Childhood & Early Life
Drew Blyth Barrymore was born on February 22, 1975, at the ‘Brotman Medical Center’ in Culver City, California, to John Drew Barrymore, an actor, and Jaid Barrymore, a struggling actress.
Her father had English, Irish, and German ancestry, while her mother is of Hungarian descent
Drew Barrymore is a descendant of some of the most famous actors and actresses like Maurice, George Drew Barrymore, John Barrymore, and John Drew Jr. Steven Spielberg and Sophia Loren adopted her as their goddaughter.
In 1984, when Drew was nine years old, her parents got divorced. The lack of a father had a negative impact on her life.
Barrymore attended elementary school at ‘Fountain Day School’ in West Hollywood.
Drew’s first audition was for a ‘Gainsburger’ puppy food commercial when she was 11 months old.
By the time she turned two, she had already acted in a TV movie called ‘Suddenly, Love.’ Some of her other acting ventures included a role in ‘Bogie’ and small roles in TV commercials. She then made her debut as a child actor in the 1980 feature film ‘Altered States.’
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Career
In the summer of 1982, Drew Barrymore starred in one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.’
In 1984, she received a ‘Golden Globe’ nomination as ‘Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture’ for her role in ‘Irreconcilable Differences.’
By this time, Barrymore had walked into a phase of substance abuse which continued until she was admitted in a rehab center at the age of 13.
She came out of this phase successfully and starred in films like ‘Poison Ivy’ (1992), ‘Guncrazy’ (1992) and ‘The Amy Fisher Story,’ which exploited her rebellious girl image.
She went on to make the headlines for posing nude for ‘Playboy’ and exposing herself on live TV in the ‘Late show with David Letterman.’
In 1995, with the launch of her production house ‘Flower Films,’ Barrymore’s luck changed. The same year, she appeared in ‘Boys on the Side’ and ‘Batman Forever,’ both commercially successful movies.
In 1996, Barrymore made a cameo appearance in the hit franchise ‘Scream’ and also starred in the Woody Allen musical ‘Everybody says I love you.’
From 1997, she was cast in a series of rom-coms like ‘Wishful Thinking’ (1997), ‘Wedding Singer’ (1998), and ‘Home Fries’ (1998).
In 1999, Barrymore’s company produced the hit comedy ‘Never Been Kissed.’ The film became a sleeper hit and she earned credit as the executive producer.
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In 2000, her company released the hit film ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ in which she also played an important role as an actress. This success cemented her place in Hollywood.
She believed in the potential of the movie ‘Donnie Darko.’ Subsequently, ‘Flower Films’ produced the movie which earned cult status.
In 2002, her performance in the biopic ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’ was highly acclaimed and she earned the status of a highly talented actress.
Since 2004, Drew Barrymore has donned the hat of an actress and producer in several successful movies like ‘50 First Dates’ (2004), ‘Fever Pitch’ (2005), ‘Music and Lyrics’ (2007), ‘Lucky You’ (2007), ‘Grey Gardens’ (2009), and ‘Going the Distance’ (2010).
Barrymore directed the music video of the song ‘Our Deal’ for the band ‘Best Coast’ on August 2, 2011.
In the 2014 movie ‘Blended,’ Drew appeared as Lauren Reynolds alongside actor Adam Sandler.
She also starred in the movie ‘Miss You Already’ with Toni Collette.
From 2017 to 2019, Barrymore starred in the ‘Netflix’ television series, ‘Santa Clarita Diet.’
In 2017, she launched a women's fashion line called ‘Dear Drew’ in conjunction with ‘Amazon.’
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Major Works
Drew Barrymore has a host of commercially successful movies to her credit. ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ collected a whopping $435,110,554 at the box office, followed by ‘Charlie’s Angels’ ($125,305,544), and ‘50 First Dates’ ($120,908,074).
In 2009, Barrymore made her directorial debut with ‘Whip It’ in which she also starred.
Awards & Achievements
Barrymore received the ‘Young Artist Award’ for ‘Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture’ for ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ in 1982.
She created a record as the youngest person to have hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ on November 20, 1982.
In 1999, she was honored by the ‘Young Artist Foundation’ with its ‘Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award’ for her outstanding performance as a child actress.
In 2010, she won the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television’ for ‘Grey Gardens.’
In 2004, she was honored with a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’ for her 30 years in the film industry.
She was nominated several times for the ‘Primetime Emmy Award,’ ‘BAFTA Award,’ and ‘American Comedy Award.’
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Personal Life & Legacy
Drew Barrymore narrated her experience as a troubled teenager in her autobiography ‘Little Girl Lost.’
When she was 16, she was engaged to Leland Hayward.
In 1994, Barrymore married a bar owner named Jeremy Thomas. The marriage ended within a few weeks.
In 2001, she got married to the Canadian comedian Tom Green, but the pair got divorced after six months.
She has also dated drummer Fabrizio Moretti and actor Justin Long, among others.
On June 2012, Drew Barrymore got married to Will Kopelman.
On September 26, 2012, the couple had their first child, daughter Olive Barrymore Kopelman. Their second child, Frankie Barrymore Kopelman, was born on April 22, 2014.
Barrymore and Kopelman released a statement on April 2016, confirming that they had separated. On July 2016, Barrymore officially filed for divorce, which was finalized on August 2016.
Facts About Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore is a descendant of the famous American acting dynasty, the Barrymore family, which includes renowned actors Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore.
In addition to her successful acting career, Drew Barrymore is also a successful entrepreneur, having founded her own production company, Flower Films, at a young age.
Drew Barrymore is a passionate animal lover and has been actively involved in animal welfare causes, including supporting various organizations and adopting rescue animals.
Barrymore is known for her unique sense of style and has been recognized for her fashion choices on and off the red carpet, often embracing bold and eclectic looks.
Despite facing personal struggles in the past, Drew Barrymore has openly shared her journey to self-discovery and empowerment, inspiring many with her resilience and positivity.
