The 10 Best Drew Barrymore Roles

Drew Barrymore’s career spans child stardom, mainstream hits, acclaimed television, and award-winning prestige projects, alongside producing work through Flower Films. She has collaborated with directors like Steven Spielberg, Wes Craven, and McG, and with frequent co-stars including Adam Sandler and Cameron Diaz. Her roles range from genre staples and rom-com leads to biographical portrayals and serialized streaming characters. Below are ten standout roles across movies and shows, highlighting plot essentials, creative teams, notable co-stars, and key recognitions.

‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ (1982) – Gertie

Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi family film follows a suburban group of kids who secretly befriend a stranded extraterrestrial. Drew Barrymore plays Gertie, the younger sister whose household becomes the center of the alien’s rescue effort. The production paired practical effects with John Williams’ score and launched a global box-office phenomenon. Barrymore’s early performance placed her in one of cinema’s most widely seen stories and introduced her to international audiences.

‘Firestarter’ (1984) – Charlene “Charlie” McGee

Based on the Stephen King novel, ‘Firestarter’ centers on a government program targeting a child with pyrokinetic abilities. Barrymore’s Charlie is pursued by a clandestine agency known as The Shop, which seeks to weaponize her powers. The film combines thriller elements with father-daughter drama led by co-star David Keith. Its narrative explores experimentation, surveillance, and control through a child protagonist navigating escape and protection.

‘Scream’ (1996) – Casey Becker

Wes Craven’s meta-slasher reinvigorates the horror genre with a self-aware opening sequence featuring Barrymore as Casey Becker. The character’s phone call with Ghostface establishes the film’s rules-obsessed premise and sharp dialogue. Marketing prominently featured Barrymore, creating a notable misdirect tied to the film’s shock opening. Her appearance set the tone for a franchise that blends genre homage with contemporary teen-horror conventions.

‘The Wedding Singer’ (1998) – Julia Sullivan

Set against a pop-infused, retro backdrop, ‘The Wedding Singer’ pairs Barrymore with Adam Sandler in a music-scene romance. She plays Julia, a waitress whose path intersects with a wedding performer amid overlapping engagements. The film features a soundtrack of era-defining hits and a supporting ensemble that drives workplace and family subplots. Its success helped launch a long-running Barrymore–Sandler screen partnership.

‘EverAfter’ (1998) – Danielle de Barbarac

‘Ever After’ reframes the Cinderella tale as a grounded, Renaissance-set romance without magical elements. Barrymore’s Danielle is portrayed as literate and resourceful, engaging with royalty through wit, scholarship, and moral conviction. The production emphasizes historical textures, court politics, and art references, including nods to Leonardo da Vinci. Its costume and production design foreground a human-scale version of the classic narrative.

‘Never Been Kissed’ (1999) – Josie Geller

In ‘Never Been Kissed’, Barrymore plays a junior copy editor who goes undercover as a high-school student for a major newspaper. The plot examines journalism ethics, anonymity, and adolescent social structures through Josie’s assignment. Flower Films served as a producer, marking a key milestone in Barrymore’s behind-the-camera career. The film’s classroom, newsroom, and ballpark settings support intersecting investigations, relationships, and editorial deadlines.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2000) – Dylan Sanders

‘Charlie’s Angels’ adapts the classic television series into a high-energy action comedy featuring Barrymore alongside Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. Barrymore’s Dylan joins missions backed by high-tech gadgets, disguises, and stunt-driven set pieces. Flower Films produced the film, which led to a sequel continuing the team’s ensemble dynamic and villain roster. Director McG’s style blends martial-arts choreography with music-video aesthetics and globe-hopping espionage.

’50 First Dates’ (2004) – Lucy Whitmore

Reuniting with Adam Sandler, ’50 First Dates’ tells the story of Lucy, who experiences anterograde amnesia after an accident. The narrative explores caregiving, consent, and memory through routines designed to reacquaint her with each day’s events. Hawaii locations serve as both scenic backdrop and narrative device tied to family, work, and medical context. Flower Films participated on the production side, continuing Barrymore’s dual role as star and producer.

‘Grey Gardens’ (2009) – Little Edie Beale

The HBO film ‘Grey Gardens’ dramatizes the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale and “Little Edie,” relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Barrymore portrays Little Edie opposite Jessica Lange, tracing the pair’s shifting fortunes and their home’s gradual decay. The production interweaves documentary reenactments with biographical storytelling that spans public notoriety and private routines. Barrymore earned major television honors for this performance, including a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

‘Santa Clarita Diet’ (2017–2019) – Sheila Hammond

The Netflix series ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ follows suburban real-estate agents whose lives change after an unexpected, undead twist. Barrymore’s Sheila navigates appetite, marriage, and neighborhood cover-ups with co-star Timothy Olyphant. The show balances horror elements with domestic comedy, using episodic cases and serialized arcs around a mysterious condition. Its supporting cast and mythology expand through cul-de-sac crises, secret societies, and improvised survival strategies.

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