COUPLESJerry O'Connell Reveals How Rebecca Romijn Gave Him an Ultimatum to Quit Smoking: She 'Wouldn't Touch Me'
Jerry O’Connell shared how hypnosis and Rebecca Romijn’s ultimatum helped him quit smoking.
March 12 2026, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Jerry O'Connell, the well-known actor from Star Trek: Lower Decks, has shared the unique method he employed to quit smoking 14 years ago.
During an episode of Sophia Bush’s “Work in Progress” podcast, O'Connell explained that he hired a hypnotist to help him break free from nicotine addiction.
Jerry O’Connell revealed he quit smoking through hypnosis.
“I struggled with nicotine for decades, struggled with it, had to get hypnotized,” he stated. Remarkably, this approach proved effective, with O'Connell proudly noting, “Haven't had a ciggy in, like, 14 years."
One of the key factors that motivated O'Connell to quit was a serious ultimatum from his wife, actress Rebecca Romijn. “My wife said she would not touch me if I smoked, and that lasted about two months,” he shared. This ultimatum highlighted the seriousness of his situation and pressured him to take action.
The actor said he struggled with smoking for decades.
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Initially, O'Connell thought Romijn was joking about her ultimatum. However, he soon realized the gravity of her words. “After about three and a half weeks, I was like, ‘I gotta do something.’ And I tried to quit, and I couldn’t quit,” he recounted.
Rebecca Romijn gave him an ultimatum to stop smoking.
The actor eventually reached out to a friend who had successfully quit smoking. This friend provided him with the contact information for a hypnotist.
“I went to see [the hypnotist] and I had to bring a photo of my children and my wife," he said. He recalled the session, describing how he sat in a reclined position, listened to soothing spa music, and fell asleep while the hypnotist counted down.
Jerry O’Connell sought help from a hypnotist.
Following the session, O'Connell felt skeptical about the efficacy of hypnosis. “I woke up and was like, ‘That was baloney. What a joke. I can't believe I just gave some old lady $800. What a waste of money!’”
However, the true test came when he attempted to smoke again. He recalled, “Got to my car, put the ciggy in my mouth, brought the lighter up, and… I wanted it so bad. I couldn’t light it.”
O'Connell and Romijn married in 2007 and are proud parents to twin daughters, Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip, who were born in 2008.
