How Drew Barrymore Has Kept The Promise She Made To Cameron Diaz In The '90s

When we think of Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore working as a team, many of us still reminisce about the "Charlie's Angels" movies from the early 2000s, but the two actors have been friends for considerably longer than that. As they revealed when getting together to do a cooking segment on Instagram Live back in 2021, their connection has actually spanned more than three decades. 

"We met when I was 14 and she was 16," Barrymore confirmed at the time (via People). "I was working at a coffee house and she was a junior model." The talk show host went on to announce that Diaz is still her "bestie and sistie—sistie? That's a new word." And, as the two grew closer with time and built a solid and long-standing bond, they discussed their dreams and goals for the future.

Among these hopes was one that Diaz had for the way she imagined Barrymore should live her life: Sustainably, and with concern and focus on helping preserve and protect the environment (via HuffPost).  

Speaking to People about her partnership with Grove Collective, which makes environmentally friendly products for the home, Drew Barrymore detailed where her passion for living green came from. "I made a promise to my best friend, Cameron Diaz, that I would become someone who she had been pushing me to be my whole life, which was environmentally aware, conscientious, and living a certain lifestyle that was sustainable," she said. 

"She's been saying this since the '90s to me," the beloved nineties star continued. "Once I started living that way and really committing, [I] saw the world differently and it made me put it all into practice and action." Barrymore also shared that, inspired by the passion her friend has always had for protecting the planet, she has made several changes in her own life, from giving up her "favorite thing" (ziplock bags) to making sure she turns off the water while brushing her teeth. 

And in larger ways too, including her partnership with Grove Collective. Barrymore has been doing her best to make Diaz proud throughout their decades-long relationship. And it's a lot to live up to; Diaz has been a lifelong advocate for sustainability and the environment thanks to her Californian upbringing, where she saw her father work on pipelines in Long Beach (via TIME).  

But becoming more environmentally conscious isn't the only way Drew Barrymore has worked to make her BFF proud. In a 2023 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Cameron Diaz opened up about supporting the former child star through her journey to overcoming alcohol abuse. "I knew that if we all stuck with her and gave her the support she needed, she would find her way," she explained. 

When reflecting on Barrymore's past and her ability to overcome immense struggles, Diaz gushed, "I have absolute faith in her. You can't even comprehend how hard it was to be her as a child, and then she shot out the other end with the ability to save herself." The "E.T." star, in turn, has called her decision to quit alcohol "one of the most liberating things in my journey of life" (via Eating Well).  

From meeting as teenagers to starring as two of the three Charlie's Angels alongside Lucy Liu, to inspiring one another throughout their adult lives, Barrymore and Diaz's friendship has seen it all. Discussing it during their Instagram Live cooking segment, Barrymore noted simply, "We've experienced birth, life, death, marriage, divorce — highs and lows, work, boyfriends, friends, travel — there is nothing we haven't done together," (via People). 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).