Drew Barrymore

In Entertainment today, we listen to an interview with the Hollywood actress,Drew Barrymore. She talks about her troubled times growing up after sheplayed Gertie (at the age of 7!) in the huge hit movie, ET, and how she copeswith fame, now she is a grown-up, successful actress and producer.
　　In her new film, 'Music and Lyrics', she plays opposite the English star HughGrant. So what was that like?!
　　Drew says that there was a 'weird' (that means strange) feeling about them as acouple. She says they made an 'odd couple' (an unusual couple), and that therewas an 'odd couple' sort of 'vibe', or feeling, about them …As you listen to her description, try to catch the Chinese expression she usesabout herself and Hugh Grant – it means opposites!
　　Drew Barrymore'There really was this weird, odd couple sort of vibe about us. I mean, Hugh and I in real lifeare completely different – we're total yin and yang. I'm absolutely optimist and sun-shiny andHugh is absolutely very tense and intense!'
　　Amber:  So Drew Barrymore says that she and Hugh Grant are very different kinds ofpeople – she says they're 'total' (that's American for 'very') 'yin and yang'.
　　Yin means darkness and negativity, and yang means light and motivation.
　　She says she is an optimist and that she's a 'sun-shiny', or happy, person. Shesays Hugh seems to her to be 'tense and intense' – worried and serious.
　　Next, Drew Barrymore talks about her troubled times growing up. She not onlyhad to deal with the anti-climax that followed fame as a child star in ET, as ateenager, she struggled to overcome her addiction to drugs and alcohol. Sowhen she looks back at her life now, does it seem like a different person? Asyou listen, try to catch the image she uses at the end to describe experiencingfailure and working through it.
　　Drew Barrymore'No, I think it was just like every young person has to figure out who they are. I was a bityounger because I had to grow up so fast because of my job, and it was obviously more publicthan some people have experienced it, but it's just the same emotion that everybody goesthrough – which is, you know, growing pains, and falling on your face and picking yourselfback up again.'
　　 Amber:  So Drew Barrymore says she was like any young person trying to 'figure out',or decide, who she was. She says her 'growing pains' – her feelings as shegrew up – were normal.
　　Finally, she talks about being like a garden! It's a nice image for thinkingabout the need to look after herself! As you listen, try to catch one of the threeverbs she uses to describe looking after the garden!
　　Drew Barrymore'You know, sometimes you have to take a time out from people in life. You know, but I don'tthink you should beat yourself up too much for that. Sometimes some maturing and wateringand nurturing of the garden is sort of important to make it regrow when you've burnt itdown.'
　　Amber:  So Drew Barrymore believes sometimes we have to spend time apart fromother people – we need 'time out' from them. And that, like a garden, we needto do some 'maturing', 'watering and nurturing' of ourselves – especially whenwe're tired, or 'burnt'! Good advice!