Little-Known Facts About Drew Barrymore
Trigger warning: the following article contains mentions of substance abuse and suicide.
Drew Barrymore is one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood, but there may be some details of her life that even her biggest fans aren't aware of. The star has been in the spotlight since she was a baby due to being born into a famous acting family. Barrymore landed her first on-camera gig when she was just 11 months old, appearing in a dog food commercial, per E! Online. A few years later she was cast in the film "Altered States," and hit it big when she starred as the adorable younger sister Gertie in the classic film "E.T."
As an adult, Barrymore went on to star in movies like "Never Been Kissed," "Charlie's Angels," "50 First Dates," "Fever Pitch," and more. She also played the lead role in the Netflix series "Santa Clarita Diet" before launching her own talk show. Over the years, Barrymore has made headlines for so many reasons, including her love life. The actor has dated the likes of Corey Feldman, David Arquette, Jamie Walters, Luke Wilson, and Justin Long. She's also been married three times to Jeremy Thomas, Tom Green, and Will Kopelman, whom she shares two children with, Olive and Frankie.
Barrymore has lived a wild and exciting life over the years, and many fans may be surprised to learn just how interesting her life has been.
Drew Barrymore was sent to a psychiatric facility when she was 13
Drew Barrymore admitted that she's had her share of wild moments. However, when she was a young teenager, her behavior was so difficult for her mother to handle that she was actually sent to a psychiatric facility at the age of 13. According to The Detox Center LA, Barrymore was no stranger to addiction as her father was an alcoholic. By the age of 12, the young star had already completed a rehab program and survived a suicide attempt. The following year, she was sent to a psychiatric facility where she would spend 18 months before returning home and continuing her acting career.
"I was a real wild child, and I just got so out of control that no one knew what to do with me," Barrymore said on her talk show in 2021, per People. "My mom called a friend because her daughter was out of control [too] and they drove me here in the middle of the night," she continued. Barrymore went on to reveal that she's proud of what she's had to overcome in her life. "It can't be embarrassing. It has to be our strengths, it has to be something that we can be proud of because we overcame it and we look back with honor and humor."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Drew Barrymore was legally emancipated at the age of 14
After Drew Barrymore was released from the psychiatric facility where she received treatment she changed her life. At just 14 years old, the actor was emancipated from her parents when she proved that her mother was not fit to take care of her. "When I was 14, I was emancipated by the courts. It's no secret that I had to part ways from my mother because we had driven our relationship into the ground. She had lost credibility as a mother by taking me to Studio 54 (so wrong, but so fun) instead of school," Barrymore wrote in her memoir, "Wildflower," per The Guardian.
"I got my first apartment when I was 14, and I was terrified," Barrymore recalled during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "I was really scared all the time, it's scary to move out on your own at 14. The "He's Just Not That Into You" star went on to reveal that it was her tiny television in that apartment that ultimately made her feel safe and saved her. "My television is what helped me grow up and become a whole person," she confessed, revealing that she's loved television her entire life.
Barrymore eventually mended her relationship with her mother over the years. However, she has learned from her own parents' mistakes when it comes to raising her own children, revealing that she's a parent first and not a friend to her daughters.
Drew Barrymore's famous godparent connection
Drew Barrymore comes from a famous acting family, so it's no surprise that she would have lots of Hollywood connections. However, some people may be surprised to learn that Barrymore's godfather is famed director Steven Spielberg, the same man that cast her in his hit movie "E.T." when she was just a little girl. During an interview with Vulture, Barrymore revealed that Spielberg was the only person in her life that ever felt like a parental figure to her, and while he could never be her father, he did agree to be her godfather. Meanwhile, Barrymore knows that the role of godparent is a huge honor, one that she's had bestowed on her as well. When Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and his wife singer Courtney Love welcomed their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, Love asked her good friend Barrymore to be her daughter's godmother, and she accepted the title, per PopSugar.
Meanwhile, Drew has enlisted one of her famous friends to be a godmother to one of her daughters as well. In 2014, after Barrymore gave birth to her daughter Frankie, she asked her "Charlie's Angels" co-star Cameron Diaz to be the little girl's godmother. Although Diaz and Barrymore worked together, their relationship goes further back when they met as teenagers.
It seemed fitting that Barrymore would continue the trend of celebrity godparents for her own kids after the experiences she's had with the role.
Her dog once saved her life
In 2001, when Drew Barrymore was engaged to her second husband Tom Green, she was shocked when she was woken up by the sound of banging in her home. The actor's dog, Flossie, began banging on the bedroom door to alert her that there was a fire in her home, via the New York Post. "I don't think even the cliche of unconditional love is enough," Barrymore later said of the dog who saved her life and her relationship with animals, per Insider. "In some ways I wonder ... We don't deserve cats and dogs. They're so awesome. I would never imagine raising my own daughters without a house full of cats and dogs," she added.
Of course, Barrymore was grateful for the dog who saved her life, but she also had fond memories of her canine pal before the fire as well. The actor revealed that Flossie got a bit wild while on the French set of "Ever After" in 1998. "She was living her best life. And then she mellowed out when we came back to America, but in France, Flossie got her groove on," she joked.
Barrymore is now a huge advocate for animals, and in April 2023, the actor revealed that she currently has 7 pets of her own, including four rescue cats, two dogs, and a bearded dragon.
Drew Barrymore is a Saturday Night Live legend
Drew Barrymore has lived an incredible life, and she's been captivating fans for decades. However, one of her most impressive achievements is her history with "Saturday Night Live." The "Blended" star made her "SNL" debut in 1982 when she was just 7 years old, via PopSugar. The actor became the youngest person to ever host the iconic sketch comedy series, but she didn't stop there. Barrymore also returned to host the show in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2009. With Barrymore's six hosting appearances under her belt, she became a member of the elite Five-Timers Club, which also includes stars like Justin Timberlake, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Candice Bergen, Tom Hanks, John Goodman, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Jonah Hill, and others, per People.
Barrymore loves the show so much that when the comedy series spoofed her talk show in 2020, the actor took to Instagram to share her delight over the hilarious sketch, which starred Chloe Fineman doing her best Barrymore impression. "I have loved SNL for as long as I know, and to also have the @thedrewbarrymoreshow brought to the party is so fun," the actor wrote on Instagram.
At times it seems like Barrymore has lived several lifetimes in one. However, the actor continues to delight fans and be herself for better or worse.