- Currently, her perspective on "Playboy's" front page has evolved.
Via a detailed Instagram post, Drew Barrymore (49) openly discussed digital advancements, smartphones, and their influence on her offspring with her social media followers. Drawing parallels to her adolescence and young adulthood, she recounted some "unconventional" experiences within the mature setting.
"I've borne witness to countless decadent affairs at parties and even in my private residence that left me feeling deeply embarrassed," Barrymore, a progeny of a theatrical family who gained worldwide acclaim through her role in Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," admitted. "Children should not be exposed to such content." She herself was no stranger to this libertine lifestyle. "I perceived it as an artistic expression and I still don't hold it in contempt," she added. Ruminating on her 1995 Playboy cover, she stated, "At that time, I thought that my innocuous artistic expression within the pages of Playboy, during my early twenties, was a publication that would remain unsalvageable due to its paper-based nature. I had no idea that the internet was even a possibility. I was unaware of numerous things."
Smartphones avoidance for her offspring
Her unconventional upbringing also encompassed her departure from home at 14, consequently granting her the impression of autonomy. "There was no one there to guide me," Barrymore announced. "My own mother faced criticism for allowing me to stray. Now, as a mother, I have an immense amount of compassion for her."
Her reflections continued: "As a child, I yearned for someone to prohibit me from doing certain things, and thus I yearned to rebel. I lacked boundaries, and eventually, 'no' became a challenge for me. Today's children should not be exposed to as much as they currently are." Her aim as a parent is to safeguard her two daughters, Olive (12) and Frankie (10), "just as I had yearned to be protected and shielded when I was their age." She had never envisioned children would be in a similar predicament, with such easy access to advanced technology and social media. That's the reason she isn't ready to hand over smartphones to her daughters yet.
Surprisingly, Barrymore's children, who are familiar with the internet without the need for a smartphone, have been made aware of her Playboy spread. She revealed this in her own show, as reported by USA Today last February. Olive utilized her mother's Playboy cover as an argument towards a crop-top dispute. "My daughter wants to wear a crop top. I object, and she counters with, 'You were on the cover of Playboy'," Barrymore revealed to Christina Aguilera (43) during an interview.
"This unfamiliar territory of digital exposure is something I want to protect my children from, given my own experiences as a teenager and young adult," Barrymore mentioned. "I believe 'Other' types of entertainment, including certain content on the internet, should be avoided or managed carefully by children, just as I wish I had been protected from such influences when I was younger."
