Drew Barrymore doesn’t want daughters to act until at least 14

Drew Barrymore doesn’t want her daughters to act until they are older.

The 45-year-old actress – who began her own career when she was just 11 months old and worked throughout her childhood – would support Olive, seven, and Frankie, six, if they wanted to follow in her footsteps but would rather wait until they are at least in their teens before encouraging them to do so. 

‘I would be the first person to help them, but not before 14 or 15,’ she said.

Being careful with her kids: Drew Barrymore doesn’t want her daughters to act until they are older. The actress – who began her own career when she was just 11 months old – would support Olive, seven, and Frankie, six, if they wanted to follow in her footsteps but would rather wait until they are at least in their teens

The ’50 First Dates’ star – who has her daughters with ex-husband Will Kopelman – admitted her long career has had its ups and downs but she wouldn’t trade her ‘wonderful baggage’ for anything.

Speaking to Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell via video chat for a ‘Drew’s Movie Nite’ screening of their movie ‘Good Burger’, she said: ‘I have all sort of wonderful baggage that I would never let go of or have it any other way, because I wouldn’t be exactly who I am at this moment in time without those experiences.’

Kenan and Kel also reflected on their own early acting days, explaining how community theatre helped them both cultivate a love of performing at a young age.

High praise: The young star received acclaim for her heartwarming role in Steven Spielberg's 1982 E.T., which cemented her status among the Barrymore acting dynasty

High praise: The young star received acclaim for her heartwarming role in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 E.T., which cemented her status among the Barrymore acting dynasty

Kel said: ‘I was about 12 years old. I was a bit of a class clown and my parents were like, ‘OK, we have to find something.’ So they put me into community theatre and I was like, ‘This is it! This is what I was looking for!’ ‘

And Kenan said: ‘I remember community theatre being a turning point where I noticed that this was like, a real profession.’

Meanwhile, the ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ actress recently admitted she found homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic to be overwhelming at first.

She said: ‘Between homeschooling and working, I felt very overwhelmed at first – and I hate feeling overwhelmed.

She started so young: Barrymore with her mother, Jaid Barrymore, and her half-brother, John Blyth Barrymore, at a tribute to her grandfather, actor John Barrymore (1882 - 1942), in the centenary year of his birth, in1982

She started so young: Barrymore with her mother, Jaid Barrymore, and her half-brother, John Blyth Barrymore, at a tribute to her grandfather, actor John Barrymore (1882 – 1942), in the centenary year of his birth, in1982

‘It was weird to be a mum and a teacher and a provider and a friend. I felt sad for a while that I was all I could offer my children.

‘Then I realized that I had to get out from under it. I have so much empathy and patience for everyone but myself, it’s sick.’

She took a journey through the past on Wednesday as she geared up to host her upcoming daytime talk show.

The 45-year-old actress posted a cute clip to her social media accounts featuring her present-day self interviewing her childhood self on a late night talk show.

The split-screen clip was edited down from footage of her appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1982, shortly after she stunned audiences with her role in Steven Spielberg’s E.T.

Blast from the past: She shared a sweet edited clip of herself interviewing her seven-year-old self from 1982 on Thursday to promote the upcoming Drew Barrymore Show

Blast from the past: She shared a sweet edited clip of herself interviewing her seven-year-old self from 1982 on Thursday to promote the upcoming Drew Barrymore Show

Adult Drew skipped Johnny’s suit and instead wore a striking crimson button up shirt with a matching tie, while wearing her brunette locks straight and over her back.

Vintage Drew had on a cute hot pink dress with a matching bow in her hair.

Some of the repurposed lines from the original interview worked perfectly for the new clip, like when young Drew says, ‘I’ve been waiting all of my life to meet you.’

‘It’s been a wild ride. Can you believe I have two daughters your age?’ the older actress asked, to which her younger self replied, ‘Kinda scary.’

Top of the world: The clip was edited down from footage of her appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1982, shortly after she stunned audiences with her role in E.T.

Top of the world: The clip was edited down from footage of her appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1982, shortly after she stunned audiences with her role in E.T.

Sweet: Some of the repurposed lines from the original interview worked perfectly for the new clip, like when young Drew says, 'I¿ve been waiting all of my life to meet you'

Sweet: Some of the repurposed lines from the original interview worked perfectly for the new clip, like when young Drew says, ‘I’ve been waiting all of my life to meet you’

Yikes: After mentioning that she had an upcoming talk show, present-day Drew said, 'I¿m so excited I could scream. Want to do it with me?' Young Drew let out her iconic scream from the interview

Yikes: After mentioning that she had an upcoming talk show, present-day Drew said, ‘I’m so excited I could scream. Want to do it with me?’ Young Drew let out her iconic scream from the interview

After mentioning that she had an upcoming daytime talk show, present-day Drew said, ‘I’m so excited I could scream. Want to do it with me?’

The younger Drew then let out her iconic scream from the interview.

In the original interview, the Firestarter actress made quite an entrance when she slipped and fell on her way onto the stage.

‘Do you know, I stay up ’til, uh, a couple hours just to watch your show,’ she sweetly told Carson in the original.

Journey through the past: A black and white still of Drew's precocious 1982 interview with Johnny Carson. She tripped when walking on stage in the original

Journey through the past: A black and white still of Drew’s precocious 1982 interview with Johnny Carson. She tripped when walking on stage in the original

At the time, she was receiving widespread acclaim for her heartwarming role in E.T., which seemed to cement her status early on among the Barrymore acting dynasty. 

In a 2018 Today interview with Willie Geist, Drew said that she’s unable to watch classic interviews like her Tonight Show visit without wondering if she was behaving well enough.

‘Ironically, this is the truth, whenever I watch myself as a kid, I’m like, ‘Are you being polite?’ I don’t care how precocious you are. ‘Are you being unassuming? Are you being polite? Are you being nice to people?”

Although she was concerned that her children might feel the same pressure to always be polite, she thought it was good to be concerned about nice to others in public. 

Coming soon: The Drew Barrymore Show premieres on Monday, September 14 on CBS

 Coming soon: The Drew Barrymore Show premieres on Monday, September 14 on CBS

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