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Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore has spent most of her life on screen, but the shape of her career is far more interesting than simple longevity. Born in Culver City on February 22, 1975, she came from an extensive acting family and made her film debut in Altered States before becoming one of the best-known child actors of the 1980s as Gertie in E.T. She followed that breakthrough with roles in Firestarter, Irreconcilable Differences and Cat’s Eye. After a troubled childhood and an intermittent stretch of acting, Barrymore found a new screen identity during the 1990s. Poison Ivy and Guncrazy drew on a more rebellious presence, while her small but crucial appearance as Casey Becker helped set the tone for Scream. By the end of the decade, The Wedding Singer, Ever After and Never Been Kissed had established the warmth, comic timing and emotional openness that became central to her appeal. Barrymore also took greater control behind the camera. Through Flower Films, which she established with Nancy Juvonen, she produced Never Been Kissed and later served as a producer and star of Charlie’s Angels. Her work with Adam Sandler continued in 50 First Dates and Blended, while Music and Lyrics paired her with Hugh Grant. These films made good use of her ability to play sincerity without making it feel overly polished. Her dramatic work has been just as important to the career’s range. As Edith Bouvier Beale in the HBO film Grey Gardens, Barrymore won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award and received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, she made her feature directorial debut with Whip It, a roller-derby story praised for its charm and energy. Barrymore later moved into television with Santa Clarita Diet, playing a real estate agent transformed into a zombie while also serving as an executive producer. In 2020, she launched the syndicated daytime series The Drew Barrymore Show. Across acting, producing, directing and television, her career has remained defined by reinvention and a recognizably open, playful screen presence.