‘Rock bottom': Aussie actor Dan Ewing's shocking before-and-after post
Australian actor Dan Ewing has opened up about his 'rock bottom' moment, describing himself as a 'depressed alcoholic' before recently turning his life and health around.
Ewing spoke out in a candid post to mark his 40th birthday, sharing two contrasting photos of himself: One of him today, looking super-fit, and another from a year ago, when he said he was struggling with alcohol dependency and 'crushed by internal trauma.'
But Home and Away star Ewing said his 'absolute rock bottom' moment didn't come until six months after his 'before' photo was taken, at the end of 2024.
'That's when the universe finally said, 'Enough.' And it took the wheel from me,' he wrote.
'It was one of the most painful, soul-shaking, transformative moments of my life.
From that rock bottom came the decision to get sober and that one choice changed
everything.'
Ewing didn't offer specific details about what exactly had happened during his 'rock bottom' moment to make him decide to seek help.
The actor revealed that he's celebrating his 40th while shooting a film in Fiji, a career opportunity that he says never 'would have happened without that hard decision. That moment I asked for help.'
He said that said sobriety 'didn't just transform my life. It allowed me to show up fully – for my family, my friends, and everyone I encounter.'
The Aussie star said he had plan to celebrate his milestone birthday that reflected his new-found healthy lifestyle: 'I'm soaking up the sun, hitting the gym, and celebrating with some of my beautiful cast and crew here in Fiji tonight — over a Pepsi Max or four.'
Ewing's fans applauded his honesty in the candid post, with one follower commenting that they had 'no idea' what he'd been privately dealing with.
'I'm so proud of you that you won that battle,' one fan wrote.
'Be proud of yourself,' another told him.
Ewing is best-known for his long-running role as Heath Braxton in the Seven soap Home and Away, and has also appeared in films including 2020's Love and Monsters and 2023's Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism.
Father of two Ewing made headlines in 2018 when he was involved in a heated altercation with his son's stepfather during a custody swap – a confrontation that saw him slapped with an AVO. Ewing later during his 2021 stint on the reality series SAS Australia.
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