Drew Barrymore Then & Now: Photos of the Star From Her ‘E.T.’ Child Actress Days to Today

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February 22, 2024 9:17AM EST
Drew Barrymore
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Drew Barrymore is a Hollywood icon who was basically born into showbiz. See photos from her young days to now, right here.

Oh, sweet child of Hollywood! Drew Barrymore has been gracing our screens with her talent for over 40 years now. Can you believe she made her acting debut at just six years old in the classic film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? Talk about a precocious superstar!

But Drew didn’t stop there, oh no! She continued to shine in front of the camera throughout her youth and into adulthood, earning her place as the reigning rom-com queen of the 90s and early 2000s. Who can forget her charming performances and on-screen chemistry with her good buddy Adam Sandler?

While she’s known as one of Hollywood’s darlings, she has some of her own cuties. Drew is a doting mother to her daughters Olive and Frankie, who were born in 2012 and 2014. She shares the pair with ex-husband Will Kopelman, who the star split from in 2016.

Ready for more Drew Barrymore photos? Check out all her best through the years, right here.

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Drew Barrymore at Six Years Old

Drew Barrymore at Six Years Old
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Six-year-old actress Drew Barrymore, a granddaughter of famed actor John Barrymore, Sr. and co-star in the hit film E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial, is seen in 1982. She was so little, one of her front two teeth was just coming in!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore With Her ‘E.T.’ Co-Stars

Drew Barrymore With Her ‘E.T.’ Co-Stars
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Barrymore, center, Henry Thomas, left, and Robert Macnaughton, the young stars of Steven Spielberg’s movie E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial, pose with their People’s Choice award after the movie was named favorite Motion Picture at the 9th annual People’s Choice Awards in Santa Monica, on March 17, 1983. Look how young they were!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore With Sharon Stone and Allen Garfield

Drew Barrymore With Sharon Stone and Allen Garfield
AP

Drew Barrymore, center, with Sharon Stone, at left, and Allen Garfield at the Hollywood screening of Irreconcilable Differences on September 24, 1984. The youngster posed like a total pro!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore in 1985

Drew Barrymore in 1985
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Child actress Drew Barrymore is shown in this June 7, 1985 photo. She was roughly 10 years old, at the time!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore is Photographed for an Interview

Drew Barrymore is Photographed for an Interview
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Barrymore, the youngster who dazzled audiences as the little sister in E.T.- The Extraterrestrial, talks about her busy schedule Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1987 during an interview in her Los Angeles home. She also posed for a photo.

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore in 1990

Drew Barrymore in 1990
AP

Drew Barrymore is shown in 1990 photo. Barrymore is the youngest member of the Barrymore family of famous American actors. Here, she appears to be on a talk show!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival

Drew Barrymore at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival
273300Globe Photos/MediaPunch/Me

Drew Barrymore at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. She looked super cute with her brunette ‘do!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore With Eric Erlandson

Drew Barrymore With Eric Erlandson
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Barrymore poses with Eric Erlandson, guitarist for the rock group Hole, as they arrive at the world premiere of the movie Batman Forever, on June 9, 1995, in Los Angeles. She played Sugar in the film and co-starred with George Clooney. 

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore at 23

Drew Barrymore at 23
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Barrymore poses at a New York hotel on Feb. 12, 1998, while promoting her new movie, The Wedding Singer. She co-starred with Adam Sandler in the romantic comedy. The two would go on to reunite for two more romcoms later in their career – 50 First Dates and Blended.

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999

Drew Barrymore at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Barrymore poses for photographers as she arrives at the 71st annual Academy Awards ceremony on March 21, 1999, in Los Angeles. She looked so classic and stunning!

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu & Cameron Diaz

Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu & Cameron Diaz
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Actresses Cameron Diaz, top, Drew Barrymore, right, and Lucy Liu pose at a Beverly Hills hotel on Oct. 22, 2000. The three women starred in the Columbia Pictures release Charlie’s Angels, which is a big-screen remake of the popular 1970’s television series. 

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore at an Event in 2003

Drew Barrymore at an Event in 2003
Star Max via AP Images

Drew Barrymore helps Mann Theatres dedicate a fountain at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to Hollygrove Orphanage, former home of Marilyn Monroe. She posed-up on the red carpet at the June 2003 event. 

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore With Pal Cameron Diaz

Drew Barrymore With Pal Cameron Diaz
SplashNews.com

Cameron Diaz and best pal Drew Barrymore carry their beers and hold hands as they head out of the VIP section after watching the band Travis perform on the 2nd day of the Coachella Music Festival in April 2004. The two ladies, who co-starred in Charlie’s Angels in 2000 and the sequel in 2003, looked like they were having a blast! 

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2006 Met Gala

Drew Barrymore at the 2006 Met Gala
SplashNews.com

Drew Barrymore attends the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala: AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion. She looked so elegnat in her balck lace gown. 

August 13, 2020, 10:36AM
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Drew Barrymore Goes for a Swim

Drew Barrymore Goes for a Swim
SplashNews.com

Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz take a long swim on Kauai the day after celebrating Drew’s birthday with friends at her Hawaiian home. She looked so happy!

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2009 Golden Globes

Drew Barrymore at the 2009 Golden Globes
SplashNews.com

Drew Barrymore poses on the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards in 2009. She stood out from the crowd in this Cinderella blue gown! 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2010 Golden Globes

Drew Barrymore at the 2010 Golden Globes
SplashNews.com

Drew Barrymore poses on the red carpet of the 2010 Golden Globes. She looked so incredibly elegant in her Atelier Versace gown. 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2nd Annual Baby2Baby Gala

Drew Barrymore at the 2nd Annual Baby2Baby Gala
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Drew Barrymore at the 2nd Annual BABY2BABY GALA held at The Book Bindery in Culver City, California on November 9th, 2013. She looked so elegant in this glittering gown. 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the Premiere of ‘Blended’

Drew Barrymore at the Premiere of ‘Blended’
NCNA

Drew Barrymore attends the premiere of the motion picture comedy Blended at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on May 21, 2014. Sheh looked so angelic in this light pink gown. 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore on Her Way to Club Monaco

Drew Barrymore on Her Way to Club Monaco
SplashNews.com

Drew Barrymore arrives at Club Monaco to promote her new book Wildflower in New York City on December 16, 2015. The mother of two, who welcomed her girls in 2012 and 2014, looked so chic!

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore Picnics With Her Daughters

Drew Barrymore Picnics With Her Daughters
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Drew Barrymore has a picnic with her daughters, Frankie and Olive, in Central Park on Easter Sunday in New York City in 2017. Drew held one of her little girls so close! 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at MoMa’s Benefit Honoring Martin Scorsese

Drew Barrymore at MoMa’s Benefit Honoring Martin Scorsese
MEGA

Drew Barrymore attends the MoMa’s Film Benefit Honoring Martin Scorsese on Nov. 19, 2018. She looked so stylish! 

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the Season 3 Premiere of ‘Santa Clarita Diet’

Drew Barrymore at the Season 3 Premiere of ‘Santa Clarita Diet’
Janet Gough / AFF-USA.COM / MEGA

Drew Barrymore at Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet season 3 Premiere Event held at the Hollywood Post 43 on March 28, 2019. She posed up in this beautiful emerald green by the brand SemSem.

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2020 National Board of Review Gala

Drew Barrymore at the 2020 National Board of Review Gala
MEGA

Drew Barrymore seen arriving at the 2020 National Board of Review Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on Jan. 8, 2020. She looked so lovely for the winter event!  

August 13, 2020, 10:35AM
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Drew Barrymore Promotes FLOWER Beauty

Drew Barrymore Promotes FLOWER Beauty
Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock

Drew Barrymore blows a kiss at the camera while celebrating the launch of her FLOWER Beauty brand at CVS stores for National Color Day on Oct. 22, 2020. She looked so fun in her pink pants and floral blouse.

February 22, 2022, 11:23AM
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Drew Barrymore at the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards

Drew Barrymore at the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards
Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

Sunshine day! Drew Barrymore was beautiful in a fluffy, yellow Christian Siriano design during the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York on Nov. 10, 2021.

February 22, 2022, 11:23AM
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Drew Barrymore Front Row at Christian Siriano

Drew Barrymore Front Row at Christian Siriano
Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Drew Barrymore is ravishing in red as she strikes a pose in the front row of Christian Siriano’s Fall Winter 2022 fashion show. The event took plae on Feb. 12, 2022.

February 22, 2022, 11:23AM
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Drew Barrymore in NYC in 2023

Drew Barrymore in NYC in 2023
Christopher Peterson / SplashNew

Drew Barrymore was in business mode as she arrived at CBS Studio in New York for a meeting. She was sharp as ever, clad in a grey pinstripe suit while toting along a quilted, heart-shaped Zimmerman bag.

February 22, 2023, 10:20AM