Her father struggled with alcoholism and violence, her mother with unpredictability. By age eight, Drew called herself a “party girl,” joining her mother on Studio 54 nights out. By 11, she was struggling with alcohol; by 12, she was in full-blown addiction, landing in rehab. At 13, she made a desperate suicide attempt and spent 18 months in a mental institution, learning boundaries and discipline in an environment she later called “the best thing” that could have happened to her. By 14, she legally emancipated herself, and by 15, she had her own apartment.
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From child star to teen struggle
Despite her early fame, Hollywood wasn’t kind to a rebellious teen. At 15, she was largely unemployable. By 16, she was cleaning toilets, waiting tables, and taking odd jobs—far removed from the glitz she had known. Her tumultuous twenties were marked by wild adventures, high-profile relationships, and a rediscovery of her youthful spirit.
Reinvention and success
Drew reinvented herself in the 1990s and 2000s, becoming the queen of romantic comedies with films like The Wedding Singer, Never Been Kissed, and 50 First Dates. Her mix of vulnerability, humor, and quirkiness charmed audiences, proving that she could thrive on her own terms.
Motherhood added a new dimension. In 2012, she stepped back from Hollywood to focus on raising her daughters, Olive and Frankie, with then-husband Will Kopelman. When she revealed she prioritized family over filming schedules, she faced backlash—mainly from women—who criticized her for saying she couldn’t “do it all at once.” For Drew, it was never about limiting ambition, but about making space for what truly mattered.
Drew Barrymore, Olive Barrymore Kopelman and Frankie Barrymore Kopelman attend Baby2Baby Holiday Party Presented By The Honest Company on December 13, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Baby2Baby)
Her childhood’s chaos shaped the mother she became: warm, present, and intentional. She created a screen-free home, instilled strict rules, and cherished family rituals. “I didn’t have parents; I was the parent to them. It was all totally upside-down,” she reflected.
Legacy and reflection
Today, Drew Barrymore is more than an actress—she’s a businesswoman, talk show host, and real estate owner, with a net worth of $85 million, split between acting, investments, and entrepreneurial ventures. Yet she continues to reflect on her life with humility and humor: “If I had tried to give advice to my younger self, I wouldn’t have listened!” she said in 2024.
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Turning 50, she described a new season of life: “You know how sometimes you just feel ready? Like, deep in your bones, something shifts, and you realize you’re stepping into a whole new season… that actually feels right? That’s me. Right now. Fifty years old. And I have to say…I think I love it here.”
Drew Barrymore didn’t just survive her chaotic childhood. She turned it into a story of resilience, courage, and reinvention—a life filled with love, laughter, and enduring success.