Drew Barrymore's latest film The Perfect Catch is a reworking of Nick Hornby's novel Fever Pitch, which was also made into a film starring Colin Firth in 1997. This time the story is set against the backdrop of the Boston Red Sox's historic World Series win last year and the film tells the tale of Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon), a fanatical Red Sox fan and teacher who falls for ambitious, workaholic executive Lindsey Meeks (Barrymore).
Drew has just turned 30, but hit the big screen at the tender age of five in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster ET. Her pedigree as a star - no small part of that down to her famous family name - has made her the closest Hollywood has to royalty.
This isn't the first romantic comedy you've done. What makes you keep coming back to the genre?
I love exploring romantic comedies, but I feel like want to learn something different from each experience as far as the characters I play and the subjects that are talked about; like we did this thing called Never Been Kissed and it was sort of like 'if you feel you are a loser and a geek then that's okay'. There are bigger worlds outside of your school or your job or environment and it's all right to be yourself.
In Fifty First Dates, I sort of loved the idea of how do you make someone fall in love with you every day and keep that effort and energy up and that love alive. And, for this one, I really loved that it taught me and let me explore how much of yourself you get to keep in a relationship. Because we meet each other, we fall in love with each other, our passions, our little idiosyncrasies, our little taints and quirks and characteristics. Then, somewhere down the line, it's funny that that's the very thing that's getting in the way. How do you find that balance? I think, in the end, just not to water down or change that person, because that's what you fell in love with and to find a balance of how to make it all work. I really loved that message.
Have you been able to do that in your own relationships?
I think so. I'm a workaholic, so I know that my schedule - to work 17 hours a day and travel all the time - does not have any routine about it and it can be very trying on a relationship. So I totally empathize with someone being open and encouraging to what I do, because I'm so passionate about it. I love it so much. I love my job. I enjoy it so much. Then, of course, that makes me feel so good and empowered if someone is supportive and understanding about that. How could you not just want to return that respect and say the same thing to them?
You also make choices in life and I'm very rational. I try to be more rational than emotional about my approach. You choose to be this person. You choose this. Like you choose to have these passions. These are choices we make. Let's celebrate them rather than putting them down all the time and struggling with them so much.
So is compromise the essence of a relationship?
It certainly helps. A balance I think is the essence for sure. You can't always have your own way, and you can't not be yourself at the same time. You have to be yourself.
Would you say you were in love right now?
Yeah, I am. I have someone in my life right now who I love very, very deeply, but I'm not ready to have a family and I'm not ready to get married. My head is so not in that place. It's more about enjoying life and having fun and working and spending time with my love and with my friends and this family that I've created that they're all a part of. For me, those are my priorities right now.
I'd much rather try to build a family when I'm really ready, when I'm really selfless. It's not something I want to mess around with and just hope for the best. It's always going to be so difficult and scary and challenges. You're never gonna really be ready. That's what all my fellow 'mother-friends' tell me. But, I still think that if I wait a little bit longer, I'll be better suited for the job.
Do you like to love more or be loved more?
I think we all want both, ideally. Everyone wants to be loved, but I really, really love loving, and I love giving back, so I just need enough love to keep me going – to receive enough love that gives me the energy and encouragement that the person loves me enough that I can just fawn all over them and be a total romantic. I'm a very affectionate person. I'm like a puppy and I love to play. And I'm a really big romantic as well.
