“Air Bud” Alum Kevin Zegers Says Being a Sponsor Helps Him ‘Connect with People’ 15 Years into His Own Recovery

**Kevin Zegers Reflects on Sobriety and the Meaning of Sponsorship**

Former child star Kevin Zegers has opened up about his past experiences with fame and his journey to sobriety, while highlighting the importance of sponsoring others in recovery. At the age of 41, Zegers finds himself in a position of support and guidance for others, hosting sponsorship meetings in his home fifteen years after achieving sobriety. His insights into this role connect seamlessly with his latest acting venture in the Paramount+ drama *The Madison*.

In an interview with *Esquire*, Zegers candidly reflected on the challenges he faced as a young actor. Growing up in the spotlight, he starred in the iconic film *Air Bud* in 1997, which spawned a series of sequels and established him as a household name. Despite the success and opportunities that accompanied his early fame, Zegers revealed that it often felt overwhelming. “Everyone was like, ‘Dude, you’re f—ing famous,’ which is a crazy thing for an 11-year-old to be told,” he said. “I didn’t feel lucky. I felt scared and overwhelmed.”

Zegers spent much of his twenties struggling with alcohol addiction, which took a toll on his personal life and career. However, his commitment to sobriety over the past fifteen years has transformed his outlook. Today, sponsoring others in recovery not only brings him joy but also allows him to foster meaningful connections. “The thing that makes me feel best is when one of the people I sponsor calls — and it’s usually nothing to be pumped about hearing — but I pick up the phone, I listen, and I connect with people in a way that I never could before,” he shared.

The actor’s experiences with sponsorship have curiously shaped his portrayal of Cade, a character in *The Madison* who provides support to a grieving widow, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Zegers expressed that his real-life role as a sponsor allowed him to approach the character with depth and empathy. “I don’t think I’d connected the fact that sponsorship could ever apply to my work in acting, because work always felt selfish,” he noted. His transformation in perspective has informed how he engages with the acting profession and the roles he chooses.

As Zegers juggles his responsibilities as both an actor and a father to ten-year-old twin daughters, Zoë Madison and Blake Everleigh, he acknowledges that his experiences in recovery have also made him a better parent and partner. “Acting was for money, and I’d go to set thinking about what I could extract from every possible connection. Eventually, I realised it was totally contradictory to how I am as a father, or as a husband, or in recovery,” he explained.

Through his role in *The Madison*, Zegers has found a sense of purpose that echoes his commitment to supporting others. As Cade helps a widow navigate her grief, Zegers embraces a more altruistic approach in both his personal and professional life. “As addictive as the chase of the other stuff used to be, if I go to bed at night and I haven’t thought about myself for most of the day, I’m so f—ing happy,” he remarked.

Zegers’ story is a powerful reminder of how personal struggles can lead to new paths of fulfilment and connection. Through his journey from child stardom to sobriety, and now as a sponsor, he has discovered that true happiness lies not in material success but rather in building relationships and offering support to those in need.

As he continues to navigate the complexities of life, Zegers serves as an example of resilience and growth. His experiences not only shape him as an actor but also as a compassionate individual who understands the importance of lifting others up, a lesson that resonates deeply amidst the pressures of fame and personal challenges.