Q. Who is your favorite performer, living or dead?

A. Lady Gaga.

Q. Who are your heroes in real life?

A. My father Donald Madden, my husband Biff Johnson, my girlfriend, Nancy, Uta Hagen, don’t be acting.

Q. What are some of the most memorable songs in your life?

A. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Moon River, Don’t Stop Believin, Small Town Girl, Gonna Fly Now. So many to name.

Q. What is your favorite city?

A. New York.

Q. What is your favorite cuisine?

A. Italian.

Q. What is the best concert/performance/play you’ve ever attended?

A. Phantom of the Opera.

Q. What are five things you always carry with you?

A. Sunglasses, Reading glasses, Kleenex, cough drops, pen.

Q. What is the best and or worse piece of advice someone has given you?

A. Best: Let go, let God.
Worst: You’re too old for that.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve given someone else?

A. People are perfect the way they are, but they might not be for you. And stay in a state of preparation, you never know what’s coming.

Q. What is your most treasured possession?

A. My wedding ring.

Q. What do you value most in a friendship?

A. Honesty, truthfulness, kindness, loving, good listener, safe.

Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

A. My fabulous, talented, beautiful daughter, Carlen Johnson.

Q. What is your favorite compliment to receive, and why?

A. That was great work. Because I love acting so much, and when someone appreciates what I do, it fills my heart and my soul.

Q. What is your biggest fear?

A. My husband not being here with me forever.

Q. Where do you go when you’re seeking solitude?

A. Nature, meditation, prayer, and talk to my good friend.

Q. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

A. The ability to not to worry about the unknown, and freedom from fear.

Q. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?

A. Being with my family and friends, doing something that we loved, enjoying each other’s company, keeping it real simple.

Q. What is your biggest regret?

A. I think my biggest regret is that I waited so long to get sober. I could’ve gotten sober when I was 18, but I had to do a long run. I’m lucky I stayed alive to get sober at 35. I’ve been sober since ’85, so I’m going on 73 years old in July. I wish I had more time.

Q. What is something you’ve learned about yourself in the last six months?

A. You can change at any age if you put your mind to it. You can do it. That’s what’s so fabulous about sobriety. You can start over at any moment.

Q. What do you love most about yourself?

A. My drive, my commitment, my showing up for life on life’s terms, and never giving up.

Q. When did you realize you were a grown-up?

A. I’m still waiting to realize.

Q. How important are your pets to you?

A. I love my pets, sweet Molly. She’s a brown lab. She’s about 14 now, sweetest girl. We have Lily, our darling cat, she’s about 14 now too. They are so part of the family.

Q. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

A. You got this.
You can do it.
I believe in you.
Just let it go.
Give it up.