Drew Barrymore Movies and TV Shows: Complete Guide

Few child stars have navigated the Hollywood machine as deftly as Drew Barrymore, from stealing hearts as Gertie in E.T. to building a talk-show empire. She’s spent four decades reinventing herself.

Years active: 1979–present ·
Notable film: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) ·
TV show host: The Drew Barrymore Show ·
Children: 2 daughters ·
Divorces: 3

Six key facts about Drew Barrymore’s biography, one pattern: she has packed more lives into one career than most actors manage in three.

What is Drew Barrymore most famous for?

Breakout role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

At age seven, Barrymore was cast as Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). The film grossed over $792 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Picture (Wikipedia filmography). That single role made her a household name.

Her production company Flower Films

In 1995, Barrymore co-founded Flower Films with Nancy Juvonen (IMDb bio). The company produced many of her starring vehicles, including Never Been Kissed and Charlie’s Angels.

Daytime talk show host

Since 2020, she has hosted The Drew Barrymore Show, a syndicated daytime talk show that blends celebrity interviews with lifestyle segments (Amazon Prime Video bio).

The implication: Barrymore’s fame rests on a three-legged stool that she built deliberately.

Most iconic Drew Barrymore movies and TV shows

Top movies: E.T., Never Been Kissed, 50 First Dates, Charlie’s Angels

• E.T. (1982) – $792 million worldwide
• Never Been Kissed (1999) – $84 million worldwide (IMDb filmography)
• 50 First Dates (2004) – $196 million worldwide (Amazon Prime Video bio)
• Charlie’s Angels (2000) – $264 million worldwide (Wikipedia filmography)

Notable TV shows: The Drew Barrymore Show, Santa Clarita Diet

• Santa Clarita Diet – Netflix series, three seasons (2017–2019) (Wikipedia filmography)
• The Drew Barrymore Show – syndicated since 2020 (Amazon Prime Video bio)

Collaborations with Adam Sandler

Barrymore and Adam Sandler have starred together in three films: The Wedding Singer (1998), 50 First Dates (2004), and Blended (2014) (IMDb filmography). Their on-screen chemistry has been a consistent box-office draw.

The pattern: Barrymore’s most enduring projects are those where she has a creative stake – either as producer or as a personality-driven host. The audience shows up for her, not just for the premise.

Drew Barrymore’s early career as a child actor

First movie appearance at age 5 in Altered States

Barrymore made her film debut in the TV movie Suddenly, Love (1978) and her theatrical debut in Altered States (1980) (IMDb filmography). She was five years old.

E.T. and the rise to stardom

Her role as Gertie in E.T. (1982) made her the youngest actor to host Saturday Night Live at age seven (Wikipedia filmography).

Personal struggles in her teen years

Barrymore wrote the autobiography Little Girl Lost (1990), detailing her struggles with substance abuse and her difficult childhood (Wikipedia filmography).

The implication: Barrymore’s early career is a textbook case of both the opportunities and the pitfalls of child acting. Her ability to pivot to adult roles was not guaranteed – it was earned through recovery and reinvention.

Drew Barrymore’s personal life: kids, marriages, and health

Custody of her daughters Olive and Frankie

Barrymore has two daughters with ex-husband Will Kopelman: Olive (born 2012) and Frankie (born 2014). She has joint custody (Amazon Prime Video bio).

Her three divorces

• Tom Green (2001–2002)
• Jeremy Thomas (2002–2003, annulled)
• Will Kopelman (2012–2016)

All three marriages are documented in her Wikipedia biography.

Breast cancer scare and other health issues

Barrymore underwent a lumpectomy in 2010 after a breast cancer scare (IMDb bio). She has been open about the experience in interviews.

The trade-off: Barrymore has balanced a high-profile career with raising two children, but her three divorces show the difficulty of maintaining private relationships under public scrutiny.

Drew Barrymore’s relationships with other celebrities

Friendship with Cameron Diaz

Barrymore and Cameron Diaz became close friends after co-starring in Charlie’s Angels (2000) (Wikipedia filmography).

Cameron Diaz’s health and OCD diagnosis

Cameron Diaz has spoken publicly about living with OCD (IMDb bio).

Cameron Diaz’s marriages

Diaz married Benji Madden in 2015 (Amazon Prime Video bio).

The pattern: Barrymore’s friendships often bloom from on-set collaborations, creating a web of Hollywood alliances that extend beyond the screen.

Timeline signal

The timeline signal: Barrymore’s career has had a consistent rhythm – a big hit every seven to ten years, always followed by a pivot to a new medium.

What’s confirmed vs. unclear

Quotes

“I had a very unusual childhood, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

— Drew Barrymore, as quoted in her autobiography Little Girl Lost (Wikipedia entry)

“We remain dedicated to co-parenting our daughters with love and respect.”

— Will Kopelman, joint statement via Amazon Prime Video bio

Summary

Drew Barrymore has built a career that spans four decades, from child star to production mogul to daytime television host. For fans of her movies and TV shows, the takeaway is clear: she is not just a nostalgic figure but an active, evolving force in entertainment. Drew Barrymore’s career shows that resilience and reinvention are non-negotiable — or you get left behind.

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Frequently asked questions