Ariana Grande’s brother, Frankie Grande, is celebrating 7 years of sobriety on June 16 and exclusively spoke to Us Weekly about his journey.
“My life is completely changed,” he told Us on Saturday, June 1. “The crazy thing about the way that I used to drink and use was that no one really knew how bad it was.”
Frankie described himself as “a very high-functioning addict,” which masked his alcoholism from friends and family and made his own denial of his drinking problem easier. By the time the GLAAD board member realized his addiction had gotten out of control, “it was almost too late to reel it in.”
“I’m really grateful that I’m here today,” he said to Us. “I don’t think I would be alive if I wasn’t sober.”
Frankie shared what he’s grateful for in his current life that would not have been possible while he was drinking.
“I definitely wouldn’t have the relationship that I have with my family right now if I wasn’t sober. I wouldn’t have the career that I have right now if I wasn’t sober. I wouldn’t be on the board of GLAAD,” he said.“I wouldn’t be inspiring other people to live their truth out loud and proud. I would be dead, so I’m very grateful and very happy.”
Frankie previously said that his “rock bottom” moment came after the May 2017 bombing of Ariana’s concert in Manchester, England, which killed 22 people. The tragedy drove him deeper into his addiction and further away from his family.
Speaking to Us on Saturday, he said that he is “at peace with it,” adding that it was Ariana who pushed him to seek treatment for his addictions.
“My sister was the first person that I told that I needed help, and she was the one that got me into treatment,” Frankie told Us. “She’s been my best friend through it all. Of course, my mother has given me nothing but unwavering support.” He added that he “couldn’t do it without my friends, my family and my sober sisters.”
As for Ariana, the “Yes, And?” singer is set to star as Glinda in the upcoming movie adaptation of Wicked, opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Frankie revealed to Us that he had seen footage of the upcoming movie, and he promised that it would be well worth the wait.
“During filming, I got to go to set,” he said. “I was at a marketing event and I saw 14 minutes of the film, which is crazy. No CGI, no color correction, no nothing — and it was the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” Frankie added that the Wicked scenes he saw left him “weeping,” saying, “It’s gonna be the best thing ever.”
“I have jokingly told my sister that I will need to prescreen this because if I see this movie by myself, the paramedics will need to be standing by because I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself,” Frankie continued, adding that both Ariana and Erivo are “incredible” in their roles.
“Seeing someone who you’ve basically raised do something at that level, I can’t tell you what it feels like as her brother and her No. 1 fan and her No. 1 supporter to watch her succeed in that way,” Frankie told Us. “I know she’s gonna blow the whole world away. I just know it.”
Reporting by Mike Vulpo
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
