PHOTOS: Drew Barrymore’s Hungarian mother was ‘worst parent ever’

Drew Barrymore’s Hungarian mother, born Ildikó Makó in West Germany after WWII, married John Drew Barrymore in 1971. However, neither of them knew how to raise a child. The father walked out on the family early on, while Drew found herself exposed to adult environments from a young age, accompanying her mother to parties, leading to her smoking at the age of 9 and falling into drug addiction by 11.

According to femina.hu, Drew Barrymore‘s mother Ildikó Makó was born in a camp for Hungarian refugees post-WWII before relocating to the USA with aspirations of becoming an actress, hence adopting the name Jaid.

In 1971, she tied the knot with John Drew Barrymore, only to part ways when Drew was just 9 years old. John, a violent alcoholic hailing from Hollywood’s esteemed Barrymore and Costello lineage, abandoned Drew and her mother, neglecting his responsibilities as a parent.

Jaid Barrymore, Drew’s mother. Photo: Creative Commons

Drew’s mother’s inability to lead a conventional life nearly led to catastrophe, with Drew finding solace in the spotlight at the age of 6 with her role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. By 9, smoking and alcohol were already a part of her life, and so were late-night parties, guided by her irresponsible mother.

Photo: FB/Drew Barrymore

According to Szeretlek Magyarország, Drew was exposed to Studio 54 at a young age, introduced to drugs, and encouraged to mingle with famous young men, earning her the label of a “party girl” by the age of 8. At 12, she received clinical treatment, escalating to intensive hospital therapy by her 13th birthday to combat her substance abuse.

Drew Barrymore was a drug addict as a little girl

At one point, it even crossed the actress’ mind that she may not make it to her 25th birthday. Admitting to hitting rock bottom at the age of 13, Drew recalled her journey to journalists, attributing her premature upbringing to her mother’s irresponsibility. Despite the challenges, Drew’s life took a positive turn at 14. Despite facing ostracisation in Hollywood and being relegated to household chores, she managed to revive her career, starring in Poison Ivy in 1992 and gracing the pages of Playboy at 19. Afterwards, her godfather, Steven Spielberg, sent her a pillow with a note: “Cover yourself with it”.

With three marriages under her belt, including one that lasted a mere 19 days, Drew’s tumultuous childhood experiences are unsurprising. Now a mother of two daughters, Olive and Frankie, aged 11 and 9 respectively, Drew launched “The Drew Barrymore Show” in 2020. Here it is:

Drew prioritises her role as a parent over professional commitments, determined not to replicate her parents’ mistakes. She champions stability and prioritises her children above all, considering motherhood the most rewarding job in the world.

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