Her career as a child actor was OK, she stood in the right spot and spoke her lines without mumbling or sounding like she was reading. That's about as good as you expect from a youngster being put on the screen. Good kid.

Then she became more famous for being a young, screwed up victim of Hollywood/Babylon, which was really just for the benefit of the magazine publishing industry, nothing of any consequence came out of it at the theatres. But she eventually began a long slow climb through b-movies, the odd art house worthy flick and onto the A-list making safe-dumb box office oriented films. Good for her.

Maybe her third act will be to become the Meryl Streep of her generation. She's had the opportunity to learn her craft. She's endowed with an atypical 'look' that sets her apart from her peers, who all fall into one of three categories of 'babe'. And she has enough industry clout to have her pick of quality projects, if she so wishes. Good Luck.

Admittedly, I haven't seen her in much. I was coerced into seeing "E.T." when that first came out, and, as I expected, I detested it (and still do). However, I blamed Spielberg, not the actors involved. She screamed well, and had been blessed (or, in retrospect, cursed) with the Barrymore name, and that was the only impression she made on me. I didn't see "Firestarter" or any of the other formulaic pictures she appeared in as she passed from childhood into her teenaged years. At one point, I read that she had a drug problem (who doesn't?) and had been getting drunk at something like the age of 8, and I remember idly thinking, "I hope she's not a reincarnation of Diana Barrymore, and I always knew her father was a kook from the time I saw him in 'High School Confidential'." And then I put her out of my mind.

When she was in her late teens or early 20's, I happened to see her in a remake of "Gun Crazy" (well worth checking out, as is the original, which starred Peggy Cummins) and she caught my eye. Not only had she become a beauty, but I thought she did a very good acting job. I was interested enough to seek out her autobiography, and learned that not only was her father a kook, but her mother as well. But I can't say I was interested enough to check out any of her other movies.

She seems now to be comfortable with insipid roles in trite Hollywood mega-multi-million-dollar product. "Charlie's Angels" or shit with Adam Sandler or whatever lucrative offer gets dangled her way. On the one hand, I don't completely blame her. Acting is a profession, and actors need to make a living. But after awhile, after an actor appears in enough shitty, shallow movies, you start to re-think your original feeling that the actor in question was ever as talented as you once thought. And Barrymore is even more blame-worthy than most, considering that she now has enough clout to be a producer as well as an actor. How about producing a worthwhile movie or 2 instead of the same old miserable garbage?

Maybe "Gun Crazy" was just a fluke after all.

She had more talent then then she doe's Now.

She was adorable in ET but has been making pretty bad movies as an adult.

She's still great though some of her films aren't so great now. From the cute little sis on ET to her more grown up roles now, she has evolved. I like her comedy work best though.

I've loved Drew for a long time. I love her in ET, and I love her now.

better as an adult

she's ok

What's weird is that she's now playing older parts, such as a teacher in Donnie Darko. Nobody born more than 10 years after me should be playing adult parts!!

Drew Barrymore is the BEST actress in Hollywood!!!WONDERFUL person!!!No matter what,she's ALWAYS be that little girl in E.T.I absolutely LOVE her films.My favorites are "E.T.","Firestarter","Irreconcilable Differences","Far From Home","Bad Girls","Boys On The Side","Mad Love","Home Fries","The Wedding Singer","Ever After","Never Been Kissed",and "Charlie's Angels"!!!She's one of the NICEST people on the planet,and one of the most BEAUTIFUL as well!!!

love Drew, gorgeous, talented snd funny

she was very cute when she was little and she hit bottom way too young. but she overcame it to become a very successful actress in hollywood and she will be rememberes as one of the great barrymores and not a sad tragedy. hope to see her have a long and successful career

Probably the best cause she made it as a child, and as an adult

two or three movies and then collapsing into a booze and drug haze at what? 10? not much of a child actor. not much of an adult actor.

She was absolutely adorable and pretty good at acting as a child.

she was such a skilled child actor and truly deserves to be placed around the top. she had the ability, even in e.t., to capture an entire scene

Loved her then. HATE her now!

This person is nice. AOK with me. Thumbs up.

Not only was she a great young actress, she is also an amzing actress today. She overcame the shadows that haunted her and her infamous family lineage.