Wanting to be a dad more than 'a drunk' led 'Blue Lagoon' star Christopher Atkins to nearly 40 years of sobriety

Christopher Atkins says becoming a father gave him the reason to walk away from alcohol, and nearly four decades later he remains sober. The former Hollywood heartthrob, who rose to fame opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon", spoke about the turning point that changed his life in an interview with Fox News Digital at Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey.

Atkins said, "I guess the turning point for me was having children, so I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk." He added, "So, I did that, cleaned up, coming up to 40 years, so still very active and wouldn't change it for a minute."

His commitment to sobriety has taken on new meaning as his family has grown. Atkins said, "Just when you think, okay, well they grew up [his children], they moved out, [I] got a divorce, now you're by yourself, 'I guess it's okay to start drinking again.'" He said, "No, they had grandkids, so now I don't want my grandkids ever seeing their grandpa drunk, you know, so no."

He credited his children with helping him make a lasting change. Atkins said, "That's a huge turning point, I think, in a lot of people's lives, and certainly for me. So that saved me." He shares two adult children, Grant and Brittney, with his former wife, Lyn Barron Weber, whom he married in 1985. The couple divorced in 2007.

Atkins has previously spoken about how his drinking affected his Hollywood career. He had been considered for the lead role in the 1984 film "Footloose", but was drinking heavily when he met with filmmakers. During an appearance at Fanboy Expo Knoxville earlier this year, he said, "I was a mess back then." The role ultimately went to Kevin Bacon.

Atkins rose to fame starring opposite Brooke Shields in "The Blue Lagoon" in 1980. He explained that he entered the entertainment industry through modelling before attending an open casting call for the film. When it became a massive success, he found himself adjusting to a level of attention he had never imagined.

Atkins said, "There wasn't a place on the planet I could go where I didn't get recognized and people stopped me. It was very, very, very weird." He added that the experience was difficult to comprehend at such a young age.

He said, "It's interesting if you try to think about what it's like to have people you've never met all over the world know who you are and know things about you that you didn't know."

More than four decades after becoming a household name, Atkins has traded much of his Hollywood lifestyle for a quieter existence on the East Coast. The New York native relocated from California to Connecticut after his two children settled in North Carolina and his family circumstances changed. He said, "I'm an East Coast guy. You can't take the East Coast out of the boy."

He explained that both his father and stepfather had died, while his mother was experiencing memory issues, making the move feel like the right decision.

Now, Atkins spends much of his time outdoors, enjoying fishing, hiking and woodworking. He said he has even developed an interest in creating pieces with wood and epoxy, initially as a hobby. He said, "I just like being outdoors, I like working with my hands." He also has a new physical challenge in mind: hiking a lengthy stretch of the Appalachian Trail next year, taking a week or so to cover 100 miles or 200 miles. Decades of sports have taken a toll on his body: he recently underwent shoulder replacement surgery, following an elbow replacement less than a year earlier, and he has a metal plate and artificial disc in his back, along with three previous knee operations. Despite those challenges, he remains determined to stay active: "I think staying physical and staying active is really important to keeping more metal out of your body."