Quote Of The Day: Drew Barrymore On Forgiveness

It is no easy feat being a child star, and Drew Barrymore is living proof. The actor was born into Hollywood dynasty and was booking commercials as early as 11 months old. At 7, she rose to prominence in the 1982 sci-fi “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” where she worked with her now-godfather Steven Spielberg. Although the latter made sure that the experience on set was as reminiscent to the fantastical world he was building on screen, Barrymore’s childhood and early teenage years were rocky, with her struggling with addiction and checking into rehab at 13.

Despite how complicated her upbringing was, the actor rose above and became a seasoned performer. From “Charlie’s Angels” to “Never Been Kissed” to “50 First Dates” (one of multiple collaborations with Adam Sandler), Barrymore’s filmography is nothing short of iconic. In 2009, she even took on the director’s chair with “Whip It,” a coming-of-age film about a former beauty pageant contestant giving the derby circuit a try. The following year, the actor went on to win a Golden Globe for her role in the biopic “Grey Gardens.” After acting and directing, and dipping her toes into TV with the Netflix series “Santa Clarita Diet,” Barrymore has become the host of her own Daytime Emmy-winning talk show.

It took a long time for her to leave the past behind and forgive herself, and the quote of the day shows how sometimes we can be our own worst critic. With a stellar career and welcoming presence that allows for each guest on the recently renewed “The Drew Barrymore Show” to feel at ease, the actor sets an example for us all in that our mistakes shouldn’t define us and that we can find the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I forgive my mom. I forgive my dad. I’ve never forgiven myself, but I’d like to, and I’m ready to.”

The quote above comes from a Drew Barrymore profile for Vulture in 2023, in which she opened up about her career trajectory and her journey to forgiving herself. In the article, she reveals that she first learned to forgive her parents, whom she emancipated from at 14. Barrymore revealed that her broken relationship with her mother, Jaid Barrymore, has made it hard for her to overcome her past traumas and, although she wishes her well, the actor is still coming to terms with her lived experience and finding ways to heal.

Barrymore even told Vulture that forgiving herself is a continued effort. “That is the work. I have to forgive myself for not knowing exactly what to do at certain times,” she said.

Taking Drew Barrymore’s quote into consideration, forgiving ourselves is an essential part of our growth journey. The actor has spoken time and time again about how hard she is on herself, and that is something that many of us can relate to.

During an episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show,” she opened up with “Teen Mom” alums Briana DeJesus and Mackenzie McKee about not wanting her children to repeat her mistakes, and that although she’s proud of where she’s at in life, she’s still powering through mother’s guilt. “Actions have consequences, and I think I wasn’t willing to blame anyone else. If I had blamed somebody else, I would have forgiven them by now. And I haven’t forgiven myself, and it’s really hard,” Barrymore said.

If Barrymore still struggles with forgiving herself, then it’s okay to admit that we do too. The quote of the day highlights how it’s far easier to forgive those who’ve wronged us than it is to forgive ourselves, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth trying.

• “As a kid and even in my 20s and 30s, happiness seemed like this very giddy, excited optimism. It is a choice. You have to work for that.” — from a 2022 interview with People 
• “Being OK with yourself, not competing with others; realizing you’re your own unique snowflake of a being, and how to embrace that; how to forgive yourself — those are such big, overarching themes of life and it can take so long sometimes, you just think you’ll never get there.” — from a 2022 guest appearance of Uninterrupted’s “The Shop”
• “We can become the person we always wanted to be. Even if it takes longer than we thought. But we also have to use our past as our strength, not our weakness. You lived! You learned! Now go take all that wisdom and fly.” — from a 2025 article she wrote for Us Weekly