Paula Patton Says Son With Ex Robin Thicke Helped Her Stay Sober

Paula Patton credits her 15-year-old son, Julian, for helping her maintain a seven-year sobriety streak that has reshaped her life and career.

While visiting NBC’s 3rd Hour of TODAY to discuss her new film Finding Faith, the actor said Julian—her child with ex-husband Robin Thicke—became “my best friend” once she decided to quit drinking in 2018.

Seeing everyday experiences through her son’s perspective, Patton explained, reignited a childlike joy that replaced the chaos of addiction and gave her “all the reasons to want to live.”

That personal history makes Finding Faith feel almost autobiographical, according to Patton. In the movie, she plays a woman battling substance abuse, so she had to revisit behaviors she left behind years ago. To recapture the look and sound of her past, she called friends who remembered those nights and replayed the music that once fueled them.

She even consulted a young woman who had recently gotten sober to tap into the mindset Patton calls a “victim mentality”—a space where trust feels impossible and self-destruction feels inevitable.

Re-creating old habits was scary, yet healing. Patton admitted that embodying her former self allowed her to drop the lingering shame she had carried into recovery. “I was able to forgive myself,” she said, describing the moment she realized past mistakes were made with limited tools, not ill intent.

Patton has spoken about the family-versus-chaos decision before, notably on Atlanta’s Big Tigger Morning Show in June. She reiterated that sobriety demanded long stretches alone, facing difficult memories, but ultimately led to “joy for being a mother” and a deeper appreciation of life’s simple moments. Alongside Julian, a supportive neighbor and friends in recovery formed the inner circle that kept her accountable.

With Finding Faith ready for release, Patton hopes her candid story—and her son’s quiet heroics—will encourage others to seek help. The actress says embracing sobriety, parenthood, and self-compassion has given her a second chance at living fully, on and off the screen.