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A Ray of Light

Even though we’ve known her since the 1980s, Drew Barrymore has never been more “Drew” than she is now, sharing her unique and refreshing brand of authenticity as a daytime talk-show host, producer, entrepreneur, and mom.

Drew Barrymore is a living, breathing contradiction in terms—and we love it. She’s the host and executive producer of a hit daytime show, The Drew Barrymore Show, watched by more than 1.2 million people, but she’s not afraid to gush over a product or fangirl over her famous guests. You may have first been introduced to Drew as the child actor with adorable pigtails in the perennial classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.She went on to build an impressive and prolific career, starring in and producing hit after hit, such as Charlie’s Angels, Fever Pitch, and Santa Clarita Diet. Maybe less known but equally impressive: She’s a mogul running her production company, Flower Films. Despite all the fame and serious success, she’s always down to get silly and smiley with her two daughters, Olive, 10, and Frankie, 8. She’s authentic, genuine, and relatable—and she’s as savvy as they come. And that’s why everyone digs her. 

Even though Drew has been a cultural icon since the 1980s, she really is having a moment. People love her brand of unabashed realness on her talk show as she visits with blasts from her past, like Corey Feldman, and takes on topics from mental health to staying friends with exes with the likes of Kate Hudson and RuPaul. She also carries her joyful authenticity over to her Instagram account, where millions love watching her “stories.” Last year, thousands of viewers no doubt welled up along with her as she tearfully exposed a covered window during her home renovation, saying that even if something is “covered up and dark…you can pry it open and create light.” 

And bringing light to the world is exactly what Drew does each and every day—whether it’s through watching her movies, buying cheerful wares from her beauty, home, and eyewear lines, or seeing her tightly hug guest after guest on her talk show. Here, Danny chats up his friend Drew, asking the questions we want to know about how she does it all and still manages to remain such a bright spot.


Danny Seo: Alright, let’s get right to it.  So, what’s the one thing in your fridge right now that you absolutely love? 

Drew Barrymore: I love a condiment! Currently, my bottle of Japanese Kewpie Mayo has a special place in my heart. 

I love that you’re making sustainability a priority in your life. What one thing do you do for the planet that you wish everyone else did too? 

If I could wave a magic wand and help everyone make one sustainability shift in their lives, it would be for people to make the humungous plastic jugs of detergent disappear and get into using Grove Co. laundry detergent sheets. Imagine the difference it would make in what goes into the landfill. 

Note from Danny: We also love the Grove Co. laundry sheets. They are totally plastic-free and premeasured. You just toss one or two sheets into the washing machine, and it dissolves into detergent.  

You’re the Chief Mom Officer of Quorn—why did you want to partner with them?  

As the mom of two daughters, I know the importance of having affordable, easily accessible, and delicious options that I feel good about serving my girls—and that they enjoy eating. I also really appreciate the integrity of its mission to tread lightly on the planet and do better in the ways that we can.

What is your family’s favorite item in the Quorn lineup?  

Nuggets, nuggets, and more nuggets. It’s all about that mycoprotein. 

Note from Danny: We love mycoprotein too. It’s a super-protein that’s made from fungi—yes, mushrooms—and fermented to create that meaty texture. It’s also kinder to the planet, generating 95 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than beef. 

“I have finally gotten to that place in life where it makes sense to invest in yourself because most of life I thought that sounded really selfish.”

A lot of our readers are seeking balance in their lives. With all that you do, how do you maintain a sense of balance?  

I have come to accept that balance for me means striving for a 75/25 split. It’s finding systems that work for you. It’s creating routines and consistency. It’s trying to do things differently when you realize the way they’ve been done for a long time isn’t working anymore. We devoted our whole spring issue of DREW magazine to answer “How We Do It.”

Self-care is something you’ve preached a lot about on your show. What are some of your favorite self-care tips and tricks? 

I am such a put-everyone-else-first kind of person—and for the most part it makes me very happy when others are settled. I have finally gotten to that place in life where it makes sense to invest in ourselves because for most of life I thought that sounded really selfish. Finally, it all makes sense to me. I am my own little bank. I need to fill it up and then I have much more to give. I meditate in the dark, I move my body, and I go to therapy to scrape the barnacles from my mind.

We love your Beautiful air fryer (and all of your small kitchen appliances sold at Walmart), what do you find yourself constantly making in your own air fryer at home? 

The air fryer has been such a game-changer—especially when it comes to weeknight dinners. I feel good about throwing in Quorn nuggets to get them hot and crispy for the girls. Done and done. 

Note from Danny: At the magazine, we’ve always been a fan Drew’s Beautiful brand air fryer too. You may have noticed it in several features in back issues of Naturally. It’s our go-to air fryer in the test kitchen and for photo shoots. It never lets us down.

In this issue, we did a whole feature about booze-free cocktails and I know you recently talked about giving up alcohol. When Drew Barrymore’s at a party, what’s she sipping on?

It’s no secret that I love a Tejava black iced tea with lots of crushed ice during the day and, later on, I love a cold, frosty Suntory All-Free nonalcoholic beer. I recently tried the nonalcoholic wine, Surely, and it was as good as any fine California pinot noir I’ve ever had. Delicious. 

One thing I noticed as a guest on your daytime talk show is that you know the name of EVERY single person who works on the show. It’s actually remarkable. Is this something intentional you do or are you just great at remembering names? 

I didn’t know I was! But word association does help.

Top 5 beauty faves right now…

Aveeno 

Dove Beauty Bar 

Georgia Louise oils 

Flower Beauty Dream Warrior Mascara 

Marnie Alton’s M/BODY workouts 

Top kitchen must haves…

Beautiful 5-in-1 Skillet

Beautiful Immersion Blender 

Totally Bamboo 3-Tier Salt Box 

David Chang’s Instant Ramen with very coarse black pepper

Top 5 cookbooks on your shelf right now… 

Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez

That Sounds So Good by Carla Lalli Music 

One: Simple One-Pan Wonders by Jamie Oliver 

Everyday Grand by Jocelyn Delk Adams

Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One by Anita Lo 

One thing that will never be in your supermarket shopping cart… 

Goat Cheese. No, thank you. 

Finish this sentence: People would be surprised to learn that I actually…

…enjoy a good burp.