Drew Barrymore has appeared in many iconic movies during her career, including Charlie's Angels, Never Been Kissed, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and Going the Distance. Plus, she’s earned numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for nine Emmy Awards and a British Academy Film Award.
And it all started when she was cast as Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 science fiction movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Throughout her career, Barrymore has maintained a close relationship with director Steven Spielberg. After all, he is her godfather and has been the only father-like figure in her life. When the actress appeared on the cover of Playboy in the mid-90s, the E.T. director had a hilarious reaction to the news.
Steven Spielberg Cast Drew Barrymore In E.T. After A Failed Audition
In the early 80s, Drew Barrymore auditioned for a role in Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist but didn’t make the cut. Luckily for her, Spielberg promised to give her another chance in his new movie and he kept his word. In 1983, an eight-year-old Barrymore revealed on the Today Show that this is how she got the role of Gertie in E.T.
"They interviewed me for Poltergeist first and she said, 'She's not really like the girl who's in the part in the script,'" a young Barrymore explained in a recently-resurfaced throwback video. "So Kathy Kennedy, the producer of E.T. said, 'Well maybe she's right for E.T., cause [Spielberg] was doing E.T. and Poltergeist at the same time."
So, she went on to audition for this science fiction movie and her audition went much better this time around. "He [Spielberg] interviewed me for E.T. and he said I'm much more like the girl in E.T." After her audition, the director simply knew she was the right choice for the role, so she got the part. And the rest is history!
Drew Barrymore Once Asked Steven Spielberg To Be Her Dad
Drew Barrymore bonded with Steven Spielberg when filming E.T. The young actress would stay with the filmmaker during the weekends, the director reportedly gave her a cat she named Gertie, and took her to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. Spielberg also asked the puppeteers to keep E.T. “alive” between takes because seven-year-old Barrymore thought the puppet was real.
Because of all of this, it’s no wonder why Barrymore claims that Spielberg has been the only father figure in her life. Funnily enough, the actress asked Spielberg to become her actual father while shooting E.T. The director had to tell the young actress “no,” so she asked if he could be her godfather instead, and he agreed.
In an interview with Vulture, Spielberg revealed that he felt he was the only one who took the time to educate Barrymore when she was a child. For instance, one time, the young actress arrived on set wearing red lipstick and he told her to scrub it off.
“She was staying up way past her bedtime, going to places she should have only been hearing about, and living a life at a very tender age that I think robbed her of her childhood,” the director explained. “Yet I felt very helpless because I wasn’t her dad. I could only kind of be a consigliere to her.”
Steven Spielberg Told Drew Barrymore To “Cover Up” After Seeing Her Playboy Spread
During the 90s, Drew Barrymore went on a rebellious streak. The actress even posed for the cover of Playboy in 1995. But she has no regrets over this period of her life. “It’s embarrassing to go through any rebellious stage in front of people that you love and respect, and yet I’m glad I did. I’m glad I lived such a full life before I settled down into a family because I got to enjoy it and get it out of my system,” she told TV host David Letterman during an appearance on his talk show.
Barrymore’s godfather, director Steven Spielberg had a hilarious reaction to the actress’ Playboy spread back in the day. As it turns out, after hearing the news, the E.T. director sent Barrymore a quilt with the message “cover up.” He also sent her a copy of the spread covered up with paper doll cutout clothes. “Because that’s what parents do!” Barrymore explained in a heartfelt reunion with the director on the Drew Barrymore Show. “Yeah, he’s like the first person I knew cared.”
In response, Barrymore sent him a series of photos as an apology. In the shots, she was dressed as a nun in front of a church, seemingly “repenting” for her actions. The actor captioned the photos “I’m sorry,” “I’ve seen the light,” and “I’m on my way,” respectively. The photos still hang in Spielberg’s home.
