Drew Barrymore has reflected positively on her time in a teenage rehabilitation facility, describing it as “the best thing that ever happened to me.” Her comments came during a recent episode of ‘The Drew Barrymore Show.’
“I was also someone who was taken away and put in a place for two years,” Barrymore told guest Mae Martin on the Friday, October 24 episode of her talk show.
Martin, 38, expressed surprise at Barrymore’s revelation. “I didn’t know that. I mean, I know you were a rebellious teen — like me, and I was in rehab and all of that — but I didn’t know you were in one of those places.”
The conversation connected to Martin’s film ‘Wayward.’ The movie centers on two teenagers attending a school for troubled youth. It was partly inspired by Martin’s childhood friend, Nicole, who lived in a similar program.
Barrymore told Martin, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, that their depiction of such an institution was highly accurate. “There was too much accuracy,” Barrymore stated. “It was too real for me in that respect, where I knew that it was impossible that you weren’t showcasing an authentic perspective.”
Martin agreed, adding that as an adult, they feel protective of young people facing similar difficulties. They recalled being “pathologized at a very young age for things that are just… yeah, I think all of that played into it.”
Both Barrymore and Martin concurred that ‘Wayward’ is not a heavy or depressing viewing experience, despite its subject matter. Barrymore also shared that she experienced a crisis upon turning 40, but noted that her life is now much improved.
“We pick ourselves up, hopefully, and find people who encourage us to speak truth,” she explained. “We finally feel the opposite of shame, which is what accompanies any erratic behavior or society telling you, ‘That’s not appropriate at this age’ or, ‘What you’re doing is out of control.’ That’s shame. And when you live with shame, it’s devastating.”
Barrymore added that she found “lightness” during her time in rehabilitation. “I know it sounds wild, but it was an encouragement to speak your truths, be brave, find humor and heroism in your journey,” she said. “And it’s the best thing that ever happened to me, truthfully.”
She acknowledged the difficulty of the experience. “It wasn’t easy. It was hard as hell, and I found that the tone you brought to the show was true to a life experience where you have to break yourself open and put yourself back together.”
Barrymore has been open about her past struggles previously. She spoke to Us magazine in February 2025 about her childhood. “My mom had a very varied cast of characters come through the house,” she recalled. “It wasn’t as safe as it should have been.”
The ’50 First Dates’ star began using substances like alcohol and cocaine at ages 9 and 12.
“The concept of ‘no’ made me very rebellious,” Barrymore noted. “It turns out ‘no’ is essential and has incredible benefits. It can make you feel so much safer and taken care of, even if you hate it in the moment. It means someone or something is holding you.”