Drew Barrymore on the toughest scene she’s ever filmed and the value of moving the f*ck on

“I had my first drink at age nine, began smoking marijuana at ten, and at twelve took up cocaine.” This is but one of many of Drew Barrymore’s more infamous quotes taken from her teen memoir, Little Girl Lost, published in 1990. Of course those raging days are well behind the woman who first melted our hearts in Speilberg’s E.T. and went on to inspire badasses everywhere in 1992’s Poison Ivy. Today, she’s still a badass but she’s a boss too, owning a successful beauty and production company, acting, directing and writing (her latest book, Wildflower was just released) all while raising two kids. Her latest movie, Miss You Already—which hits theatres this Friday, November 6th—has her in one of her most poignant roles as she plays a best friend to a rock star’s wife (Toni Colette) struggling with a cancer diagnosis.

Read our chat with the actress below.

What events did you share with Toni that made your relationship seem believable in Miss You Already?

It was just a willingness to leap in right away and unzip our flesh and jump right into each other. When you go that hard into each other—personally and emotionally—the way that we did for this film, it’s like two fast trains speeding into one another. For [Toni], I was like, ‘She’s delicious; no problem! I’m into this’ as soon as we started. We got lucky. Our kids became best friends, we traveled the world with our kids—we’ve been to Idaho, France, London together.

I’ve read that you most identified with Toni’s party girl character instead of the one you play in the film. How so?

In my early days I was much more like Toni’s character. I was a wild, selfish tornado, trying to walk the straight and narrow but couldn’t help but feel that great kinetic energy of hedonism pulsing away.

I like the fact that you never apologize for being a wild child. This is unlike so many stars who have partied hard and seem to repent in interviews. Why have you have always defended your past?

How you can ever become the pillar of strength or appropriateness or togetherness without figuring out what works for you? Imagine if someone had literally never touched fire? They could never know or be convinced of what it feels like unless they place their hand over a flame.

Did you use anyone from your own life as a template for your character?

Nancy Juvonen—she is my business partner in [our production company named] Flower Films. She’s been a hero for 23 years. She is so strong and capable and real and admirable.

I watched your E! biography a few weeks ago and was a little disturbed. One of the campy voiceovers kept loudly announcing dramatic things like “At 23, Drew became the ultimate comeback kid.” Did you really feel that you were pressured to maintain your fame at such a young age?

I did. Always. My new book, Wildflower, so much more eloquently explains the method to the madness. One chapter called “The Blue Angel” touches on the whole coming back thing. Seriously, now I’ve become someone who is a mother to two daughters and wants to instill values and philanthropy and safety and consistency into their lives. I didn’t have that then. Although the whole book is shuffled deck; it is isn’t a chronology—that would seem self-important and too heavy. I hate heavy shit. This is light and fun. It goes from me being ages 5 to 40 to 18 to 32 in a few pages. It’s all over the place. As you grow, you juggle your life experiences to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other.

As a teen you had agents telling you you couldn’t work because you were washed up and overweight. Are you still getting over that kind of rejection?

I got over it then! I had to. It’s the same thing as realizing that your father can’t be a father. Hollywood can be like the Chicago Stock Exchange, everyone is fucking nuts! My approach forces you to forgive yourself and everyone around you for the folly of it all. It’s okay to take a criticism seriously in that moment but move the fuck on. You cannot sit around and carry someone else’s baggage. Being observed and critiqued shouldn’t stop you from caring about people. You shouldn’t be destroyed by what other people do and think. Nothing should take away from your concern over other people’s well being.

What’s the toughest scene you had to tackle in your career so far?

Great question. I would say the scene in Grey Gardens when Edie Beale talks about how you can make a piece of material into a skirt. She talks about the way she pins it. It’s a famous moment from the documentary and it’s a direct imitation of that because I felt it needed to be. It was really hard.

I see Grey Gardens as a career-turning point for you. How did it change your approach to acting?

It was right at the time that I wanted to really explore my range. I never had the opportunity to face what it would take to do something so far out there. I also got to direct at that same time in my life. After that I was like, ‘Alright, what else is there?’

You once worked with Nancy Reagan as a teen. I’m just wondering what you think about the current campaign and if you’ve made any decisions on whom you think should be leading your country?

Well, I just did the “Just Say No” campaign; thankfully I didn’t work for Nancy (laughs). I’m waiting right now. I usually think, “Why does the presidential campaign go on for two years?” But for this one, I actually think we need that time. Things just continue to reveal themselves. It feels so tricky.

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