Drew Barrymore shares emotional photo of rarely-seen parents before their separation
She couldn't help but reminisce
Fans of Drew Barrymore know the actress had a tumultuous and messy upbringing, but that doesn't mean she's afraid to look back on childhood memories.
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The star took to Instagram on Sunday to share some of her favorite photos she gathered from the internet throughout the week, and subtly honored her parents by including a heartfelt black and white photograph of the two.
Drew was raised by her mother, Jaid Barrymore, who was left to parent on her own after actor John Barrymore split from the actress early into her pregnancy.
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Despite her parents' contentious separation, the lead took a moment to highlight a time when they were together.
The throwback sees the former couple posing closely to one another, with Jaid holding a binder as she cuddles next to John, and he appears in all his hippy glory, donning a plaid suit plus his signature white long hair and beard as he rests his chin atop his former partner's head.
The actor passed away from cancer aged 72 in 2004, and though his daughter grew up not having a relationship with him, she recalls in her book, , making amends with him prior to his death, and even taking care of him and paying his medical bills.
The heartfelt family portrait
She became estranged from her mother as well, emancipating from her at age fourteen, but also reconnected with her later in life.
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Drew has opened up on her show about how difficult life with her mother was growing up, and detailed how she repaired their relationship.
Jaid was highly criticized for leaving her daughter to her own devices at such a young age
"Daughters to mothers, I think we have a predisposed expectation where we don't want you to be selfish," she said, before admitting "My mom was selfish too and it screwed me up, but you know what, I carried that with me and I acted from a place of a wounded child who also felt like they had to be an adult too quickly, and I didn't understand the parent-child dynamic."
Looking back on their strained relationship, she said: "She did not know how to control me anymore… These were very painful things for both of us to go through…Her choices came from things that were real for her."
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