Drew Barrymore honored her family legacy with her highly successful acting career, but she regards her resolve to battle drinking addiction her biggest feat yet.
Drew began her acting career when she was only seven-years-old as Gertie in E.T. She then impressed in Firestarter as the lead and went on to have a rewarding career in acting, continuing her family’s legacy in Hollywood.
“I think, for me, stopping drinking is one of the most honoring things I can do to the Barrymore name because we have all been such hedonists,” she told People.
Drew’s family has a history of alcohol addiction, with her grandfather John Barrymore drinking himself to death.
“It's just like, you know what? This didn't work for our family, and I'm going to stop it. I'm going to be the one to break the link in that chain and maybe my kids and their kids will be better off for it," she reflected.
"We have to fight genetic follies that our families bring to us," she added.
Drew revealed in 2022 that going through divorce made her turn to alcohol. However, the Charlie's Angels actress was able to beat the addiction.
"After the life I planned for my kids didn't work out — I almost think that was harder than the stuff [I went through] as a kid. It felt a lot more real because it wasn't just me. It was about these kids that I cared so much about,” she shared.
“Then I probably cared so much that I was only giving to them and not taking care of myself. It was a messy, painful, excruciating walk-through-the-fire-and-come-back-to-life kind of trajectory,” she added.