Jerry O’Connell’s Unexpected Path to Quitting Smoking

Actor Jerry O’Connell recently shared a compelling story about his decades-long struggle with nicotine addiction and the unconventional methods he employed to finally break free. During an appearance on Sophia Bush’s podcast, “Work In Progress,” the 52-year-old revealed a rather direct ultimatum from his wife, Rebecca Romijn, was the initial catalyst for change.

“I struggled with nicotine for decades, struggled with it. Had to get hypnotized. I haven’t had a ciggy in like 14 years,” O’Connell confessed. The turning point? Romijn’s firm stance: “My wife said she would not touch me if I smoked. And that lasted about two months. And by the way, no contact. My wife said, ‘I’m not touching you anymore until you quit smoking.’ I thought it was a joke, and then, after, like, two weeks, there was no physical contact.”

The Ultimatum and the Search for a Solution

After three weeks of no physical affection, O’Connell realized the seriousness of the situation. Despite his initial attempts to quit independently proving unsuccessful, he was determined to overcome his habit. He recounted, “I tried to quit, and I couldn’t quit.”

Driven to find a solution, O’Connell sought advice from a friend who had successfully quit smoking. This led him to an unconventional hypnotist. “I knew a girl who had quit smoking, and I called her up, and I said, ‘How did you do it?’ And she said, ‘I’m going to give you the number of this lady,'” he explained. The session itself was unusual: “I had to bring a photo of my children and my wife, and I sat down on her recliner, and she put her headphones on me and there was like spa music, and she was like, ‘I’m going to count to 10. Ten, nine, eight …’ And I fell asleep.”

A Surprisingly Effective Method

Initially skeptical, O’Connell questioned the effectiveness of the hypnosis, thinking it was “baloney” and a “waste of money.” However, upon returning to his car, he found himself unable to light a cigarette. This marked a significant turning point in his journey to becoming smoke-free.

A Lasting Marriage and Navigating Public Scrutiny

O’Connell and Romijn’s relationship, which began in 2004, has blossomed into an 18-year marriage and a family with twin daughters, Dolly and Charlie. Their relationship has faced some public attention, particularly regarding comments made by Romijn’s ex-husband, John Stamos, in his memoir. O’Connell addressed the situation with grace and maturity.

“My wife’s ex-husband recently wrote a biography, and it referred to my wife in a negative manner and a lot of people have asked me about that in the press,” O’Connell stated in November 2023. “And it would be easy for me to say like, ‘Screw you, how dare you ask me that,’ but really it would be bringing attention to a situation that I don’t want to feed into.” He emphasized the importance of protecting his children, adding, “There’s children involved. Teenage children who read everything on the internet. So you don’t want to like feed that fire.”

O’Connell and Stamos have since publicly reconciled, posting a photo together at Howie Mandel’s birthday party, signaling a peaceful resolution to any past tensions. This gesture demonstrates O’Connell’s commitment to maintaining a positive environment for his family and navigating the complexities of public life.

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