Drew Barrymore opened up what it’s like to be a women in Hollywood at the Glamour Celebrates 2017 Women Of The Year Awards in Brooklyn on Monday, November 13.
“I think it’s an extraordinary time for women,” Barrymore, 42, said. “And you have to encourage all of this strength. And defiance is a tricky word but I feel like there’s a way in which women can be pioneers that seems a lot more in keeping with strength rather than anger.”
The Santa Clarita Diet star, who has been in the business since she was a child, told Us Weekly that she has not personally experienced any harassment in Hollywood during her long career.
“No, I was scrappy! Nobody messed with me!” Barrymore explained.
The 50 First Dates actress also opened about how she remains hopeful in the industry despite the recent surge of sexual harassment reports and allegations against Hollywood males like Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Piven.
“The hope is that women are taking care of themselves,” Barrymore said. “And taking care of each other inadvertently. For every woman that is brave she’s also protecting another woman.”
Barrymore, who is mom to Olive, 5, and Frankie, 3, with ex-husband Will Kopelman, talked to reporters about how she teaches her daughters about empowering themselves.
“I was just going to say I found a new book and I’m so obsessed with it. It’s called Strong is the New Pretty and it’s about girls who are class presidents or roller derby or bakers or soccer. It’s sort of all over the map. About four triatholetes. Dreamers,” the Charlie’s Angels star and producer explained.
Barrymore continued: “The book has a little bit of everything. It’s an amazing thing my daughter and I have bonded over so hard and she’s looking at these girls and looking at what the messaging is. It’s so well done. She wants to know the ages. I read the captions to her – she sleeps with it at night and she is looking at girls who are talking about what they feel they can Do in life. It’s so well curated too. It’s has this beautiful look and feel to it. It’s really the first thing in a while to kind of knock me off my feet.”
