What Drew Barrymore's Husbands And Ex-Boyfriends Have Said About Her

Drew Barrymore has been through a lot across her decades in the spotlight. Ever since she burst onto the scene as the adorable little sister in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," she's been an object of pop-cultural fascination. From her troubled teen years to her successful reinvention as one of the premiere rom-com stars of her generation, to her well-received current status as a beloved talk-show host who dominates daytime television, fans have always been curious about Barrymore's personal life.

Though her early years were full of very public romantic attachments, Barrymore wrote a personal essay for Us Weekly in 2025 about how happy she is to be single. "I wasn't alone because I was between relationships or because I hadn't figured something out yet," she wrote. "I was alone because I genuinely enjoyed it. I was choosing it." The "Music and Lyrics" star added, "When I tell you that was the most freeing realization of my life? Oh. My. Gosh."

Her life in the public eye wasn't always so self-assured. Barrymore went through a rough time as a young star finding her place in the world, and that often meant whirlwind romances that ranged from short flings to several divorces. Still, though, through it all, the husbands and boyfriends who have spoken about Barrymore in public largely don't seem to hold it against her. She seems to be on good terms with many of her exes, many of whom have even dissected their relationships with her on "The Drew Barrymore Show." Read on to learn about what Barrymore's exes have said about her.

One of Drew Barrymore's earliest public relationships was with a fellow child star. On a 2023 episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," "The Goonies" star Corey Feldman said it all began after Steven Spielberg's people reached out to his grandmother. "The little girl from 'E.T.' wants to meet you, cause she's got a crush on you," Feldman remembered his grandmother saying.

Barrymore's mother asked if they might be able to go on a "play date," so they went to a movie together. Years later, they properly dated as teenagers, and Barrymore accompanied Feldman to the Academy Awards. On her talk show, she admitted that she felt under-dressed that night in an off-the-rack Betsy Johnson dress, but Feldman said he didn't mind. After all, he said, he loved what a Hollywood couple they made. "We were such the great, little, cute, little item," he said, "for like, the three months we lasted, or whatever."

The two remained friends for years after they broke up, and they went through very public struggles with sobriety. "You were so kind," Barrymore told her ex. "You were such a safe place for me." In 2026, Feldman was hospitalized, but a rep announced he was "doing much better" that June.

In 1999, Drew Barrymore starred in "Never Been Kissed," one of her signature roles. She played Josie Gellar, nicknamed "Josie Grossie" by her bullies, a journalist who goes undercover as a high school student to report on what teenagers were like at the end of the decade. The cast of "Never Been Kissed" also included "Scream" star David Arquette, who played Josie's brother Rob. He was a former popular student who also goes undercover as a teenager again, using his good looks to help his sister fit in.

Years before they played siblings in the film, Arquette and Barrymore dated in real life. During a 2014 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," Arquette briefly revisited the relationship, confessing, "We used to date when we were little kids." He corrected himself immediately, adding, "Well, not little kids." Bravo host Andy Cohen asked how long the relationship lasted, and seeming like he wanted to keep certain things to himself, Arquette grinned, "For a while."

In 2010, Arquette went through a very public divorce with "Friends" star Courteney Cox. In an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" (via The New York Post), Arquette told the shock jock he was having a difficult time in the wake of his split from Cox, adding that he wished he could've made things work with his former "Never Been Kissed" co-star. "I know she is with Justin Long and everything, but how cool would an Arquette-Barrymore child be? From a pure breeding standpoint," Arquette said. A few days later, according to Today, Arquette refused to apologize for the backlash his comments created. "I always speak my mind and I really don't care what people that don't know me may say," he wrote online.

As child star Drew Barrymore grew up, she faced headlines scrutinizing her every public move. In the early 1990s, that included a whirlwind romance with Jamie Walters, best known as part of the cast of "Beverly Hills, 90210." Even though Barrymore was only 17 when they got together and Walters was in his early 20s, they wound up engaged — and then broken up — all in a very short amount of time. 

It doesn't seem like Barrymore holds any of that against Walters. When the "Beverly Hills, 90210" cast reunited on "The Drew Barrymore Show" (via ET), the host joked about her connection with Tori Spelling, who played Donna Martin on the iconic show — girlfriend of Walters' character Ray. "She was like the OG Donna Martin for him," Spelling said. Walters returned for the short-lived reboot, and both Spelling and Jennie Garth complimented the modern-day family man, who largely lives a private life these days. "He looks exactly the same," Garth said.

For his part, Walters is now a firefighter in Los Angeles. He spoke with The Sun about his time in the Hollywood spotlight, reminiscing, "We were a couple for a while. We had a great time. Hollywood was fun." He added that they still think highly of each other, grinning, "She was great. We really had a great relationship together. I think we were just both really young, and we were busy with our careers, and that's why it didn't really pan out."

The glare of the spotlight can be blinding even in the best of times, but the 1990s were a tough time to be a young celebrity trying to find their way in the world. Drew Barrymore spent much of that decade in a long-term relationship with guitarist Eric Erlandson, who was part of the band Hole, and together they were on quite the rollercoaster through fame.

Barrymore and Erlandson dated during the aftermath of Kurt Cobain's death in 1994, which was a particularly tumultuous period in the controversial life of Courtney Love, Erlandson's bandmate and Cobain's partner ... and Erlandson's ex. Understandably, the whole decade was a wild ride, but he told LA Weekly in 2012 that he didn't necessarily blame Love for how the whole chaotic situation unfurled. "She didn't try to emasculate me," he insisted. "I chose to be in a relationship with a person with that energy."

At the same time as Hole was trying to survive in the wake of Cobain's death, Erlandson's relationship with Barrymore also played out in the headlines. He didn't address Barrymore directly, but he told the outlet that the relationship happening around the same time as Cobain's death made him dislike the very idea of fame. "I have a negative view of it — being worshiped too much," he mused. "Fame is fame. It's only going to lead to more alienation, more isolation, more suicide, more problems. More negative things in society."

As the 1990s came to a close and her life stabilized somewhat, Drew Barrymore struck up a relationship with Luke Wilson. They co-starred together in the 1998 comedy "Home Fries," which featured Barrymore as a pregnant fast-food worker and Wilson as the stepson of the father of her child. The actors first connected while making the flick and dated for about two years.

Barrymore spoke about her ex on a 2022 episode of her talk show (via People), bonding with Kate Hudson over the fact that they'd both dated Wilson brothers. "I was dating him, but I think he was also dating other people," Barrymore revealed. "It was an open relationship; we were young. We're just young, we're having fun, we're all playing, acting, hanging out. You're not taking it all so seriously, and it was fun and we had the best time." 

Wilson himself appeared on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2025, sharing a sweet memory of domestic bliss during their relationship. "On Sunday, she'd make this ... great black beans and rice dish for me, so I'd be like, sitting and watching golf, and I'd be like, 'This is great! Hollywood is great!'" Barrymore reminded him that they'd once been detained for public urination together, and Wilson laughed, "I forgot that part." 

In 2001, headlines broke that Drew Barrymore was getting divorced for a second time. Barrymore's first marriage to businessman Jeremy Thomas was a short-lived disaster, and by the end of 2001, her marriage to Canadian comedian Tom Green also came to an end. In December 2001, about five months after they tied the knot, Green filed for divorce. "Drew is a wonderful woman. I love her very much. I wish our marriage could have worked out," the "Road Trip" star said in a statement to People. "I wish her much happiness."

Decades later, Green went on "The Drew Barrymore Show" — and it was their first in-person interaction in 15 years. On the 2020 episode of her talks show, Barrymore began their reunion by explaining to her audience, "I have always been attracted to visionaries, comedians, and people who make me laugh." The conversation was an emotional one, with Green telling his ex-wife how happy he was to see her on television.

A few years later, on a 2024 episode of "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Green reflected on the reunion. "I don't like to carry around negative energy like that," he said, "so it was good to be able to kind of get that out in the open, where we're supportive of her show, proud of her, happy she's doing well."

In 2010 and 2011, Drew Barrymore starred in two romantic comedies with Justin Long: "He's Just Not That Into You" and "Going the Distance." In real life, Long was very into Barrymore, and they went the distance. The two dated for several years after filming those movies, and they seem to have maintained a strong friendship even though the romantic relationship itself didn't last.

In fact, when Long appeared on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2022, he confessed that he still carried a bit of a flame. "I love that we've maintained our love," he said, "because I don't think it'll ... I know from my end, it'll never go anywhere. I will always love you." Overcome with emotion and clasping each other's hands, Barrymore echoed her ex. "I will always love you," she said, "so much."

It's not that kind of love, though; Long has been in a long-term relationship with fellow actor Kate Bosworth, and Barrymore has strong feelings about Long getting married. Thankfully, they're good feelings. "[You've] become this incredibly joyous, bonded, real deal," she told Bosworth on her show, pledging to root for them as a couple.

In 2016, Drew Barrymore got divorced for a third time. She'd been married to art dealer Will Kopelman for several years, and they had two children together, but the marriage didn't work out. While Kopelman has stayed largely mum about what, exactly, went on between them, anonymous sources spoke with People about the dissolution of their relationship.

"Drew seemed very happy about being a big part of Will's family. It was like, for the first time, she had a real family," a source said, hinting that Barrymore found comfort she was never able to find as a child star. In another People article, a source revealed that they'd had an irreconcilable struggle to decide whether to raise their kids in New York or Los Angeles. The source described Kopelman as "devastated."

In a statement to People upon their split, the former couple mused, "Divorce might make one feel like a failure, but eventually you start to find grace in the idea that life goes on. Our children are our universe, and we look forward to living the rest of our lives with them as the first priority." Kopelman has since remarried, and by all accounts, Barrymore has continued to maintain a positive coparenting relationship with him and his current wife.