America witnessed Drew Barrymore grow up in front of the camera, watching her transition from adorable child star to quirky-cute rom-com love interest. Now, the actress and television host is speaking candidly about the latest phase of her life: menopause.
Barrymore, 50, opened up to People about struggling to address her menopause and perimenopause symptoms, confessing that she faced a lot of trial-and-error with her treatment, including recently undergoing “a round of hormone therapy,” an experience she described as “tough.” (Hormone replacement therapy is a common treatment for many menopause symptoms, including hot flashes.)
The Never Been Kissed actress said her skin was sallow and puffy. “All of a sudden, you look at yourself and you’re like, ‘I am not just a crypt keeper—I’m a hairy crypt keeper with dry skin.’”
“I did not recognize the person I saw in the mirror,” the mother of two recalled. “I was like, ‘Is that the crypt keeper? No, that’s me.’”
With the help of her mentor and therapist, Dr. Barry Michels, Barrymore created a list of seven health-boosting habits that work for her. These changes include eating “cleaner,” exercising more, and prioritizing sleep. “I got a little walking pad that I stuffed under my couch, and now when I eat on the couch, I get on the walking pad for 10 minutes and keep watching my show,” she said.
“It’s not good to stay stuck and not feeling confident or attractive or good about yourself,” she told People. “So these are just little steps you can take.”
Barrymore also cites minor changes to her appearance—shaving her legs, getting a pedicure, and dyeing her hair—as factors that helped boost her disposition and mood. She added that her “butt hangs” and she has dark circles, but said that at least “I am not eviscerating myself today,” adding, “that is epic.”
This interview isn’t the first time Barrymore has spoken about her menopause symptoms. In 2023, while hosting her eponymous talk show, Barrymore became visibly heated while interviewing fellow actors Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, who costarred alongside her in He’s Just Not That Into You and The Wedding Singer, respectively. “I think I’m having my first hot flash,” Barrymore exclaimed.
It may seem surreal to see one of Hollywood’s most famous former child stars talking about menopause, but Barrymore isn’t the only a-lister speaking about age-related bodily changes. Halle Berry, 59, revealed in 2024 that her doctors once misdiagnosed perimenopause symptoms as herpes, and Naomi Watts, 56, founded Stripes Beauty in 2022 in an effort to normalize conversations about menopause and create thoughtful solutions to treat its symptoms.
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