Alexander Ludwig just celebrated two major milestones: his sobriety and the anniversary of his first date with his wife, Lauren, whom he wed in 2020. The singer and actor reflected on the double achievements in a recent video he shared on social media.
“We’re celebrating two things,” Ludwig shares. “One is my five years of sobriety birthday, and the other is, on this same day three years ago, the day I went on my first date with my wife, which I think is pretty serendipitous. It’s pretty crazy to me that five years ago to the day, I was so lost, so confused and so scared about where my life would go. All I knew was that I had an issue and a problem that needed to be fixed.
“I’ve lost a lot of friends to this disease,” he continues. “So many people didn’t make it and I don’t really know why, because there are so many reasons why that should have been me and not them,” he continued. “I don’t want to make this video as, like, congratulatory to myself — it’s really just for anybody who needs to see this.”
@alexanderludwigHang in there ❤️♬ original sound – Alexander Ludwig
Ludwig, who concluded by reciting a poem he wrote in recovery called “The Pond,” also offers hope for others who are struggling with addiction.
“If you’re struggling, be brave enough to ask for help and take it from me, there really is hope at the end of the road,” Ludwig says. “There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s actually staggering to me how much has changed in my life since I got out, until now. It’s amazing what can happen when you decide to love yourself and commit to loving yourself and to growing every day as a human being as opposed to satiating these impulses that we all have,”
In addition to his successful career as an actor, with roles in Heels, The Hunger Games, Lone Survivor, Vikings and more, the Canadian has also been pursuing his other passion: music. Ludwig released his debut album, Highway 99, last summer.
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity. But one thing that I always felt like when I went to Nashville, that I would tell every, every writer in every single room was just how much country music has always meant to me,” Ludwig told Everything Nash. “Whether I’m playing a dive bar or an arena makes no difference to me; I’d be playing and writing music regardless of whether or not I had a record deal.”
Ludwig’s wife is expecting their first child next month. Find all of Ludwig’s music by visiting his website.