Video of Drew Barrymore Enjoying the Rain Dredges up Her Rough Childhood

On July 17, actress Drew Barrymore posted a video of her smiling and enjoying the rain on her Instagram. While many mocked her excitement, Drew’s fans backed her up by shutting down the haters and drawing attention to her traumatic childhood.

This article contains references to drugs, alcohol abuse and addiction.

Because Barrymore grew up in a family that has been in the entertainment industry for generations, her acting career first started at just 11 months old when she was featured in a dog food commercial. At just 7 years old, Barrymore rose to international fame and stardom after her role as Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s E.T the Extra-Terrestrial.

Her quick rise to fame led the actress to years of rebellion, alcoholism, and drug addiction. She told People in 1989 that she had her first alcoholic drink at 9 years old, started smoking cigarettes at 9 and a half, began smoking weed at 10 years old, and took up cocaine at twelve years old. At 13, she was hospitalized and went through rehab twice. 

When Barrymore was just a child, she would go out with her mom up to 5 times a week, where she was first introduced to the world of drugs and alcohol. They went out to many nightclubs like Studio 54 where Barrymore was encouraged to do drugs and dance with young men. 

“From the time I became famous in E.T, my life got really weird,” Barrymore admitted to People. “I was this 7-year-old who was expected to be going on a mature 29.” At just age 8, she could enter any nightclub.

By 12 years old, the Charlie’s Angels actress was sent to rehab. By 13, she spent a year and a half at a mental institution. After leaving the institution (to which her mom sent her), she was emancipated from her parents and was declared a legal adult at 14 years old. 

The Barrymore Family was not just known as a dynasty of actors and entertainers but also for struggling with alcoholism. Drew Barrymore’s father, John Drew Barrymore, was a raging alcoholic who was emotionally unavailable to his daughter. Her grandfather, John Barrymore, struggled with heavy alcohol abuse throughout his acting career and was rumored to have died from alcoholism.

The viral rain video melted hearts because fans noticed that Barrymore was healing her inner child. This caused her name to trend on Twitter, reminding people of her story and her childhood. 

when you know what you know about Drew Barrymore’s childhood, her videos make all the sense in the world. she’s finding her happiness wherever she can—and that’s ok.

— jah (@PopThatCultr) July 18, 2022

Drew Barrymore didn’t have a childhood…. please let her be happy in peace. She is choosing to share her *simple joys* with us, that means a lot!

— Alejandra (@Alehgator) July 18, 2022

some of you need to google what her childhood was like. im just glad shes here with us, enjoying the rain. https://t.co/zFuiGHr9dj

— Rebekah Weatherspoon✨ is outta here. Back 8/6 (@RdotSpoon) July 17, 2022

After getting out of rehab, she worked at restaurants for a couple of years. Barrymore resumed her acting career at age 17, where she snagged the role in Poison Ivy as the title character. She also was featured in many films such as Batman Forever and Scream. 

Since September 2020, Barrymore has been the host of her own self-titled daytime talk show. Readers can watch her shine on The Drew Barrymore Show every weekday on CBS or follow her on Instagram for updates on her life.