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Drew Barrymore, 50, is known for her candidness and openness, whether it’s in her talk show or personal life. Recently, the actress-turned-talk show host shared her thoughts on one of the most challenging experiences in her life: her divorce from Will Kopelman and the emotional impact it had on her as a single parent.
In a heartfelt conversation with Moon Zappa, 57, about her new book, Earth to Moon, Barrymore discussed the emotional toll of becoming a single mother after her four-year marriage to Kopelman ended. The couple, who share two daughters, Olive (12) and Frankie (10), divorced in 2016.
Barrymore admitted that adjusting to single parenthood was the hardest part of the divorce. “Everything to me was very devastating and took me a long time to recover from,” she said, reflecting on her experiences of parenthood after the separation. “If it wasn’t in the traditional family dynamic that I swore I would do for my family because I did not grow up that way.”
The Emotional Struggles of Non-Traditional Family Dynamics
Barrymore’s childhood was far from conventional, which deeply influenced her approach to family life as an adult. In the interview, she admitted feeling envious of other children who came from more traditional families, especially when it came to moments of vulnerability, like being sick at school.
“I remember all the kids at school would go into the office to call their parents when they were sick, and I could never get a hold of anybody,” Barrymore shared. “And I was so jealous of those kids who would call and be like, ‘Mom, Dad, come pick me up.’ I just would sit there and be like, ‘What’s that like?’”
Despite the pain of her non-traditional upbringing, Barrymore didn’t completely resent the experience. Reflecting on her childhood, she acknowledged that her upbringing had its own benefits. “Growing up in your house, there was so much freedom, there was so much autonomy,” she said.
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Zappa, nodding in agreement, offered a perspective that framed Barrymore’s experiences in a new light. “That’s a nice reframe,” Zappa said. “Neglect, autonomy…”
Parenting and Perfectionism
In the conversation, Barrymore also delved into the pressures she felt as a mother, especially the expectations that come with being a capable and responsible parent. She reflected on how difficult it is to balance these responsibilities while also managing the emotional weight of parenthood. She asked Zappa, “Do you think that we also are so determined to be these capable moms, these accountable, these trustworthy…and did you beat yourself up about every little thing along the way?”
Zappa agreed, highlighting the universal struggle many mothers face in balancing personal expectations with real-life challenges. For Barrymore, this perfectionism, coupled with the realities of her non-traditional family dynamic, made her journey to single parenthood all the more difficult.
A Personal Reflection
Barrymore’s experience as a single mother and the emotional aftermath of her divorce with Kopelman offers a glimpse into the more vulnerable side of the celebrity. Through her conversation with Zappa, the talk show host shared both her pain and her resilience in a way that many single parents can relate to. Her openness about the complexities of her family life and the challenges of navigating motherhood after divorce resonates with many who have experienced similar struggles.
Her reflections on motherhood and her own childhood shape much of her new book Earth to Moon, which explores themes of personal growth, family, and finding strength through vulnerability. Whether she is discussing the difficulty of balancing work and family or grappling with her own past, Barrymore’s honesty continues to make her a relatable figure for many fans.
