Drew Barrymore

Date of birth:
22 February 1975
Culver City, California, USA

Birth name:
Drew Blyth Barrymore

Height:
5' 4"

Spouse:
Tom Green (7 July 2001 – 15 October 2002) (divorced)
Jeremy Thomas (20 March 1994 – February 1995) (divorced)

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Facts & Career Overview

Drew Barrymore rode a career rollercoaster spanning two decades before the age of 25. The product of a legendary acting dynasty that runs from great-great-grandmother Louisa Lane Drew through grandfather John Barrymore, she appeared in commercials before she was even one year old. Her breakthrough performance as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) earned her acclaim normally reserved for seasoned actors.

She followed with key roles in Stephen King adaptations such as Firestarter (1984) and Cat’s Eye (1985). But early stardom came with a destructive downside: by her early teens, she battled addiction, rehab, and tabloid notoriety. Her memoir Little Girl Lost (1989) chronicled this turbulent period.

In the early 1990s, Drew staged a remarkable comeback with bold performances in films like Poison Ivy (1992), Guncrazy (1992), and the TV film The Amy Fisher Story (1993). She returned to studio films with Bad Girls (1994), followed by standout work in Boys on the Side (1995) and Mad Love (1995). She also made a memorable cameo as Sugar in Batman Forever (1995). Her charisma and spontaneity—both onscreen and off—became part of her public identity.

Her next era included major hits: Scream (1996), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998), Ever After (1998), and Home Fries (1998). In 1994 she founded her company Flower Films, producing hits such as Never Been Kissed (1999), Charlie’s Angels (2000), and the cult classic Donnie Darko (2001), in which she also appeared.

Additional major roles followed: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Duplex (2003), 50 First Dates (2004), and Fever Pitch (2005). She also appeared in the documentary My Date With Drew (2005).

Career Expansion (2006–2025)

In the late 2000s and 2010s, Drew Barrymore further expanded her career:

• Starred in Music & Lyrics (2007) and He’s Just Not That Into You (2009)
• Directed her first feature, the well-received roller-derby dramedy Whip It (2009)
• Re-teamed with Adam Sandler for Blended (2014)
• Starred in the Netflix dark comedy series Santa Clarita Diet (2017–2019)

Beyond acting, she became a major business figure: creating Flower Beauty, Flower Home, and expanding Flower Films. Her 2015 memoir Wildflower became a bestseller.

The Drew Barrymore Show Era

In 2020, she launched the daytime talk program The Drew Barrymore Show, which has grown into one of TV’s most successful and positive-spirited talk shows, showcasing her empathetic interviewing style, humour, and authenticity. It continues to run strongly into 2025.

Now in her late 40s, Drew Barrymore is regarded as one of Hollywood’s most beloved, enduring, and multifaceted entertainers—an actress, producer, director, businesswoman, talk-show host, and cultural icon whose resilience and reinvention have defined her life and career.