Drew Barrymore Drank To ‘Numb The Ache’ Of ‘Cripplingly Troublesome’ 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 cut up, overcoming that interval in her life and discovering a harmonious new stability along with her ex and his new spouse.

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

“There was no scandal. Nothing went improper, 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 onerous to make it work. [A friend] mentioned to me, ‘Divorce is the loss of life of a dream.’ That is precisely what it appears like, one thing so closing you’ll be able to’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 scenario to battling habit as a toddler.

“After the life I deliberate for my children did not work out — I nearly suppose 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 most likely 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 means of the hearth and are available again to life type 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 recreation time.” Her new gig as speak present host additionally gave her “one thing to concentrate on” 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 vogue director Alexandra Michler in 2021. Drew says they’re now a reasonably stable blended household.

“Will has his aspect of the road so fantastically buttoned up with our beautiful 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 like her. I like us all being collectively. These children have an instance of one of many dad and mom shifting on and rebuilding one other life for themselves. I am like, ‘Oh, I haven’t got to do this now? Excellent.'”