Barrymore at the top of her game as 'Fever Pitch' opens

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
07-APR-05

If Drew Barrymore were a cat, she would already be on her 10th life. An alcoholic at age 9, a marijuana smoker at 10 and addicted to cocaine by 14, she virtually raised herself after escaping her unfit mother.

So when the first "Charlie's Angels" movie became a hit, we were inevitably reminded of Barrymore's troubled childhood and amazed at her comeback. Despite her family's colorful legacy and her own checkered past, Barrymore has managed a rarity in Hollywood, remaining relevant for the entirety of her career, from "E.T." to this weekend's new film, "Fever Pitch."

Barrymore has just celebrated her 30th birthday, and at Celebrity Assets, we're convinced that she will be around for as long as we are.

In a jaded Hollywood in which today's shining stars become yesterday's news, Barrymore's longevity requires some reflection. The first of two "Charlie's Angels" films, both of which she starred in and produced, marked the beginning of a winning streak.

Her pleasure and pride in spearheading this franchise have been clearly evident, and resulted in a healthy confidence for a woman once plagued by self-esteem issues.

With her latest, "Fever Pitch," released this weekend, Barrymore is once again in the spotlight and, unsurprisingly, people are not mentioning her past. Barrymore has finally transcended her troubled childhood.

So what accounts for Barrymore's enduring popularity? It is neither her storied heritage, her beauty nor her talent. It is, instead, her charisma, charm and down-to-earth attitude.

Barrymore wears her heart on her sleeve, even crediting her recent weight loss to her happiness. Yes, happiness. Her new figure landed her on the cover of Vogue, yet when asked about this minor coup, she claimed to be shocked that the genteel publication would place a 5-foot-4 macaroni-and-cheese-eating real person on its cover. And we believe her.

She has explained that her close friends function as a surrogate family. And although she is currently head over heels for fiance-rock star Fabrizio Moretti, we know that with or without him, she will be just fine.

Though Barrymore published an autobiography at age 14, posed for Playboy at 19, was married and divorced twice before age 28, and at 30 is now a butterfly-loving box-office phenom, her fans still believe she is just like them.

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your personal brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus is the author of "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do" (Random House). Contact her at Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)