Where is Drew Barrymore's mother Jaid Barrymore now and why was Drew emancipated?

Drew Barrymore's mother Jaid Barrymore has recently made the news following reports that Drew 'wishes' her mother was dead. 

On June 5, 2023, an interview with Drew Barrymore was released in New York Magazine Vulture. In the interview, the talk show host opened up about her difficult relationship with her mom.

"All their moms are gone, and my mom’s not. And I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t have that luxury.’ But I cannot wait,” Drew told New York magazine.“I don’t want to live in a state where I wish someone to be gone sooner than they’re meant to be so I can grow. I actually want her to be happy and thrive and be healthy. But I have to f**king grow in spite of her being on this planet."

"I dared to say it, and I didn’t feel good," Drew then added. "I do care. I’ll never not care. I don’t know if I’ve ever known how to fully guard, close off, not feel, build the wall up."

Page Six reported this story with the headline, "Drew Barrymore admits she wishes her mother Jaid was dead: 'I cannot wait.'"

This style of reporting led Drew to take matters into her own hands as she took to Instagram to direct a message to the 'tabloids'.

"To all you tabloids out there, you have been fucking with my life since I was 13 years old," she said in the video. "I have never said that I wished my mother was dead. How dare you put those words in my mouth."

"I have been vulnerable and tried to figure out a very difficult, painful relationship while admitting it is difficult to do while a parent is alive. And, for those of us who have to figure that out in real time cannot wait, as in they cannot wait for the time, not that the parent is dead," she explained.

"Don’t twist my words around or ever say that I wish my mother was dead. I have never said that. I never would," she added.

Why was Drew Barrymore emancipated?

When Drew Barrymore was 14 she was legally emancipated from her mother as her legal guardian. Starting her life as a child star, Drew was old for her age and began drinking at 11 and by the age of 12, she had reportedly become addicted to cocaine, had gone to rehab, and had tried to end her life.

An extract from her novel Wildflower, was published in The Guardian in 2015, the talk show host spoke openly about the reasons behind her emancipation.

"She had lost credibility as a mother by taking me to Studio 54 (so wrong, but so fun) instead of school. And I was out of control due to working since I was 11 months old and what that had done to my childhood, which made me grow up too fast," she wrote.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2015 about this time Drew said, "I don’t think I understood what was good, or pleasurable, or bad. I was probably chasing joy, but I don’t think it was the real joy. I was just too young to know."

When asked, 'Did you feel exploited by your parents?' Drew responded, “Nooooo.” She then added, "I mean, well, yeah, I think with my mother it was definitely too out there. But my dad, no, he was just unavailable."

Where is Jaid Barrymore now?

Drew Barrymore's mother Jaid is still alive and in the recent interview with the New York magazine, the journalist reported that Drew sends her money. "Meanwhile, she and her mother have never fully reconciled since she left the house at 14, though Barrymore still supports her financially," revealed the article.

In 2021 Drew spoke about a reconciliation they had in recent years as the pair worked to mend their relationship. "My mom and I are good now," she told Oliver Hudson during an episode of her show. “It’s like there’s just some peace and respect and maturity there that could not have taken place maybe before."

Every Mother's Day, Drew has paid tribute to Jaid Barrymore and included her in a heartfelt tribute. It is unknown where Jaid lives and how involved she now is in her daughter's and granddaughters' lives.