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Finding Strength and Confidence
At age three Drew Barrymore knew she would be an actress. After all, this was the family business: Her grandfather John, her great-aunt Ethel and great-uncle Lionel were all titans of Hollywood. So it was no surprise that Drew became a child star in Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. But by age 13 she'd landed in rehab, addicted to alcohol and cocaine.Her rocky childhood was just the beginning of a series of bad breaks, including two brief marriages and divorces and a scary house fire. Still, she knew she could overcome her mistakes and her sorrows. Drew believes that each experience -- good or bad -- has made her the strong, confident woman she is now. At 31, she has a hot production company, and a happy, stable love life with Fabrizio Moretti, the Brazilian-born drummer for the sizzling rock band the Strokes. Drew met with RD to discuss her most grown-up role yet in this month's film Lucky You, a gambling drama set in Las Vegas. And she talked about her belief that she's been dealt the best hand in the universe.
RD: Have you always been funny?
DB: Well, the people I grew up around who I really liked were quick on the draw. It always just wowed me. And my mom would make weird funny comments. I can see in myself her self-deprecating, hippie humor. I can't take myself too seriously.
RD: When inviting actors to work with you, you've been known to say, "Come play with me."
DB: That's how I think it should be. I cannot understand why people would ever be miserable working on a movie set; it's the most wonderful job.
RD: On some films, you can't just play.
DB: I don't mind a little Sturm und Drang. When I was doing Riding in Cars With Boys, I wouldn't smile at anybody, because my character, Bev, was angry at the world. I'm the opposite. Inside my head I'd be like, God, I'll explain to you at the end of shooting that I'm not this person.
RD: But you've seen your share of hardship and been open about it.
DB: It wasn't my choice to be an open book, but when people found out what my life was like when I was 14 or 15, I didn't deny it. I think the more imperfect you are, the more human you are.
RD: Your dad was absent. Your mom was unstable. You were supporting your family. Weren't you unhappy and angry then?
DB: No. In fact, my therapist says I still haven't gotten in touch with my anger. Maybe one day I'm going to explode. But I'm still really happy. I know it looks like a strange and painful upbringing -- all those experiences led me to the paths that I'm on now.
RD: Do you think your early problems with drugs and alcohol taught you a worthwhile lesson?
DB: Life is a beautiful journey, and I'll never be able to understand what it is from afar. But I don't really have any destructive behavior anymore, because I've tried that and I don't like it. I like being a functioning adult.
RD: There's a famous story about Steven Spielberg saying that at six years old you were capable of producing a major film, but nobody was smart enough to give you the money.
DB: He always had high hopes for me. I don't know what he saw in me, but I like to orchestrate. I'm a bit of a control freak. I love what producers do because they're creatively involved in every aspect of filmmaking. And I love problem-solving. When the crisis hits, I will be there and I will fix it.
RD: So Spielberg has sort of been your godfather.
DB: He's been a major mentor. He was the first stable male figure in my life. The best attribute a parent can have is consistency. When he said he would be there at three o'clock, he was there. That meant more to me than anything.
RD: When you were just three, you told your mother that you wanted to be an actress. Do you remember saying that?
DB: I remember I said I love doing it. She helped me understand who my family was, which made me feel like I wasn't crazy to feel that magnetic pull.
RD: Do you think you inherited the gift for acting?
DB: This is the thing that I love more than anything in the world, and it's what my entire family has done for generations. It must be running through my veins. I can see my face in their faces. I'm inspired by them and really want to make them proud.
RD: But for many today, you're the only Barrymore people know.
DB: I'm sad that as years go by, we lose touch with our history, but happy because the name is still around.
RD: How does a seven-year-old, your age in E.T., act? Is it like playing?
DB: No, I thought of it as acting. At around age two I did a movie in which I played a little boy. I could understand, Okay, you're not playing a little girl. I had to learn lines and hit marks. I think that developed my awareness. By six, I felt much older than six.
RD: In Lucky You, you play a character who's very different from the bubbly, youthful roles we've come to know you in. What attracted you to this part?
DB: When I was considering this film, I wanted to make different choices. I felt like the dark was something that I hadn't explored in my work enough.
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