Podcrushed: [Rerun] Drew Barrymore

Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari
Guest: Drew Barrymore

Episode Overview

This episode of Podcrushed, the podcast where guests share their formative and sometimes mortifying middle-school stories, features actress, talk show host, and cultural icon Drew Barrymore. The conversation explores Drew’s tumultuous childhood and Hollywood upbringing, her reflections on empathy, resilience, and motherhood, and her signature blend of humor and raw honesty. The hosts and Drew dive into the universality of adolescent pain and the power of storytelling, with Drew offering memorable insights into both her past and her approach to parenting.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Wallflower” Story and Owning Embarrassment

• [05:29]–[07:44] Penn reads an anonymous listener’s story about showing up alone at a middle school dance, losing herself to “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” and realizing, mortifyingly, that everyone was watching.
• Drew’s Reaction: Drew frames these moments of acute embarrassment as the “breeding ground for empathy” and suggests they are essential for personal growth and for learning not to make others feel isolated.
  • Quote:
    “They feel like the worst moments, but they're the moments that inform you of how you're going to treat other people ... That is the breeding ground of empathy.”
    — Drew Barrymore [11:05]
• The hosts agree on the universality of such “flow state” outbursts and their transformational potential.

2. Drew Barrymore on Her Childhood & Hollywood’s Extremes

• Drew opens up about her experiences growing up in Hollywood, paralleling the “Euphoria” TV show and highlighting both the glamour and devastation of child stardom.
• [13:06] “I'm watching Euphoria going, a lot of people are looking at that show as art that they don't relate to ... I have been institutionalized. I've been left in those crazy places. I have been on weird couches at weird people's houses, on drugs with, like, no hope in sight ... the edge is fun. I'm young. I'm an idiot. I'm invincible.”
  — Drew Barrymore
• She reflects candidly on being sent to an institution at age 13 by her mother, saying it saved her life:
  • [15:34] “It was the best thing she could have ever done because it was so hardcore. And such a wake up call ... They just would work us in groups and therapy and talking about everything out in front of each other.”
• Emphasis on Responsibility:
  • Drew resists blaming anyone else, saying, “I really take responsibility for where and how I handled everything ... I got all this stuff put in my hands and I blew that shit up.”
    [16:42]

3. Parental Roles Shifted by Fame

• Both Drew and Penn share how becoming breadwinners in childhood put them in a parent-like role, complicating their relationships with authority.
  • [25:52] Drew: “I always knew that I was filling the parent role by working, and that felt like a lot of pressure too ... Really, it's just a recipe for not respecting authority whatsoever ... It brought out a real inner rebellion in me.”
  • [27:29] Penn: “When you are making money, it's actually hard for me in this moment to think, like, what else parents really have ... if you remove that foundation too early, it's just like, hmm.”
• Drew emphasizes the importance for parents (especially those outside Hollywood) not to relinquish authority and to support structured childhoods.

4. Resilience, Empathy, and Avoiding Bitterness

• Drew is credited by the hosts for her resilience and “characteristic sweetness,” despite a childhood that could have made her bitter.
• She acknowledges the temptation towards darkness, but says:
  • [30:07] “I just ... don't have darkness in me. I have light and love and a genuine, absolute care for other people. I think my big battle is keeping myself in the mix. I tend to leave myself last to a dangerous degree. ... But I'm just trying to ... get through it. I'm gonna go back to the positive every single time, like a magnet.”
• Drew and Penn bond over their commitment to choosing optimism and kindness, even after adverse experiences.

5. Steven Spielberg’s Influence

• Drew describes the profound, positive impact of making “E.T.” and Steven Spielberg’s protective presence.
  • [23:30] She shows the hosts a photo with Spielberg, describing how he became a father figure:
    “Steven Spielberg, after E.T. saw kind of my home life during and kept me on and really took me into his life and under his wing ... Those are the people you would like to make proud.”
• The hosts reflect on how emotional Drew becomes discussing Spielberg and “E.T.,” noting its importance in her life.

6. Parenting: Lessons Learned and Hopes for the Next Generation

• Drew discusses raising her daughters, wanting to provide a different experience from her own. She hopes honesty, empathy, and a lack of judgment will guide her as a mother.
  • [36:36] Drew: “I am so determined to have my kids have a different experience than I had ... How could I foster a life that won't want to make them go and get into nefarious things? That's pretty much like goal number one.”
• She stresses not to overshare or patronize, noting, “I do hope to just bring a raw, honest vulnerability and a sense of humor and a lack of judgment ... keep it as real as possible and empathetic and understanding.” [39:00]
• On the universal challenge of parenting: “There’s no manual and there’s no preparation for what I have in store for me. ... I feel like I’ve got a great toolbox going into this.” [36:54]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Empathy from Pain:
  “The end of that story is the beginning of the beauty.” — Drew Barrymore [11:05]
• On Motherhood:
  “I just ... don't have darkness in me. I have light and love and a genuine, absolute care for other people ... I tend to leave myself last to a dangerous degree.” — Drew Barrymore [30:07]
• Spielberg as Guardian:
  “Steven Spielberg ... really took me into his life and under his wing.” — Drew Barrymore [23:30]
• Rebellion and Authority:
  “If you're already being treated like an adult in some of these really major ways, and then you're told, like, you're grounded, I can imagine being furious at that.” — Sophie Ansari [26:08]
• Drew’s Parenting Mantra:
  “I do hope to just bring a raw, honest vulnerability and a sense of humor and a lack of judgment and ... keep it as real as possible.” — Drew Barrymore [39:00]
• Advice to Her 12-Year-Old Self:
  “I know you’re not going to listen to this, so I’m not going to bother.” — Drew Barrymore [40:20]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:29] Listener’s “Wallflower” story
• [07:44] Drew Barrymore joins the conversation
• [11:05] Drew reflects on relating to adolescent embarrassment and empathy
• [13:06] Drew on “Euphoria,” child stardom, and being institutionalized
• [15:34] Therapy and group work in the institution
• [21:28] Drew on the “E.T.” world tour and Spielberg’s influence
• [23:30] Sharing a photo with Spielberg and discussing his mentorship
• [25:52] Child stars as family breadwinners—shifting authority
• [30:07] Drew on eschewing bitterness, choosing kindness
• [36:36] Parenting lessons and preparing daughters for adolescence
• [39:00] How Drew hopes to parent—with honesty and empathy
• [40:20] What Drew would say to her 12-year-old self (“I know you won’t listen”)
• [41:09] Hosts debrief favorite moments with Drew

Tone & Language

• Warm, candid, and humorous: Drew brings vulnerability and levity to tough topics, while the hosts blend respect with gentle teasing.
• Reflective and optimistic: Both Drew and the hosts consistently seek the growth or empathy in every story.

Memorable Moments

• Drew’s emotional gratitude for Spielberg’s support and the impact “E.T.” had on her developing sense of self.
• “I hope my girls can be sitting on a couch talking about family and parenting … like you guys. You’re such every mother’s dream of an example of how their daughters will turn out.” — Drew Barrymore [40:31]
• Drew’s delight in being called “mellifluous” and her playful, self-deprecating humor about extremes in her life.
• The hosts’ awe and starstruck feelings, especially as Drew personally greets Nava’s father by name.

Episode Takeaways

• Empathy is often born from pain—the moments we feel most awkward or alone can later help us support others.
• Personal responsibility and transparency are core to healing and growth—even when childhood involves extreme circumstances.
• Parenting, for Drew, means combining honest vulnerability with a healthy sense of humor, while intentionally breaking generational cycles.
• Connection and belonging, as Drew felt during the making of “E.T.,” can have a lifelong impact.

Final Thoughts

Drew Barrymore shines with honesty, humor, and resilience. Her conversation with the Podcrushed hosts is both entertaining and profoundly relatable—revealing how empathy and joy can blossom even from the toughest beginnings.