Drew Barrymore had an emotional reaction to seeing her silent movie star grandmother on an Instagram account that celebrates the glamour of old Hollywood stars. Fans of the actress turned talk show host have long known of Barrymore’s many familial connections, but it’s clear that she possesses a strong affection for her grandmother, Dolores Costello. It’s almost eerie the way Barrymore so closely resembles Costello.
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Drew Barrymore’s Hollywood Legacy
Any fan of Drew Barrymore knows that she comes from a lineage of Hollywood royalty. There’s her mother, actress, and writer Jaid Barrymore. There’s also her father, actor John Drew Barrymore, as well as his father John Barrymore and his siblings, Lionel and Ethel, all of whom were celebrated actors in their day.
All About Dolores Costello – Silent Film Star
The elder John Barrymore wasn’t just an actor himself, he also managed to land one of the most talented silent movie stars as a wife: Dolores Costello. Despite her famous last name, Costello actually isn’t related to Lou Costello, of Abbott & Costello fame. But it turns out that she didn’t need that particular connection, since there are more than enough superstars in her own family. Costello made it big in her own right though, with her first husband famously nicknaming her “The Goddess of the Silent Screen.”
Costello and the elder John Barrymore divorced in 1934, and she went on to marry another John, John Vruwink, in 1939, though the marriage was over by 1950. Costello passed away in 1979, just four years after the birth of her granddaughter, you guessed it, Drew Barrymore. The two didn’t get the chance to spend much time together, but it’s obvious that Barrymore still feels a connection to her departed grandmother.
A Blast From The Past For Barrymore
Recently, an Instagram account called @oldhollywoodans posted a series of photos of Costello with the caption, “The Goddess of the Silent Screen: Stunning Dolores Costello in the 1920s and 1930s. Dolores is the grandmother of the beautiful and talented Drew Barrymore.” The photos, exclusively in black and white or sepia tone, displayed Costello at her most beautiful, likely near the height of her career in silent films.
Barrymore was obviously immensely touched by the photos when she came across them one night while getting ready for bed. She commented, “@oldhollywoodfans I didn’t know why I was scrolling because I need to go to bed and get up for work. I was feeling like I was looking for something. A sign? I don’t know but I needed something!!! And I came across this!”
Doesn’t She Look Just Like Her Famous Granddaughter?
Barrymore continued, “You brought me my grandmother!!! I have tears streaming down my face as I write this!! Thank you. I needed this tonight!!!! Ps. Isn’t she so neat?! Thank you.”
It was incredibly touching to see this reaction from Barrymore, who has had famously complicated relationships, both familial and romantic, over the years. She never really got the chance to fully develop a relationship with her grandmother, but these photos have surely formed a bridge between them despite all the years apart.
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