Drew is the fifth generation of the famous acting Barrymore family. Starting with the 19th century English actor Maurice Barrymore, his wife Georgina Drew, the Barrymore acting dynasty also includes Lionel, Ethel and John—Drew’s great uncle, aunt and grandfather. Lesser known is John Drew Barrymore, an actor and poet, who is Drew’s father.

Drew Barrymore’s breakout role came in 1982 at the tender age of six when director Steven Spielberg hired her to star in the now-beloved family sci-fi blockbuster “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in 1982. Throughout the 80s Barrymore starred in a handful of memorable films but became more famous for her highly-publicized troubled adolescent struggle with drugs and alcohol.

In 1989 Barrymore contacted People magazine and gave the celebrity magazine an exclusive interview about her recent drug and alcohol addictions and stint in rehab in hopes of helping other teens. In the article Barrymore admitted to taking her first drink of alcohol at age 9 and doing drugs by age 10. At the time of the People magazine interview Barrymore was a mere 13 years old and already a veteran of two drug rehabilitation programs, having completed rehab in 1988.

Barrymore was again on the cover of People Magazine in 1990 to talk about a recent relapse and suicide reports, which she denied. In this People Magazine interview Barrymore talked about going back to rehab and staying at the home of musician David Crosby as part of her recovery. Also at this time Barrymore, who was 14 years old, released her autobiography “Little Girl Lost.”

In 1994 a 19-year-old Barrymore impulsively married Welsh bar owner Jeremy Thomas. The marriage lasted less than a month; professionally Barrymore was headed for a comeback with a string of modestly successful movies. By the mid-to late 90s the actress was bona fide box office gold with the success of “Scream,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Ever After.” 1998’s “Never Been Kissed” is Barrymore’s production company Flower Films, first production.

At the set of the new millennium Barrymore continued taking on producing roles in films. With the successful “Charlie’s Angels,” “Riding in Cars with Boys,” “50 First Dates” and “Fever Pitch” among others, Barrymore continued to solidify her box office cred, both behind the camera and in front of it.

In the midst of her successful second act movie career Barrymore met, fell in love with and married comedian Tom Green, who at the time was a popular due to his successful “The Tom Green Show” on MTV. The pair’s marriage was highly-publicized when Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer but after just over a year of marriage Green filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.

In 2007 Barrymore was People Magazine’s cover model for the magazine’s annual “50 Most Beautiful People” issue.

Throughout the latter half of the 2000s Barrymore many successful films and appeared in many celebrity magazines like People, In Touch Weekly , Us Weekly and Life & Style Weekly for her relationships with Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti and most recently actor Justin Long.

In the winter of 2008 Barrymore made headlines when she announced to Oprah Winfrey that she would donate $1 million to the World Food Program to help feed African children. Barrymore appeared on the cover of and in the women’s magazine Vogue to promote the program.

Barrymore is currently working on her directorial debut with the movie “Whip It.” Read more about her directorial debut in entertainment magazines.