Drew Barrymore Reveals Secret to ‘Spontaneous’ Talk Show Moments (Exclusive)

Here’s how the actress cultivates her frequently viral interview moments.

If you asked us to pick the best thing about Drew Barrymore, quite frankly, it would be impossible to narrow it down.  

Between her brazen sense of humor and the easy ebb and flow of her daytime talk show—where she seamlessly is able to balance the unexpectedly out of pocket moments with the more serious revelations—the multi-hyphenate goes viral nearly every day, keeping fans on the edge of their seats waiting to see what comes next.

Parade caught up with the beloved Santa Clarita Diet star at a recent event celebrating her newest partnership with Purina, where she opened up about the thought process behind each interview and how she manages to find so many fan-favorite moments.

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As she described it, interviews are “very anecdotal,” thanks to plenty of preparation that lets you know what’s coming. “You have to have a game plan or that would be really poor form,” she clarified. “But it was that stuff we didn’t know we were going to talk about that was so fun.” 

Related: Baby Drew Barrymore Explains How She Got Her ‘E.T.’ Role in Throwback Clip

To create the space for more impromptu conversations, the 50 First Dates actress revealed that she “tend[s] to toss out the pre-interview.” 

She continued, “I just want to make it sort of very spontaneous; we don’t know what we’re discovering here. There are plenty of interviews where you have an agenda going in and you try to hit the marks and then it’s over, and I just want to find the things that none of us were expecting to happen.” 

Still, she said she always knows where she’s “taking off from” and where she “need[s] to land.” In between, she’s just looking for “something surprising.” Keeping it real sometimes “makes for a much less comfortable experience.”

But she looked back on press junkets for inspiration, as she usually got the same question countless times. “Then someone comes and it’s like, ‘What did you have for breakfast?’” she noted, “and you’re like, ‘That’s the best question I’ve ever heard in my life!’ Because it’s different.” 

To celebrate the launch of Barrymore’s partnership with Purina Tidy Cats, which is a total full circle moment for her—the actress’ very first job at the tender age of 11 months was in a Purina commercial—the actress-turned-talk show host and the brand want to treat one lucky pet lover. 

Through May 8th, 2023, cat owners can tell Tidy Cats why they need a “littervention,” resulting in one cat parent winning $5,000 to refresh their space with products from Walmart, as well as design tips from the “ultimate home and happiness guru” herself.

Next: See Drew Barrymore’s Perfect Reaction to Hugh Grant Calling Her Singing ‘Horrendous’