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25 Feb 2026 3:40
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Drew Barrymore's divorce had a "devastating" impact on her family

    The 50-year-old actress married actor Will Kopelman, 46, in June 2012 - and the pair had children Olive, 12, followed by their second daughter, Frankie, now 10, in 2014 - before announcing their decision to divorce in April 2016


    She has now admitted it "took a long time to recover" from not raising her girls in a "traditional family dynamic" after the split, adding to viewers of 'The Drew Barrymore Show' on Friday (21.03.25) she had "sworn" to give her children a stable upbringing after experiencing a chaotic childhood herself.

    Drew said about being haunted by her messy upbringing: "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.

    "I was so jealous of those kids who would call and be like, 'Mom, Dad, come pick me up.'"

    Speaking with guest Moon Zappa, Drew added: "I just would sit there and be like, 'What's that like?'"

    Drew and Will announced their separation in a statement that said: "Sadly our family is separating legally, although we do not feel this takes away from us being a family.

    "Our children are our universe, and we look forward to living the rest of our lives with them as the first priority."

    The pair's divorce was finalised in August 2016.

    Drew has previously spoken about co-parenting with her ex Will, telling People in January 2023 their relationship had "never been better" since their split - adding they communicated "daily".

    Will has remarried, tying the knot with Alexandra Michler in August 2021.

    The couple welcomed their son John in June 2023.

    Drew has also discussed her personal life following the divorce.

    In an October 2022 blog post, she revealed she had not been in an "intimate relationship" since her split from Will - and dec lared she did not "need sex".

    But she said in 2023 she had "sort of" been seeing someone for three years.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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