Advertisement

Drew Barrymore Says Her Cinderella Movie Ever After 'Changed the Way I Saw the World'

EVER AFTER, Drew Barrymore, 1998.
EVER AFTER, Drew Barrymore, 1998.

20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

Drew Barrymore is reflecting on past roles she believes "can change the trajectory of your life."

While speaking with Entertainment Tonight on Monday about her new Netflix animated children's series Princess Power with Savannah Guthrie, Barrymore referenced her 1998 movie Ever After: A Cinderella Story as an example of empowering storytelling that impacted her personally.

"I know creative things have [changed my life] for me in my life, not only when I was a kid but when I was in my early 20s," the actress, 47, said. "I did Ever After. I was like, 'I don't think I would be the same person without giving a spin on what we think a princess is supposed to be.' "

Barrymore went on to explain that Ever After's messaging — the film is a retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale — "changed the way I saw the world" after she filmed the movie, which released when the actress was 23.

"I was in my early 20s and then I was trying to start a company and wanted to tell stories and make films and that particular messaging that you can rescue yourself and you don't have to wait to be rescued is definitely the thing that set me up best in my life," Barrymore told the outlet.

RELATED: Drew Barrymore Channels M3GAN as She Interviews Allison Williams: 'My Eyeballs Are Falling Apart!'

"I don't know who I would be honestly without it," she added. "It changed the way I saw the world."

Drew Barrymore Ever After - 1998 Director: Andy Tennant 20th Century Fox USA Scene Still Drama Ever After - A Cinderella Story
Drew Barrymore Ever After - 1998 Director: Andy Tennant 20th Century Fox USA Scene Still Drama Ever After - A Cinderella Story

20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Barrymore costarred with Anjelica Huston, Melanie Lynskey, Dougray Scott and Patrick Godfrey in the Andy Tennant-directed Ever After, which retells the story of Cinderella as a work of historical fiction without typical fairy tale conventions.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Last Thursday, Barrymore spoke out about the the Razzie Awards' decision to nominate Firestarter's 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong among the spoof award show's "worst" performances of the year — a decision which the organization has apologized for and changed its guidelines so it will not nominate anyone under 18 moving forward.

"I don't like it. Because she is younger, and it is bullying," Barrymore — who was the lead of 1984's Firestarter adaptation — said on CBS Mornings.

RELATED VIDEO: People Every Day: Savannah Guthrie & Drew Barrymore

"We do want to be cautious about how we speak to or about people because it encourages other people to join on that bandwagon," the actress added. "And I'm glad to see people didn't jump on the 'let's make fun of her' wave, instead said, 'This isn't right.' "

During the talk show appearance, Barrymore said that actors "gotta have a sense of humor about yourself," in the event they get nominated for a Razzie, "but when you're talking about children, all bets are off. I don't like it."