Drew Barrymore’s life has been a rollercoaster ride, all under the watchful eye of the public. From a child star navigating a turbulent past to becoming a seasoned Hollywood icon with over 70 acting credits, Barrymore’s journey is one of resilience and reinvention.
Born into an acting dynasty, Barrymore burst onto the scene with her breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. At just 4 years old, she was already presenting at the Academy Awards. As the daughter of actor John Drew Barrymore and great-niece of It’s a Wonderful Life star Lionel Barrymore, she was destined for the spotlight.
However, her early years in Hollywood were far from easy. By age 9, she was drinking alcohol, and by 14, she was battling addiction and entering rehab. Despite a rocky relationship with her mother, Barrymore has since revealed that she now financially supports her.
Today, she’s a Hollywood veteran, starring in films like Never Been Kissed, The Wedding Singer, Charlie’s Angels, and He’s Just Not That Into You. She has also stepped behind the camera as a director and made waves with her TV role in Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet from 2017 to 2019.
Off-screen, Barrymore’s love life has seen its share of challenges. She’s been married three times, including brief unions with Jeremy Thomas and comedian Tom Green. Her third marriage to Will Kopelman ended in 2016, but the two have remained close as they co-parent their daughters, Olive and Frankie. Reflecting on her divorce, she shared that while it was a difficult time, she’s grateful for the blended family they’ve built.
Continuing to evolve, Barrymore added a talk show host to her growing résumé, launching The Drew Barrymore Show in September 2020, which features cooking segments, DIY projects, celebrity interviews, and even a virtual comedy club. Through it all, Barrymore has proven her strength, both on and off the screen.
#1. Childhood Star
Barrymore skyrocketed to fame with her role as Gertie in the 1982 classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a film that earned four Academy Awards and received five additional nominations.
#2. Trouble Years
At 13, the Riding in Cars With Boys actress entered rehab after trying cocaine for the first time a year earlier.
In 1988, she was hospitalized for 18 months to receive treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. By age 15, Barrymore was emancipated from her parents.
#3. I Do
In March 1994, Barrymore married bar owner Jeremy Thomas, but the couple divorced just 10 months later.
#4. Business Mode
In 1995, the California native teamed up with Nancy Juvonen to co-found the production company Flower Films.
#5. Horror Queen
In 1996, Barrymore appeared as Casey in Scream, following her roles in Boys on the Side and Batman Forever a year earlier.
#6. Rom-Com Comeback
Barrymore solidified her status as rom-com royalty with 1998’s The Wedding Singer. She went on to star in Ever After: A Cinderella Story, Home Fries, Never Been Kissed, Fever Pitch, and later reunited with Adam Sandler in 50 First Dates.
#7. Kiss, Kiss
Barrymore’s production company, Flower Films, found success with its first project, Never Been Kissed in 1999.
Since then, the company has produced two Charlie’s Angels films and a related TV series, as well as Music and Lyrics, He’s Just Not That Into You, and How to Be Single.
#8. Action Hero
In 2000, Barrymore played Dylan in Charlie’s Angels, starring alongside Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu.
She reprised her role in the sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
#9. Holy Matrimony
Barrymore was married to Tom Green for less than a year, divorcing in 2002. The two reconnected in September 2020 on The Drew Barrymore Show after 15 years of silence.
Reflecting on their reunion, Barrymore said, “You’ve had a whole life and I’ve had a whole life, and it’s just really nice to come together and check in and talk about it. It thrills me to no end. I think the world of you, and I celebrate you, and I always have and always will.”
#10. Star Treatment
After more than two decades in the entertainment industry, the Miss You Already star received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
#11. Director’s Chair
Barrymore starred in, produced, and directed Whip It in 2009, marking her feature film directorial debut after previously directing a TV documentary and a short video.
#12. Wine Not?
In April 2012, the Hollywood star launched Barrymore Wines with a Pinot Grigio. She has since expanded the label by partnering with Carmel Road and introducing a Rosé.
#13. Wedded Bliss
In June 2012, the actress married Will Kopelman, six months after their engagement. The couple exchanged vows at Barrymore’s estate in Montecito, California.
#14. Motherhood Mode
The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Olive, in September 2012.
Barrymore shared on a December 2012 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that the name came from a moment when she was three months pregnant and reading a book with her husband, which stated that the baby was “the size of an olive.
She said, “That was it. We never looked back.”
#15. Beauty Boss
In 2012, shortly after getting married and welcoming her first child, Barrymore founded Flower Beauty.
The cruelty-free line initially launched exclusively online and at Walmart but has since expanded to other beauty retailers, including Ulta.
#16. Expanding Family
The couple welcomed their second daughter, Frankie, in April 2014.
#17. Book Club
In October 2015, the Blended actress released her autobiography, Wildflower, a year after publishing the photo book Find It in Everything.
Wildflower went on to become a New York Times bestseller.
#18. Going Different Directions
Barrymore and Kopelman divorced in August 2016, just four months after announcing their separation. In a joint statement, they said, “Sadly, our family is separating legally, although we do not feel this takes away from us being a family.
Our children are our universe, and we look forward to living the rest of our lives with them as the first priority.”
#19. TV Takeover
The Los Angeles native played Sheila Hammond on Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet from 2017 to 2019, serving as an executive producer on the project as well.
#20. Talk Show Time
In 2019, the Golden Globe winner launched her own talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show.
The show premiered in September 2020, featuring guest appearances by Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Adam Sandler.
#21. No More Marriage
During a January 2022 episode of her talk show, Barrymore shared her thoughts on dating as a mother:
“I don’t know how to date with kids. I’m not there yet. I have two young girls, and I don’t want to bring people home. I think it would take me a very long time to meet someone and get to know them before I could ever even introduce them to my daughters.”
She also expressed her feelings about future relationships, stating, “I would maybe live with someone again. Maybe. But there’s no way I will ever, ever, ever be married again.”
