Viola Davis has been ranked the most fabulous Gen X actress in Hollywood, but the acclaimed performer says there was once "no evidence of greatness" in her life. The 61-year-old landed the No. 1 position on AARP's Movies for Grownups list of the 25 Most Fabulous Gen X Actresses.
Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz and Drew Barrymore completed the top five, while other major names such as Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Cate Blanchett and Salma Hayek also earned spots. For Davis, the honor reflects a journey that began in poverty and eventually led her to some of the most celebrated roles of her generation.
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Davis spoke candidly to AARP's Movies for Grownups about growing up as one of six children in condemned apartments. The actress has previously discussed searching through garbage cans for food and living in rat-infested homes.
"I grew up in abject poverty," she told the publication. "There was no evidence of greatness in my life. So I had to have magic … I had to dare to ask the big, big question: 'What if, Viola? What if there's something out there for you?'"

#life

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After Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, tributes came pouring in from celebrities, and many shared their favorite memories and advice from the legendary singer. Now, Queen Latifah has spoken about the sweet on-brand gesture that the Queen of Country Music made after a long day of shooting their movie together.
Back in 2012, Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah starred in the musical dramedy Joyful Noise, which is about two clashing women coming together to save their small-town choir from shutting down. After a long day of shooting, Parton did something for Queen Latifah that was great for the heart and stomach, as the Chicago actress explained on The Drew Barrymore Show:
I mean, we did a movie called Joyful Noise together. And we had so much fun. She wrote all these songs and she made me chicken and dumplings. After a day of work, who the heck has time to make chicken and dumplings for me? There's nothing [she can't do].

#latifah #joyful #noise

Drew Barrymore and her ex-husband Will Kopelman share two daughters, Olive (born 2012) and Frankie (born 2014).
While Barrymore and Kopelman share glimpses of their children's lives publicly, they are both intentional about keeping them out of the public eye as much as possible.
The two divorced in 2016.
When Drew Barrymore isn't busy as a talk show host, actress, and producer, she takes pride in raising her two daughters, Olive and Frankie, and giving them an upbringing very different from her own less-than-perfect childhood.
"I realized I was put on this planet to raise girls," Barrymore told Stephen Colbert in January of last year. "Everything in my life was captured in a ****** erfly net to try and get this right. If you don't grow up in a perfect way with a perfect family, you fear the blueprint…I felt unconfident, like this was the stakes of my life and it took a few years to have that confidence."

#barrymore #perfect #frankie #life

In today's fast-paced world, sometimes you need to find a quiet place to refresh your mind and find solace. But, in a post-COVID-19 world, where inflation is high, you might not be jonesing for an expensive spa day. It turns out you can look to your own closet for your daily dose of Zen. This advice comes directly from one of Hollywood's own elite, actor and talk show host Drew Barrymore. As host of "The Drew Barrymore Show," the star has captured our attention as one of the more empathetic, spiritual, and soulful talk show hosts. For example, her interaction with Machine Gun Kelly – when he was not feeling his best during an appearance on her show — displays just how much time, patience, and understanding she has for those who are open about their struggles.
When it comes to Barrymore's own struggles, her meteoric rise to fame after starring in Steven Spielberg's "ET" at the tender age of 7, before spiraling into a tragic world of addiction, has been well documented. So, it stands to reason why the "Never Been Kissed" star might want to fashion her own meditation room. She revealed her patented, quiet room of reflection in an interview with Vulture, where she was photographed inside the room within her New York apartment — a room she designed herself from a walk-in closet — and it's giving us plenty of inspiration and affirmation, an important practice to add to your self-care routine.
Read more: Child Stars Who Grew Up To Be Gorgeous
Decorators Best
"Scream" star Drew Barrymore has fashioned her own meditation room in her walk-in closet within her New York apartment. Photographers from Vulture took photos inside the ****** e, with the outlet describing the room as covered in pink flamingo wallpaper and scraps of paper with words of positive affirmation scribbled on them. According to the outlet, these inspirational quotes include, for example, "Today is the day you start trusting yourself," "Listen to my body and soul," and "Treat myself as the mother I needed." In the photo, we can also see a small desk, a mirror, and lots of lit candles. Barrymore describes her notes as the work she's doing with her therapist to work through her "shadows," aka "everything we don't want to be but fear we are."

#star

Melissa Gilbert has penned an essay encouraging better mental health protection and safety for child performers.
Follow the deaths of child stars Hayden Panettiere, Daveigh Chase and Michelle Trachtenberg, the Little House on the Prairie star demanded that child actors access better support as they transition into young adults.
"I did not know Hayden personally and only worked briefly with Mishy and Daveigh. It feels personal because I was them," Gilbert wrote in the new Substack essay. She also listed other female child actors including Drew Barrymore, Jodie Foster and the Fanning sisters.
"We are all members of the same tribe; Female Former Child Performers, and when one of us dies, it runs through all of us like an electrical current," Gilbert added "When three of us die so close together, something is very, very wrong."
Gilbert wrote that she felt like the trend of the entertainment industry exploiting children before discarding them is "getting worse" and that she herself was "nearly worked to death a few times."

#hayden #performers #essay

Everyone has a celebrity crush, but most of the world can't actually act on those feelings like Jamie Lee Curtis did in 1984. That was when she saw her husband, Christopher Guest, for the first time, coming across a photo of him in the pages of Rolling Stone. The moment Curtis' eyes landed on Guest, she knew she needed to meet him, so she used her own fame to call his agency and ask them to hook her up. Shockingly, Guest didn't respond. Still, Curtis didn't give up, and the universe was on her side.
Talking about the fateful day she finally met her husband on "The Drew Barrymore Show," Curtis went into detail, explaining that, two months later, she went out to lunch with fellow successful nepo baby Melanie Griffith and spotted the man of her dreams in the flesh. "I sat down at a table and. ... Chris was sitting two tables away facing me." The two waved at one another and then, somewhat surprisingly, Guest left the restaurant, but not before looking at Curtis one more time, shrugging his shoulders, and waving goodbye, to which Curtis responded in kind. Thankfully, Guest's agent hadn't tossed Curtis' number out, and the "Waiting for Guffman" director called her the next day. The two went on their first date four days later, but there was one more roadblock they would need to overcome before they could spend their lives together: their careers.
As Curtis explained, "He was leaving for a year on 'Saturday Night Live' ... I was starting the movie 'Perfect' in Los Angeles. ... So we are now opposite coasts." But the two found a way to make things work, traveling to meet up each weekend and, just a month later, they were engaged and married before the end of the year.
Read more: Male Celebrities Who Were Unrecognizable After Plastic Surgery
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#guest #husband #meet #didn 't

Not all actors want their kids to follow in their footsteps.
Several stars — including Jason Momoa, Emily Blunt and Drew Barrymore — have publicly spoken about the challenges of working in the entertainment industry and want their children to wait until they are adults to pursue a career in Hollywood, should they have the desire.
"My kids ask me all the time — they would love to be in film or on social media or sing or whatever. I always just say, 'School plays, theater camp, everything [yes.]' But being in the public eye, [no] until…' " Barrymore, who was a child star herself, told PEOPLE in April 2024.
The talk show host, who shares her children with ex-husband Will Kopelman, continued, "Then they say, 'Well, what's the number?' And I always say, 'I know you want an answer, and I know the fact that I can't give you one that's so specific isn't satisfying, but it's going to be a feeling. It's going to be when I think you're ready.' "
Here are 12 celebrity parents who don't want their kids to become actors.

#children #until #going #several

Several celebrities have helped fans create unforgettable marriage proposals during live concerts
Stars, including Drew Barrymore and Zach Braff, have made video cameos for private proposals
Performers have expressed their gratitude for being invited to participate in the special moment
A marriage proposal often includes personal touches that reflect a couple's relationship — and for some fans, that means enlisting the help of a favorite celebrity.
Several pairs have opted for public proposals. Stars like Taylor Swift and Céline Dion have unexpectedly become witnesses to the special moment, while others, including Hugh Jackman and Tom Hanks, have played an active role in helping fans pop the question.

#several #drew

Drew Barrymore has given fans a rare glimpse inside her beautiful home, sharing a collection of intimate snapshots that showcase the cosy ****** es where she spends time with her family.
Tagging her lifestyle and homewares brand, beautifulbydrew, the actress offered a peek at the charming details that make her house feel uniquely personal. Rather than showing off grand rooms or extravagant features, the photographs focused on the small corners that bring warmth and character to the home.
One image revealed a thoughtfully styled kitchen nook featuring appliances from her Beautiful by Drew collection, sitting beneath a vibrant framed artwork. Elsewhere, a large range cooker overlooked leafy green views through oversized windows, creating a peaceful connection between the indoors and nature outside.
The snapshots highlighted Drew's signature decorating style, which blends elegance with comfort. Colourful artwork, vintage-inspired accessories and carefully chosen textiles appeared throughout the home, creating ****** es that feel curated without being overly formal.
In one particularly charming corner, a whimsical framed sheep illustration hung above patterned hand towels, bringing a playful touch to a classic bathroom. Another image showcased floral towels draped over a bath, reinforcing the home's relaxed, lived-in atmosphere.