Drew Barrymore Drank To ‘Numb The Ache’ Of ‘Cripplingly Tough’ Divorce From Will Kopelman

The actress-turned-talk present host spoke with PEOPLE for a brand new cowl story about turning to alcohol after the break up, overcoming that interval in her life and discovering a harmonious new stability together with her ex and his new spouse.

The pair, who’re dad and mom to daughters Frankie and Olive — now 8 and 10, respectively — referred to as it quits after almost 4 years of marriage and, trying again, Barrymore mentioned it was virtually “extra complicated” for her to navigate as a result of there wasn’t one large factor that brought about the separation.

“There was no scandal. Nothing went incorrect, which is cleaner, however makes it tougher and extra complicated as a result of there is not The Factor to level to,” she advised the outlet. “We tried so arduous to make it work. [A friend] mentioned to me, ‘Divorce is the dying of a dream.’ That is precisely what it seems like, one thing so last you may’t get it again.”

Calling the years after her divorce “cripplingly troublesome,” Barrymore mentioned she coped with all of it by turning to alcohol.

“It was simply attempting to numb the ache and really feel good — and alcohol completely did that for me,” she mentioned, earlier than evaluating the state of affairs to battling dependancy as a baby.

“After the life I deliberate for my children did not work out — I virtually assume that was tougher than the stuff  as a child. It felt much more actual as a result of it wasn’t simply me. It was about these children that I cared a lot about,” she continued. “After which I in all probability cared a lot that I used to be solely giving to them and never caring for myself. It was a messy, painful, excruciating stroll by the fireplace and are available again to life sort of trajectory.”

She give up consuming and bought into remedy, telling PEOPLE that “it was my children that made me really feel prefer it’s sport time.” Her new gig as discuss present host additionally gave her “one thing to deal with” and “gave us one thing to imagine in.”

Whereas Barrymore herself is again on the courting scene … and sometimes talks about her courting app expertise and courting disasters on her present — Kopelman married Vogue trend director Alexandra Michler in 2021. Drew says they’re now a reasonably stable blended household.

“Will has his facet of the road so fantastically buttoned up with our attractive stepmother,” Drew mentioned of his spouse. “We have got an superior household dynamic that proves that life goes on. Allie is my favourite individual. I really like her. I really like us all being collectively. These children have an instance of one of many dad and mom transferring on and rebuilding one other life for themselves. I am like, ‘Oh, I haven’t got to do this now? Excellent.'”