Drew Barrymore
Real Name: Drew Blyth Barrymore
Date of Birth: 22 February, 1975
Place of birth: Culver City, California
Profession: Actress - Producer
Drew Barrymore was introduced to the world of acting at a very early age. Her entire family has remained in this profession for several generations. Her parents, John Drew Barrymore and Ildiko Jaid Barrymore were both former actors and her grandparents, great grandparents, and even great-great grandparents also enjoyed success while pursuing an acting career.
Her big break as an actress came at the age 7 when she played Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie E.T The Extra-Terrestrial. After two more major roles in Irreconcilable Differences and Firestarter, Drew began to succumb to an unfortunate Hollywood lifestyle filled with drugs and alcohol. Barrymore began drinking at the age of nine soon followed by drug abuse.
Through most of Drew’s early teen years, reporters and critics alike began to write her off as another example of a failed child star. However, Drew Barrymore decided to seek help by entering a drug rehabilitation facility. She also wrote an autobiography entitled “Little Lost Girl.” The book discusses her childhood lifestyle of drugs and alcohol and how she eventually overcame her addictions.
In the early 90’s, Barrymore’s acting career hit a new phase as she played up her sex appeal in movies such as Poison Ivy in 1992, the made for TV movie, The Amy Fisher Story and a small role in 1995’s Batman Forever. Her off-screen lifestyle seemed to mirror her new on-screen personas as she flashed David Letterman during an appearance on The Late Show, and posed nude for Playboy in 1995.
In the mid 90’s, Drew took another turn on-screen redefining herself as more of a sweetheart. Movies such as Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, playing Cinderella in the surprise hit Ever After and starring opposite Adam Sandler in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer really solidified Barrymore as Hollywood’s new loveable good girl.
While her acting career was being reborn, she spread her wings and became a producer. In 1999, she produced and starred in the film Never Been Kissed, followed by Charlie’s Angels in 2000 and Donnie Darko in 2001. After starring in two fast-paced Charlie’s Angels action movies, Barrymore starred in numerous successful romantic comedies. She appeared opposite Ben Stiller in 2003’s Duplex, with Adam Sandler in Fifty-First Dates in 2004, and with ex-Saturday Night Live member Jimmy Fallon in 2005’s Fever Pitch. These movies were all major releases and fared very well at the box office.
Drew Barrymore’s film career has often mimicked her personal life with ups and downs and plenty of surprises, twists and turns. Her stardom and popularity seem to be unstoppable; in April 2007, Barrymore was named number 1 in People’s annual “100 Most Beautiful People” list, replacing Angelina Jolie. Drew was also named ambassador against hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme. This once “failed child star” has certainly made her way back into the spotlight in a grand way earning a reputation as an impressive and talented actress.
