Drew Barrymore got emotional on her show after recalling people calling her “too heavy” at 10. An official Instagram clip from “The Drew Barrymore Show” showed her staring at a childhood photo and tearing up.
The caption read, “Drew gets emotional as she reflects on a photo of herself at 10 years old.” For context, the “E.T.” alum said the body talk started earlier. She told the lifestyle expert and co-host Valerie Bertinelli it had “been going on for a few years,” before that snapshot.
Drew Barrymore recalls people criticizing her looks when she was 10 years old
According to the @thedrewbarrymoreshow clip from Wednesday’s episode, she looked at the photo and spoke first. “This picture… It just breaks my heart,” she said. Then she recalled what she heard at the time. “You don’t look how you did in ‘E.T.’ You’re too heavy,” she said. She added, “You’re not blonde enough…You’re too young… You’re not tall.”
In the photo, she wears a navy plaid jacket over a white collared shirt. A loose dark tie sits slightly off-center, giving it a school-uniform feel. Her light brown hair is shoulder-length and feathered at the sides. On set, the “Never Been Kissed” star wore a dark blazer, glasses, and a patterned tie. Although she started the segment by revealing that she always liked to wear ties and clothing in men’s fashion.
Bertinelli reacted with shock, and the host stayed matter-of-fact. “Oh, and it had been going on for a few years at this point,” she said. Then she studied her younger self’s expression. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be for other people,” she said. Still, she framed the moment as a long lesson. “It’s four decades later, I’m 50… I do know what’s important now,” she added.
After that, she shifted from memory to advice for viewers, stating, “If you feel pressure to be a certain way, you are not alone.” She also drew a line around criticism. “You don’t have to take it in,” she said. Finally, she named the goal out loud. “I deserve happiness,” she added. “The Drew Barrymore Show” airs weekdays on CBS.
