Drew Barrymore on Growing Up as a Child Star: "I Really Parented Myself"

“You never figure it all out.”

Drew Barrymore has been a beloved household name since making her first on-screen appearance at just 11 months old, followed by her breakout role in E.T. the Extraterrestrial. Looking back at her career, however, the 50 First Dates actress says being a child star wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. In an interview published on Apr. 10, Barrymore revealed that growing up in the spotlight negatively impacted her childhood and presented a learning curve when figuring out how to parent her own kids.

In a profile shared as part of People’s 50th anniversary issue, the Charlie’s Angels star got real about being born into a family of actors, telling the publication, “I really parented myself.”

While Barrymore was forced to adapt and take on more responsibilities in her upbringing, she said she didn’t have any lingering resentments towards her parents.

“I’m not mad at my mom or dad. I was more disappointed in my own parenting,” she said, revealing that having her own kids made her realize where she went wrong when navigating life as a child star. She added, “I think kids really need to feel safe, and so when I see [this little girl], it's like the first time in my life where I think I'm finally figuring out what it really takes to take care of kids, because I didn't know what that was when I was a kid.”

Now that she’s a parent of her two daughters, Olive, 11, and Frankie, 10, Barrymore said she’s hesitant about exposing her kids to the same life she had — and still doesn’t have an answer for when she’ll allow them to pursue their passions in the limelight.

The star said, “I always just say, ‘School plays, theater camp, everything, [yes]. But [no to] being out there in the public eye until …’ And then they say, ‘Well, what's the number?’ And I always say, ‘I know you want an answer, and I know the fact that I can't give you one that's so specific isn't satisfying, but it's going to be a feeling and it's going to be when I think you're ready.’”

She added, “As a parent, I would really love to support my kids when they're older. Again, what number is that? I don't know, but it's not 13 and it's probably not 14. It's up there, but your kid will present themselves in a way where you've got to listen to them and support them and trust them. I don't know what number that is, but it's probably north of 14, 15.”

Despite her qualms about introducing her kids to the entertainment industry and her own tumultuous upbringing, Barrymore still insisted she was grateful for everything her career had given her. “[This business] has given me every opportunity under the sun and I couldn’t appreciate my life more,” she told People.

“When I first had kids, I remember people asking me like, ‘Well, would you want your kids to go into the business?’ And it always gave me such a sad feeling, as if this business was so toxic, like ew,” she said. “I just thought, that's not how I feel about this business at all.”

Only time will tell whether Barrymore’s daughters join their mom in Hollywood, but if they do, they’ll become a part of the “family business” as the actress likes to refer to the “nepo-babies” discourse. While looking back on her first People appearance, Barrymore commented on the magazine’s caption from 1982, which referenced her family of actors.

“Oh, and look, it says 'heirs,' which I like. By the way, ‘heirs’ is much nicer than ‘nepo-baby’ or ‘family business,’ as I like to call it,” she quipped.

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