Skip to content

The #1 Drinking Rule Ewan McGregor Follows To Feel Amazing in His 50s

The Star Wars actor talks about his sobriety.

Ewan McGregor is a man of many fascinating roles in Hollywood, with arguably his most notable one being his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. And while McGregor has won fans over with his creative abilities and versatility as an actor, it's his seemingly ageless appearance that has recently left fans speechless.

McGregor turned 51 this past March, but to most, he still doesn't look a day over 35. In fact, Star Wars fans may feel as though he completely stopped aging after his last Star Wars film was released in 2005. Now with his most recent appearance as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Disney Plus' new show, Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans are wondering how he looks and feels so great in his 50s.

One of the ways McGregor stays healthy in his 50s is through regular exercise. In an interview with Men's Journal, McGregor says, "My favorite workout is running. I find that it's nice for your brain. It's sort of a little bit of zen." While the Star Wars actor enjoys the zen of running, he was also seen training regularly with famous trainer Tony Horton to prepare for his revival role of the famous Jedi.

Staying physically active has been crucial for McGregor's health journey. However, the most pivotal and life-changing decision he made for his health was deciding to give up alcohol for good. In 2009, McGregor shared details of his decision to get sober with Men's Health Magazine.

"What matters most with any regimen, whether it's to lose weight or stop drinking or smoking, is your willingness to seek help and your desire to say 'no more,'" he told Men's Health. "The voice in your head that says 'I choose not to' is what ultimately makes the difference between not changing and making changes that last."

While McGregor has admitted in interviews that giving up alcohol is one of the best ways to look younger and lose weight, getting sober was about much more than these factors for him personally. For McGregor, it was a matter of becoming a better version of himself altogether, including being a better husband and father.

"I wasn't someone who could smoke or drink in moderation, and I recognized that those things would kill me," he tells Men's Health. "I started visualizing the doctor telling me I had cancer from smoking or that I was extremely ill because of how much I'd been drinking. What kind of regret would I have if I had to tell my children or my wife that I was dying because of behavior I could have done something about? I didn't want to be that kind of man."

Samantha Boesch
Samantha was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and now works as a writer in Brooklyn, NY. Read more about Samantha