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Drew Blyth Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an Emmy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated American actress and film producer, the youngest member of the Barrymore family of American actors. She has her own production company, Flower Films. Barrymore made her screen début in Altered States (1980); her breakout role two years later was in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. She quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognized child actresses going on to establish herself in mainly comic roles. An adorable child star who overcame an out-of-control adolescence and reclaimed her post as America's mischievous but pure-hearted sweetheart, Drew Barrymore rode a career rollercoaster spanning two decades before the age of 25. The product of an acting dynasty that runs from great-great-grandmother Louisa Lane Drew through grandfather John Barrymore, the youngest Barrymore showed promise from the start, appearing in commercials before the age of one. While her lineage was responsible for some notice, the saccharine-free sweetness of her performance as little Gertie in the 1982 classic "ET, The Extra-Terrestrial" won Barrymore acclaim reserved for the truly talented. Her watchability propelled many a subsequent film, including the otherwise unremarkable Stephen King adaptations "Firestarter" (1984) and "Cat's Eye" (1985). A victim of 1980s Hollywood lifestyle, Barrymore had too much too soon, and began to attract less attention for her acting than for the increasingly sordid tabloid stories about her pre-adolescent addictions to drugs and alcohol. After undergoing rehab and—another Barrymore tradition—publishing a memoir, "Little Girl Lost" (1989), the resilient teen made an impressive comeback in the early 90s, riding a wave of both celebrity and controversy. Barrymore was born in Culver City, California, the daughter of American actor John Drew Barrymore and Ildiko Jaid Barrymore (née Makó), an aspiring actress born in a displaced persons camp in Brannenburg, West Germany to Hungarian World War II refugees. Her parents divorced after she was born. She has a half-brother John Blyth Barrymore, also an actor, and two half-sisters, Blyth Dolores Barrymore and Brahma (Jessica) Blyth Barrymore. Her paternal great-great-grandfather, John Drew, the actor, was Irish-born, and immigrated to the US, in the 19th Century. Barrymore was born into the acting profession, coming from a long line of acting talent stretching back nearly 200 years; her great-great grandparents John Drew, Louisa Lane Drew, her great-grandparents Maurice Barrymore, Georgiana Drew, Maurice Costello and Mae Costello (née Altschuk), and her grandparents John Barrymore and Dolores Costello were all highly successful actors; John Barrymore was arguably the most acclaimed actor of his generation. She is the grand-niece of Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore (whom Winston Churchill once proposed to), and Helene Costello, and the great grandniece of John Drew, Jr., actress Louisa Drew, and silent film actor/writer/director Sidney Drew. Her father and half-brother are also actors. She is also the god-daughter of director Steven Spielberg. Her first name, Drew, was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana Drew; her middle name, Blyth, was the original surname of the dynasty founded by her great-grandfather, Maurice Barrymore. Barrymore's career began when she was eleven months old: she auditioned for a dog food commercial. When she was bitten by her canine co-star, the producers were afraid she would cry, but she merely laughed, and was hired for the job. She made her film debut in Altered States (1980). A year later, she landed the role of Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which made her famous. She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1984 for her role in Irreconcilable Differences. In the wake of this sudden stardom, Barrymore endured a notoriously troubled childhood, already a regular at the famed Studio 54 when she was a little girl, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol by the time she was 9, smoking marijuana at 10, and snorting cocaine at 13. She was in rehab at age 13 and a second time at 14. Barrymore later described this period of her life in her 1990 autobiography, Little Girl Lost. Her nightlife and constant partying became a popular subject with the media. Barrymore used her new-found role as a sex symbol to stage a career comeback playing a manipulative, evil teenage seductress in Poison Ivy (1992), which became a box office failure, but was popular on video and cable. She posed nude for the January 1995 issue of Playboy. Spielberg gave her a quilt for her 20th birthday with a note that read, "Cover yourself up". Enclosed were copies of her Playboy pictures, with the pictures altered by his art department so that she appeared fully clothed. She would eventually appear nude in five of her movies during this period. During a 1995 appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Barrymore climbed onto Dave Letterman's desk and bared her breasts to him, her back to the camera. The flash was intended to celebrate his birthday. She also modeled in a series of Guess? jeans ads during this time. She underwent breast reduction surgery in 1992, and has said on the subject: “You should have seen the size of them I was a 34DD. Everybody stared at them and it was so embarrassing. They'd be like "you changed," and they'd be staring straight at my breasts. After I got my boobs reduced to a 34C, all the sudden this thing that was so scary and embarrassing wasn't a problem anymore." Still possessing the angelic glow of her childhood, but with an added air of trouble, Barrymore portrayed Lolita-like teens in "Poison Ivy" (1992), "Guncrazy" (1992) and the ABC-TV movie "The Amy Fisher Story" (1993), based on the sordid case of the Long Island teenager who shot the wife of her former lover. The actress returned to big-budgeted features with the disappointing Western "Bad Girls" (1994), then was cast alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Mary-Louise Parker in the touching "Boys on the Side" (1995), a female road movie that capitalized on Barrymore's undeniable charm, and showcased an acting depth that had not previously been completely realized. In 1995, she took on two other disparate roles, first playing a suicidal teen opposite Chris O'Donnell in the sweetly acted if critically panned "Mad Love,” followed by a cameo role as the glitzy but inherently childlike femme fatale Sugar in "Batman Returns,” a Marilyn Monroe inspired character that it seemed Barrymore was born to play. This role reunited her with Joel Schumacher, a big supporter of hers who gave her a break on the enjoyable "2000 Malibu Road,” a short-lived trashy soap on CBS in 1992. During her post-rehab comeback, Barrymore reappeared in the gossip columns with colorful extracurricular antics. Unlike her previous drug related escapades, the young woman seemed much more in control of every situation, with some spontaneous free-spirited nudity ranking as the most shocking of her activities. Among the more memorable capers was a birthday dance for bemused talk show host David Letterman which culminated in her flashing her breasts for Dave's eyes only. Barrymore additionally garnered much newsprint by stripping on stage at a trendy New York performance space and posing for Playboy. In another movie star rite-of-passage, she endured a month-long marriage to a Welsh bar owner. Audiences responded positively to her carefree spirit and the harmless stunts that peppered the actress' road to adulthood. She made a comeback in the successful 1996 horror film Scream. Barrymore has continued to be highly bankable, and a top box office draw. She has been especially adept in romantic comedies, such as Wishful Thinking (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998), Home Fries (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), 50 First Dates (2004), and Fever Pitch (2005). Summing up Barrymore's appeal, Roger Ebert, in his review of 50 First Dates, describes Barrymore as having a "smiling, coy sincerity", describing the film as "ingratiating and lovable". She has also produced several films, including Charlie's Angels (2000), a major box office success of 2000. After Charlie's Angels, Drew had a dramatic role in the comedy/drama Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), where she played a teenage mother in a failed marriage with the drug-addicted father (based on the real-life story of Beverly D'Onofrio). In Richard Kelly's debut movie Donnie Darko she had the fairly small role of Karen Pomeroy, the title character's English teacher. In 2003, she reprised her role as Dylan Sanders in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Maxim magazine featured Barrymore and her fellow Angels in their "Girls of Maxim" gallery after the launch of the film. Later in 2002, Barrymore appeared in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, alongside Julia Roberts. She was the subject of My Date with Drew (2005). In it, an aspiring filmmaker and fan uses his limited resources in an attempt to gain a date with her. On February 3, 2004, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One of her most recent roles has involved her becoming a recurring character in the hit animated comedy Family Guy as Brian Griffin's shallow girlfriend, Jillian. She has since appeared in four episodes. Blonde and beautiful, with a warm, open smile and a somewhat devilish fire in her eyes, Barrymore certainly looks like the perfect American icon, a fact not lost on director Wes Craven who hired her for a pivotal role in his tongue-in-cheek slasher flick "Scream" (1996). As the biggest name in the cast, Barrymore brilliantly opted for the role of the first victim, helping to establish the film as a new thriller experience, bucking the preset conventions of the horror genre. She followed with a turn in the ensemble of Woody Allen's odd musical "Everyone Says I Love You" (1996), gracefully and sympathetically portraying a tony New York City daughter of privilege, reminding audiences and co-stars alike of her Hollywood royalty roots. (Although unlike her co-stars, her singing voice was dubbed by a professional.) Barrymore had a popular hit with 1998's "The Wedding Singer,” perfectly playing the sweetly captivating Julia opposite Adam Sandler in this enjoyable 1980s-set romantic comedy. Also in 1998, the actress happily took on Cinderella in "Ever After,” embroidering the story with a female empowering modern sensibility. Barrymore was thrilled with the character, a smart, sensitive, but staunch young woman dealing with family issues, as well as the structure of the film, which differed from the traditional beautiful girl with ugly oppressors saved by a fairy godmother story. The result was a charming and affirming romance, with Barrymore proving more than capable of carrying a film as the primary star. The quirky comedy "Home Fries" (1998) came next, starring the actress as a pregnant fast food worker who falls in love with the her unborn child's adult would-be stepbrother (played by Barrymore's then-companion Luke Wilson). The actress veritably lit up the screen with her inimitable spirit and radiance. A sharp and thoughtful businesswoman as well, her Flower Films (formed in 1994) secured a deal with Fox 2000 that led to the charming 1999 comedy "Never Been Kissed,” in which she essayed a twentysomething reporter posing as a high school student for an undercover assignment. Under her banner Flower Films productions, Barrymore joined forces with Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu in a big screen version of the 70s campy TV series "Charlie's Angels" (2000). A box-office hit, the film was, in the words of one critic, "an appealing mix of sexy, tongue-in-cheek fun; high-energy action; slick production values; and more chick-flick worthy outfits/hairdos than you can bat an eyelash at." The following year, Barrymore undertook her most demanding role to date, portraying a teenager who gets pregnant, eventually marries and then raises her child as a single mother in "Riding in Cars with Boys.” Playing a character that aged from 16 to her mid-30s, she offered a strong turn that showed a previously untapped range and depth. Barrymore has also displayed a certain savvy behind the scenes, serving as a producer on several projects via her company, Flower Films, with her partner Nancy Juvonen. Along with producing and developing her own starring vehicles—including "Never Been Kissed," "Charlie's Angels" and a remake of "Barbarella"—she also shepherded the much-admired "Donnie Darko" (2001) in which she had a small role. In 2002, Barrymore co-starred with Julia Robert in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," directed by George Clooney, delivering a more womanly performance as Penny, the somewhat fictionalized girlfriend of real-life game show producer Chuck Barris. Displaying her typical warmth and patented adorable qualities, Barrymore was also mature, real and vulnerable. She next reunited with Diaz and Liu for the sequel "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" (2003). The trio demonstrated, once again, their expertise as masters of espionage, martial arts, and disguise, and as producer of the film Barrymore scored a major buzz-building coup by personally luring Hollywood expatriate Demi Moore out of semi-retirement to play the movie's villainess. That same year, Barrymore also produced and co-starred in the broad comedy "Duplex" opposite Ben Stiller, playing an upwardly mobile couple whose home owning dreams become a nightmare when they encounter the seemingly sweet old lady next door. In 2004, just days after becoming the sixth member of her famed family to receive a star of Hollywood's Walk of Fame, Barrymore was reunited on-screen with her "Wedding Singer" co-star Sandler in "50 First Dates," a screwy romantic comedy that cast her as Lucy Whitmore, a woman who suffers from a disorder that eliminates her short term memory each day, forcing a smitten veterinarian (Sandler) to win her heart anew every 24 hours. Again wearing the hats of both producer and star, Barrymore returned to the romantic comedy genre again for "Fever Pitch" (2005), playing a corporate climber whose idyllic romance with a schoolteacher (Jimmy Fallon) is threatened by his insane devotion to the Boston Red Sox. The film, directed by the Farrelly brothers from the Nick Hornby novel, was a winsome, appealing effort that showcased both stars warm-hearted charm. Next she generously made an all-important appearance in tyro filmmaker Brian Herzlinger's shameless "My Date With Drew" (2005), a documentary chronicling his attempts to meet Barrymore, a supposed lifelong crush, in 30 days before having to return the video camera he purchased—the film's attempts to be goofily romantic were undermined by the real objects of Herzlinger's infatuation: himself and his nascent film career. After voicing the schoolteacher Maggie in the animated “Curious George” (2006), Barrymore played the quirky plant lady with a penchant for writing lyrics who falls for a washed-up ‘80s pop star (Hugh Grant) struggling to write a hit song in the middling romantic comedy “Music & Lyrics” (2007). Barrymore then appeared in director Curtis Hanson’s relationship drama, “Lucky You” (2007), playing a young singer from Bakersfield with more heart than talent pursued by an exceptionally talented poker player (Eric Bana) who takes advantage of his opponents across the table, but actively avoids long-term commitments in his personal life. Barrymore has also appeared in the films Lucky You (2007) and Music and Lyrics (2007). She recently hosted Saturday Night Live for the fifth time, making her the second female host in the show's history to do so (Candice Bergen being the first) and still remains the youngest celebrity to host the show (Barrymore hosted in 1982 at age 7; Jodie Foster was 14 when she hosted it in 1976). Barrymore has a worldwide box office gross that stands at over $2.3 billion. According The Hollywood Reporter's annual Star Salary Top 10, she is one of the actresses with the second highest salary per movie for 2006. It was announced on April 11, 2007 that Barrymore will become CoverGirl Cosmetic's newest model and spokeswoman. In April 2007, Barrymore reached No. 1 in People's annual 100 Most Beautiful People list. In May 2007, Barrymore was named Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme and on March 3, 2008, she donated $1 million to the Programme. In June 2007, Gucci announced that Drew Barrymore would be the new face for their jewelry line. Barrymore was married to Welsh bartender turned bar owner, Jeremy Thomas, from March 20 to April 28, 1994, and to comedian Tom Green from July 7, 2001 to October 15, 2002. Green filed for divorce in December 2001. In March 2007, former magazine editor Jane Pratt claimed on her Sirius Satellite Radio show that she had a romance with Barrymore in the middle 1990s. This was after Barrymore's own 2003 admission that she considered herself bisexual, commenting: "I don't think I could ever just solely be with a woman...It's just not enough for me." |
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