Drew Barrymore, whose journey - into and out of - addiction is one of Hollywood's most striking stories, recently opened up about being in a rehabilitation facility at the age of 14.
During one of the episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show with Mae Pearl Martin, who co-wrote and stars in Netflix series Wayward that follows a local police officer's investigation into a local school for troubled teens in an isolated small town.
Mae Martin, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, revealed that the show is loosely based on real life experiences of their life. After which, Drew Barrymore shared the time she was in rehab.
"I also was someone who got taken away and put in a place for two years," Drew Barrymore shared. Mae Martin replied, "I did not know that. I mean, I knew that you were a wayward teen, as was I. I was in rehab and stuff, but I didn't know that you were at one of those places."
"I had a lot of lightness in my experience in the institution. It's a lot of what this show is. I know that sounds wild, but it was like encouragement to say your truth, to be brave, to find humor and heroism in your journey. And it's the best thing that ever happened to me, honestly," said Drew Barrymore.
"And I hold a lot of that sacrosanct. But it wasn't easy. It was hard as hell," she recalled.
She continued, "And I don't know about you but now, as an adult, I feel so protective of young people and having had that experience of being pathologized at a very young age for things that are just kind of... yeah, I think that all went into it."
How It All Started?
Born into the Barrymore acting family, Drew Barrymore's early life was shaped by both privilege and chaos. Growing up, the Never Been Kissed actress achieved international fame before most children finish elementary school - first appearing in commercials as a toddler, then landing her breakthrough role as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) at just seven years old.
Her stardom exposed her to adult vices early on in her life, which reportedly led to her drinking alcohol by 9, marijuana by 10 and cocaine by 12.
In her 1990 autobiography Little Girl Lost, she vividly described the toxic mix of fame, loneliness, and a lack of boundaries that surrounded her. The early stardom coupled with a turbulent home life and constant media scrutiny led to the actress to a self-destructive path.
After spending 18 months in a rehabilitation center and a mental health institution, Drew Barrymore was able to mark the beginning of a transformation that made her one of the most well-known actresses. Despite being branded a cautionary tale for many years, she made a name for herself in the 1990s.