John Goodman rose to prominence through his charismatic performance playing Dan Conner on the TV series Roseanne, which aired from 1988 to 1997. His talent transcended television, as he etched a lasting legacy on the silver screen with appearances in a series of notable films such as Raising Arizona (1987), Barton Fink (1991), The Big Lebowski (1998), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and Kong: Skull Island (2017).
Beyond his professional success, Goodman has faced personal struggles, as he had been diagnosed with depression and battled alcoholism for many years. However, recently there has been growing concern among fans about his well-being, as they believe that the actor might have suffered a stroke.
Fans think John Goodman has had a stroke
His most recent appearance on the fifth season of The Conners, where he appeared to be slurring some lines and had a noticeable weight loss, heightened the speculation that Goodman might have suffered a stroke.
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However, reports have suggested that the 71-year-old’s significant weight loss can be traced back to 2015 when he claimed in an interview with People Magazine to have lost 100 pounds after embracing a Mediterranean eating style. “I know it sounds sappy, but it was a waste,” Goodman told the news outlet. “It takes a lot of creative energy to sit on your ass and figure out what you’re going to eat next … I wanted to live life better.”
John Goodman talks about his struggles with alcohol addiction
While Goodman has not experienced a stroke or heart attack, he has openly discussed the health challenges that stemmed from his struggles with alcoholism during the ’90s. In an interview with The Guardian, he candidly shared that he had turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism for anxiety until he made the choice to get sober in 2007 due to the adverse effects of drinking so heavily.
“It was getting to be too much”, Goodman revealed. “It was 30 years of a disease that was taking its toll on everyone around me and it had got to the point where, every time I did it, it was becoming more and more debilitating. It was life or death. It was time to stop.”