Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress,
screenwriter, film director, producer, model and author who is a
descendant of the Barrymore family of well-known American stage and
cinema actors, and is the granddaughter of film legend John Barrymore.
Barrymore first appeared in an advertisement when she was eleven months
old, a 1978 episodic television debut The Waltons as Melissa in season
7: episode 4 and her film debut in Altered States in 1980. In 1982, she
starred in her breakout role as Gertie in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial and quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognized
child actresses, going on to establish herself in mainly comic roles.
Following a turbulent childhood which was marked by recurring drug and
alcohol abuse and two stints in rehab, Barrymore wrote the 1990
autobiography, Little Girl Lost. She successfully made the transition
from child star to adult actress with a number of films including Poison
Ivy, Bad Girls, Boys on the Side, and Everyone Says I Love You.
Subsequently, she established herself in romantic comedies such as The
Wedding Singer and later, 50 First Dates more.