Drew Barrymore [1] has been a staple in Hollywood ever since she burst onto the scene at the tender age of 7 when she played Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. But in addition to a successful career that has spanned over three decades, the actress has also led a very colorful personal life [2]. Drew had a notoriously rocky childhood, which included problems with drugs, a stint in rehab, a suicide attempt, and emancipation from her parents. But while her upbringing was anything but conventional, Drew turned her life around and went on to become a loving mother of her two daughters, Olive, 3, and Frankie, 23 months [3]. While she announced her split from husband Will Kopelman [4] last week, her powerful quotes [5] over the years prove that nothing will ever keep her down. From her strong friendships [6] to her healthy body image, Drew is like the lovable sister you can always go to for advice. And the best part? You trust her every word, because she knows what it's like to go through things and come out the other side.
On Overcoming Her Unconventional Childhood
- "I'm certainly not known for being boring [7]. But I also think things that are emotional and raw are also a lot lighter than they seemed. Someone once said to me, 'But your life . . . it's so sad.' And I was like, 'Well, no, it's not to me, but I could see how you would think that.' My life is amazing."
- "I feel I'd like to redo it just so people don't talk about it as much. But the irony is, I'm glad that it happened because I wouldn't feel like myself if people didn't know that I've struggled or fallen on my face. That's so much a part of my life. Nobody is solid and perfect [8] all of the time, and if you're trying to keep that act up, it's exhausting."
- "I'm not insecure. I've been through way too much f*cking sh*t [9] to be insecure. I've got huge balls, but I've been humbled. That makes you grateful for every day you have."
On Friendship
- "[I hope my best quality] is how much I try each day, each month, each year to become a better and better person [10] and to be good to the people I love and let them know how much I appreciate them. And to fight for them and make them happy and laugh and help them with their dreams."
- "I talk to my friends a lot. I go to therapy [11]. It's about working through it, because if you don't, it'll rear its ugly head at some point."
On Being a Mom to 2 Daughters
- "You have to have endless love [12] with constant boundaries. But 'setting examples' is one of the most essential aspects of being a good parent. Or, hell, a good person."
- "I will literally kill myself to rake them through the lessons I've learned about how insecurity is not an option [13]. It just isn't. When I was a late teenager, I had a boyfriend who cheated on me and I remember feeling so bad about myself — I felt shame. And I remember blaming myself, like why am I not enough? She must be so great and I'm just not enough. And then I thought, what if I decided to never think this way again? And what if I decided that I am what I am and for someone that will be enough for them."
- "When I first started having children, people were like, 'Well, what are you going to tell them about [your upbringing]?' And there was always a connotation and insinuation of, 'You should be ashamed.' [14] But that's crazy. [My daughters] are going to know I'm not some holier-than-thou person who just doesn't want them to live. I just want to guide them in the best way possible."
On Body Image
- "My limbs work [15], so I'm not going to complain about the way my body is shaped."
- "I think happiness is what makes you pretty [16]. Period. Happy people are beautiful. They become like a mirror and they reflect that happiness."
- "I'd drive myself nuts if I were [obsessed with body image]. I am who I am [17], and I just don't have a bikini body, I don't even have a one-piece any more. The messages we send to ourselves and to other women, what we relay to our children, those messages have to be based on reality."