First appearing in an advertisement at 11 months old, Drew Barrymore quickly became a recognizable child star. She made her film debut in Altered States, but her true breakout film was in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Beneath the surface though, the celebrity star did not have the life her Hollywood status suggested.
On this day, July 4th, in 1989, Barrymore attempted to commit suicide at the age of 14. Her young life was filled with drinking, drug use, and partying, which landed her in rehab more than once.
Entertainment news repeatedly reported in-depth accounts of Barrymore’s rebellious lifestyle. Barrymore regained prominence in Hollywood after her teenage years, and is now frequently cast in romantic comedies. She later wrote about her past troubled life in her autobiography entitled Little Girl Lost.