Drew Barrymore has had an interesting life — and many of her fans have seen it unfold since childhood. Because she was a prominent child actress, the world watched her grow up — speed bumps and all. She likely got her start in the industry thanks to her father, John Barrymore, who was also an actor. Her grandfather was also involved with cinema.
John Barrymore passed away at the age of 72 back in 2004. His career flourished in the '60s, as he starred in many westerns. But his home life was even more intriguing. Reports came out that he had issues with alcohol and wasn't the most supportive father.
Drew was only 9 when John left her mother, Jaid Barrymore. Jaid was reportedly responsible for introducing Drew to the nightlife lifestyle at a young age after the split, which contributed to Drew having to go to rehab to fight addiction at the age of 13.
Since Father's Day was this weekend, Drew — who's on a much healthier path — wrote about her father. Unexpectedly, she addresses the bad while also naming the good.
"My mom chose a wild card for my dad," Drew wrote on Instagram. "He was a mad poet hedonist man child! But I understood that as a kid. Somehow I have zero baggage or dad issues." By understanding that her dad was different from the rest, Drew's perception was very mature.
"I think I would have liked to have a dad who didn't look so out there. Or who stayed. Or was capable of anything really," she continued. "But his wildness runs through me. His gifts are here. His demons to overcome are mine to break! I love him not for who I wanted him to be, but for who he was."
"As I look at all the photos of dads today, doing their dad job, sure, there is my tiny self that wished for him to fit in," she admitted. "But he never did. And I'm not sure I did either. And I'm not sure what anything is supposed to look like, or what it really is beyond the images?!"
While every family is different, not many of us know how it feels to be born into a show business family. Oftentimes, parents are off on location. The distance can make it hard for children to form a healthy and loving relationship with both parents. While it may have been difficult, Drew credits both her mom and dad for helping her figure out how to parent her own children.
"I do know this," she wrote. "Both my parents have played a major role in who I am as a parent. And none of it looks perfect. But it functions with so much love. And togetherness. And availability." Sometimes, even parents getting it wrong will help their kids figure out better methods.
"I don't have a picture of a dad today to show how great everything was," the actress concluded. "I have a picture to show what it was. And that is my story. And that is perfect in itself. My dad gave me the gift of life! A wicked sense of humor! And that wildness that I truly do cherish."
Drew is living proof that even somewhat unstable beginnings don't mean that you're doomed to fail. Today, she's the mom of two young girls, Frankie and Olive, with ex-husband Will Kopelman. It's obvious that despite how much she has on her plate, she makes her children a priority.
"I'm an overachiever parent, and not because I think I'm going to repeat the patterns of my parents," she told Good Housekeeping in 2016. "That's not my fear — I've already broken that pattern in my life. But having grown up in the opposite way, I'm raising my children with all consistency, all protection. This is my chance to get it right."
Part of getting it right is waiting a while for her daughters to show any interest in the world of acting. Just because she's a celebrity doesn't mean it's right for her kids. "I'd never let them become child actors," she admitted to the publication.
Drew can easily acknowledge her rocky childhood, and she even credits rehab for saving her life. "I wouldn't be the person I am today without it," she said. "There was no blame, no excuses. I learned to take responsibility for myself there." When she got out, her first step was legally emancipating herself from her parents.
Her mother Jaid is still alive, but Drew's relationship with her isn't on the best terms. While they do still speak, Drew has admitted that keeping a distance has been healthy for the two of them. "Our relationship is distant but peaceful," she said. "But she's evolving. I'm evolving. We'll see what happens."
Drew's relationship with her ex-husband also seems to be a healthy one. The two were married for three years before calling it quits. "I did get my dream," Drew said on a since-deleted Instagram post, per Entertainment Tonight. "2 healthy girls. Will and I continue to marvel at what we made and try to be the best co-parents we can be. It's not always easy and the point is…nothing in life is. But it doesn't mean that any bitter outweighs the sweet!"
Even these days, both Drew and Will seem to have a great relationship when it comes to their kids. This year, they were both spotted in Central Park with Frankie, their youngest daughter. For those who didn't recognize them, they appeared as two friends would.
Drew is a great reminder that we all have our history, but it's something that shouldn't define us. While Drew had a rough and unpredictable childhood, now she can create a safer environment for her two daughters. And even though John Barrymore never got a chance to meet his two granddaughters, we imagine that he'd be so proud of the incredible work that Drew is doing.
