1996-2000

After completing Wishful Thinking and Everyone Says I Love You for Miramax, Bob Weinstein presented another project to Drew: the horror film Scream. Drew loved the script and signed on to play the lead. Her involvement persuaded Wes Craven to attach himself as director. Before filming began, Drew decided it might be more fun and interesting to play the victim in the film’s chilling opening scene and yet still promote the film as if she was starring in it. It was a savvy decision as her scene instantly became iconic and unforgettable, and the film’s huge success further proved that she could be a bankable star.

Personally Drew encountered a few set backs when business partner Kim Greitzer decided to move on and leave Flower Films in the care of just Drew and Nancy Juvonen. She and Eric Erlandson also amicably parted ways, most likely due to their busy schedules. Perhaps to help fill a void, Drew adopted 2 lab chow puppies from a flea market and named them Flossy and Templeton. She also began working with the Female Health Foundation and continued her involvement with the Wildlife Way Station. She was cast in two small films, Best Men and Home Fries. Her romantic lead in both films was actor Luke Wilson and when they met, it was immediately love at first sight.

Drew and Flower next went after Adam Sandler, who they had long been hoping to collaborate with. Adam had a project called The Wedding Singer that was a perfect fit. The two of them formed a special friendship and their chemistry radiated on screen. It was Drew’s first leading lady role in a romantic comedy and would be another box office blockbuster, officially cementing her back on Hollywood’s A-list. She was able to use her star power to bring the Cinderella story Ever After to the screen in the way she had envisioned. She convinced Angelica Huston to play the part of the stepmother and also snagged The Amy Fisher Story director Andy Tennant. She was insistent her character Danielle not wait to be rescued and instead fight for the things she believed in as a more powerful Cinderella.

After their experiences on Scream, The Wedding Singer, and Ever After, Drew and Nancy finally felt ready to tackle their first official production. They had read the script for Never Been Kissed and fell in love with the story. Drew did double duty by playing the lead role in the film while simultaneously overseeing all of the other facets of the movie. The cast and crew raved about how professional Drew was, while at the same time a complete joy to work for. The filming finished on time and under budget and would go on to gross more than double what it cost to make, proving she and her team had done their homework. Drew’s popularity sky-rocketed and she became a major role model for young girls all over the world.

While 1999 saw Drew earn her first producer credit, it also marked the end of her 3 year relationship with Luke Wilson. As with most of her breakups, they remained friends and would continue working together in future projects. There were also three new additions to her life: a puppy she would name Vivian, a beautiful farm house in the Hollywood hills, and a new assistant in the form of Chris Miller. Chris and Drew instantly clicked and he would be one of the most important people not only to Drew, but to Flower Films as well. At the Never Been Kissed premiere, Drew met The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and his assistant Claudia De La Roca. A few weeks later they approached Flower with an animated Christmas TV special called Olive, the Other Reindeer. On the movie, Drew did her first voiceover work since 1985’s Star Fairies and Flower Films received their second credit. Within the year, she also lent her voice talents to the sci-fi animated film Titan A.E.

Meanwhile, Flower’s most massive undertaking was already in the works: a big-budget revamping of the 1970s television show Charlie’s Angels. Drew and Nancy fought hard to greenlight energetic McG as director on the project, and Drew herself convinced Cameron Diaz to sign on as one of the other angels. The search for the third angel was finally completed when they met Lucy Liu. The three ladies quickly bonded and formed a lifelong friendship, despite the picture the media tried to paint of on-set feuds. Drew also enlisted Tom Green to play a part in the film as she was a big fan of his MTV show. Quickly her admiration turned into love, and their relationship was often played out in the public eye. Drew stood by his side when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and they were soon living together in her house. Shortly before Charlie’s Angels opened, they got engaged. After a difficult shoot, Drew and Nancy were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when the movie became a gigantic hit all around the world.

As usual, Drew kept busy preparing for her next acting and producing projects. Flower Films turned their attention to a small project that Nancy discovered called Donnie Darko. Flower believed in the film and helped save it from oblivion, with Drew taking a small part as a high school teacher. Meanwhile, Drew filmed the biopic Riding in Cars with Boys. She went through rigorous auditions for the lead role of Beverly. The storyline required her to age from 15-36 on screen and utilize her dramatic skills more heavily than she had in years. Playing the role of a single mom gave Drew a new perspective on what her own mother Jaid had gone through. Drew reached out to her and they began to see each other again, but the reconciliation would be short lived.

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Biography text written by The Drewseum and accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Information and photos compiled from various sources. Please do not reproduce this content without permission.
© The Drewseum 2010-2015