Drew Barrymore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Drew Barrymore
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Barrymore in 2019
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Drew Blythe Barrymore
February 22, 1975 Culver City, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 1976–present |
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Works
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Filmography |
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| Partner(s) | Fabrizio Moretti (2002–2007) |
| Children | 2 |
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| Family | Barrymore |
| Awards | Full list |
Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, talk show host, and businesswoman. She comes from the famous Barrymore family of actors. Drew has won many awards, including a Golden Globe Award. She has also been nominated for eleven Emmy Awards and a BAFTA. In 2023, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Drew Barrymore became famous as a child star. Her big role was Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). She also starred in movies like Firestarter (1984), Boys on the Side (1995), Scream (1996), and Ever After (1998). Other popular films include Never Been Kissed (1999), Charlie's Angels (2000), and its 2003 sequel. She is well-known for working with Adam Sandler in movies such as The Wedding Singer (1998), 50 First Dates (2004), and Blended (2014).
Her other notable films include Batman Forever (1995), Donnie Darko (2001), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), and Music and Lyrics (2007). She also directed and starred in the movie Whip It (2009). Drew won a Golden Globe Award for her role as Edith Bouvier Beale in the HBO film Grey Gardens (2009). She also received an Emmy nomination for this role.
From 2017 to 2019, she played Sheila Hammond in the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet. Since 2020, she has hosted her own daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. Drew Barrymore is also a businesswoman. She founded the production company Flower Films. In 2013, she launched a line of cosmetics called Flower. She also has ventures in wines, homeware, and clothing. Drew has written four books, including the memoir Little Girl Lost (1990) and the photobook Find It in Everything (2014). Both of these books became New York Times bestsellers.
Contents
Early Life and Family History
Drew Blythe Barrymore was born on February 22, 1975, in Culver City, California. Her father was actor John Drew Barrymore. Her mother, Jaid Barrymore, was born in a refugee camp in West Germany. Drew has three older half-siblings from her father's side. Her parents divorced in 1984.
In 2023, Drew shared on her talk show that her family background is mostly European. She also found out she has 6% Northern Indian ancestry.
A Family of Actors
Drew was born into a family of actors. All of her paternal great-grandparents were actors. Her paternal grandparents, John Barrymore and Dolores Costello, were also actors. John Barrymore was considered one of the best actors of his time.
Drew is the niece of Diana Barrymore and the grandniece of Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore. These family members were also famous actors. Her godmothers are actress Sophia Loren and Anna Strasberg. Her godfather is filmmaker Steven Spielberg.
Drew's first name, Drew, was her great-grandmother Georgie Drew's maiden name. Her middle name, Blythe, came from her great-grandfather Maurice Barrymore's original last name.
Growing Up and Early Challenges
Drew grew up in West Hollywood, California, and later in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. She attended Fountain Day School. After becoming a child star, Drew faced some difficult times. She became independent at age 14. At 15, she moved into her own apartment.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting as a Child Actress (1980s)
Drew Barrymore first appeared in a dog food commercial when she was just eleven months old. Her film debut was a small role in Altered States. She then played Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Director Steven Spielberg was impressed by her imagination for the role. E.T. was the highest-grossing film of the 1980s. This made Drew one of the most famous child actors.
She won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actress for E.T.. She was also nominated for the Rising Star Award. At seven years old, she became the youngest person to guest-host Saturday Night Live. Drew said that everyone treated her like an equal on the show.
In the 1984 film Firestarter, based on a Stephen King novel, Drew played a girl with special powers. She could start fires with her mind. That same year, she played a young girl divorcing her famous parents in Irreconcilable Differences. She was nominated for her first Golden Globe Award for this role. Film critic Roger Ebert praised her calm approach to the character.
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Drew continued acting throughout the 1980s. She starred in the horror film Cat's Eye, also written by Stephen King. This film received good reviews. Drew was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress. She also appeared in the romance film See You in the Morning. Critics praised her performance in this movie. In Far from Home, she played a teenager stranded with her father in a desert town.
Becoming a Star (1990s)
Drew Barrymore took on many leading roles in the 1990s. In Guncrazy, she played a teenager who kills her abusive stepfather. Variety magazine said she was impressive in the role. Drew was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for this film. She also appeared in the western film Bad Girls. This movie followed four women on the run.
In 1995, Drew appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman. She climbed onto the desk and gave David Letterman a kiss as a birthday gift. She also modeled for Guess? jeans ads. In the late 1990s, Drew became a very popular star again.
In Boys on the Side, Drew played a pregnant girl escaping her abusive boyfriend. The movie was a success and received positive reviews. She had a role in the superhero film Batman Forever. She played one of the assistants for the villain Two-Face.
Drew had a small but memorable role in Wes Craven's horror film Scream (1996). She was very interested in the script and asked to be part of the movie. Scream was a big success, earning $173 million worldwide. She was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In The Wedding Singer (1998), Drew played a waitress who falls in love with the main character, played by Adam Sandler. Critics found the film to be "spirited, funny and warm." The movie earned $123.3 million around the world. She also starred in the historical drama Ever After (1998). This film was inspired by the fairy tale Cinderella and made $98 million. Roger Ebert said Drew could "hold the screen and involve us in her characters."
Drew voiced the dog Olive in the Christmas TV film Olive, the Other Reindeer. She was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award. Drew then started her own production company, Flower Films. The company's first film was Never Been Kissed. In this movie, Drew played an insecure copy editor who goes undercover as a high school student. The film was a commercial success, making $84.5 million.
Continued Success (2000s)
In Charlie's Angels, Drew, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu played a team of investigators. The film was a huge box office success. It helped establish Drew's role as a producer in her own company. Drew also starred in Riding in Cars with Boys, playing a teenage mother.
When the movie Donnie Darko faced problems, Drew helped with funding through her company. She also played the title character's English teacher. Although the film was not a big box office hit at first, it became a cult classic after its DVD release.
Drew starred in George Clooney's first film as a director, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. She returned for Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and starred with Ben Stiller in Duplex. Flower Films also produced 50 First Dates. In this movie, Drew played a woman with memory loss, and Adam Sandler played a marine veterinarian. Roger Ebert praised Drew's "smiling, coy sincerity" in the film. 50 First Dates was a big commercial success, earning $196.4 million worldwide.
In the 2005 film Fever Pitch, Drew played the love interest of a schoolteacher. The film received good reviews. Drew starred in the 2006 animated film Curious George, based on the popular book series. She and Hugh Grant starred in Music and Lyrics. This romantic comedy focused on a former pop star and a writer trying to create a song. The film was a commercial success, making $145 million globally.
In the poker film Lucky You, Drew played an aspiring singer. In Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Drew voiced the main character, a pampered dog who gets lost in Mexico.
Directing and Television Roles (2009-2019)
Drew Barrymore starred in the romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You. The film earned $178 million worldwide. She played Edith Bouvier Beale in the HBO film Grey Gardens. This film was a big success, winning many awards. Rolling Stone magazine called Drew's performance a "revelation." She won a Golden Globe Award for this role.
Drew also made her directorial debut with the film Whip It. The movie is about a high school student who joins a Austin roller derby league. Critics praised her directing, saying the film had "charm, energy, and good-natured humor." Drew received nominations for her directing work. In Everybody's Fine, Drew played the daughter of a retired man.
Drew starred with Justin Long in the film Going the Distance. It followed a couple dealing with a long-distance relationship. The film received mixed reviews but earned $40 million worldwide.
In 2011, Drew directed the music video for the song "Our Deal" by the band Best Coast. She also starred in the film Big Miracle. This movie was based on a true story about rescuing gray whales trapped in ice.
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In Blended, Drew played a recently divorced woman who ends up at a family resort with a widower, again played by Adam Sandler. She and Toni Collette starred in Miss You Already (2015). They played two long-time friends whose friendship is tested when one starts a family and the other becomes ill.
Drew starred in the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet. She played a real estate agent who turns into a zombie and craves human flesh. Drew was also an executive producer for the show. Rolling Stone praised Drew's "uncrushable charm" in the series.
The Drew Barrymore Show (2020-Present)
Drew Barrymore starred in the film The Stand In. On September 14, 2020, Drew launched her own syndicated daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. It is also available as a podcast. In March 2021, Drew announced she was taking a break from acting.
She wrote a cookbook with chef Pilar Valdes called Rebel Homemaker. This book became a New York Times bestseller. In June 2021, she launched Drew Magazine, a lifestyle magazine. In 2023, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In September 2023, Drew announced her talk show would continue during the WGA strike. However, she later decided to pause production until the strike ended due to public feedback. She apologized for her earlier decision. In May 2024, it was announced that Hollywood Squares would be revived by CBS. Drew Barrymore is a co-executive producer and will be the center square. The series premiered on January 16, 2025, and was renewed for a second season on February 24, 2025.
Personal Life
Drew Barrymore has been married three times. She was briefly married to Jeremy Thomas in 1994. She was also married to MTV host and comedian Tom Green from 2001 to 2002. In 2002, she began dating the Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Their relationship ended in 2007. She later dated Justin Long.
In 2011, Drew started dating Will Kopelman, an art consultant. They got engaged in December 2011 and married on June 2, 2012. They had two children together. Drew and Will separated in 2016, and their divorce was finalized in August 2016. In 2020, Drew said she would not get married again. Will Kopelman married Alexandra Michler in 2021. Drew has spoken positively about her relationship with Michler. In 2023, Drew moved to Manhattan so her children could be closer to their father.
Drew practices meditation. She is the godmother of Frances Bean Cobain, the daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Drew eats a plant-based diet.
Awards and Achievements
Drew Barrymore's films have earned over US$2.3 billion worldwide. In 2006, she was among the top ten highest-paid actresses. She earned 10 to 12 million dollars per film.
Drew became the youngest person to host Saturday Night Live on November 20, 1982, at seven years old. This record still stands. She hosted SNL for the fifth time on February 3, 2007, becoming the second female host to do so. On October 10, 2009, she hosted for the sixth time, becoming the first woman to achieve this.
In 1999, the Young Artist Foundation honored Drew with a "Lifetime Achievement" Award. This recognized her great work as a child actress. For her contributions to the film industry, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. Her star is located at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard.
Images for kids
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Drew Barrymore 1992.jpg
Drew Barrymore in 1992
See also
In Spanish: Drew Barrymore para niños
