Drew Barrymore put on an elegant display as she stormed the stage at Sydney’s ICC Theatre on Friday night with a whole host of Aussie legends.
The American actress, 49, made an impact as she stepped out on stage in front of a 7000-strong crowd to headline wellness brand Wanderlust’s True North talk show.
The long-awaited event saw Drew chat to Aussie talents including Dannii Minogue, Tones and I and G Flip about their lives and how they overcame big challenges.
For the night, Drew showed off her glamorous sense of style in olive satin wide-leg trousers and a white blouse with puffed sleeves and a dramatic black bow tie.
She added some extra height to her frame in a statement pair of platform black peep-toe heels and accessorised with a pair of droplet earrings.
Drew kicked off the wellness talk show, which focused on self-love, by delving into her own life and the challenges of soaring to fame as a child in Hollywood.
The daughter of John and Jaid Barrymore told how she was never told the word ‘no’ as a child while working on huge blockbusters such as E.T since the age of seven.
She said every child has to learn the value of ‘no’, a mantra she has adopted as a mother to her daughters Olive, 11, and Frankie, 10, who she shares with her ex-husband Will Kopelman.
Drew Barrymore put on an elegant display as she stormed the stage at Sydney ‘s ICC Theatre on Friday night with a whole host of Aussie legends
The long-awaited event saw Drew chat to Aussie talents including Dannii Minogue (pictured), Tones and I and G Flip about their lives and how they overcame big challenges
Drew was then joined on stage by Aussie singer Tones and I, who put on a very emotional performance of two tracks from her new album, Beautifully Ordinary.
The star, whose real name is Toni Watson, broke down in tears on stage as she belted out an acoustic rendition of her deeply personal new song Figure It Out.
With the audience cheering her on, Tones managed to keep singing and was greeted by rapturous applause when she finished the powerful performance.
Choking back tears, she then told the audience: ‘I’m so sorry, I swear I never get emotional! I’m not even meant to talk!’
Tones also sang a heartfelt version of another song from her new album called Lose Someone Like Me, which is about losing touch with her best friend.
‘I wrote this song about losing my best friend in the world through becoming famous,’ she explained before emotionally belting out the track.
The Dance Monkey hitmaker then joined Drew on-stage to talk about her career and explained why she became so emotional during the performance.
Tones shared that her second album, which was released on August 2, is the first time in her career she has written such personal music about her own life.
She explained she always felt she was writing songs that any other musician could put on their album, but is now proud to release a deeply personal new album.
The American actress, 49, made an impact as she stepped out on stage in front of a 7000-strong crowd to headline wellness brand Wanderlust’s True North talk show
Drew was joined on stage by Aussie singer Tones and I, who put on a very emotional performance of two tracks from her new album, Beautifully Ordinary
In a touching moment, the star, whose real name is Toni Watson, broke down in tears on stage as she belted out an acoustic rendition of her deeply personal new song Figure It Out
Tones then joined Drew on-stage to talk about her career and explained why she became so emotional during the performance, citing the personal nature of her new music
‘I’ve written songs as a songwriter and not as a human being […] That’s why for the first time, honestly, I got so emotional because for a long time, I’ve just released music as a songwriter that anyone could have copied and pasted on to their own album, and to talk about myself has been a real big shock.’
During the emotional chat, Tones also revealed that her rise to fame has not always been smooth-sailing as she discussed going ‘off the rails’ and dealing with trolling.
‘In any way you could go off the rails, the last four years, I have. I was lucky enough that it wasn’t made public,’ she bravely revealed, before adding that she won’t be speaking any further about the struggles.
Tones also admitted she has struggled with dealing with negative comments from cruel trolls online, but has learnt to ignore the criticism for the sake of her beloved grandmother.
‘We know that one bad comment can trump 50 good ones,’ she confessed as she urged people to be kinder to one another.
Drew was then joined on stage by drummer G Flip, 30, who spoke about the power of learning how to be unapologetically themselves and overcoming others’ opinions.
The musician, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, told Drew how it took them a long time before learning how to embrace themselves fully without fear.
G Flip also gave a candid insight into their relationship with Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause, who they married in Las Vegas in May last year.
Detailing their early days of dating, G Flip admitted they knew Chrishell, 43, was the love of their life on their very first date.
The singer, whose full name is Georgia Flipo, said it felt like ‘fate’ when their favourite and lucky number 22 popped up on their first date.
Drew was also joined on stage by drummer G Flip, 30, who spoke about the power of learning how to be unapologetically themselves and overcoming others’ opinions
G Flip also gave a candid insight into their relationship with Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause, revealing how their first date felt like ‘fate’ due to one very telling sign
As well as enjoying an intimate chat with G Flip, Drew also welcomed Dannii Minogue to the stage, who put on a glamorous display in a floral dress for the occasion
‘When I went on a first date with my wife, my seat number was G22, it was fate,’ they sweetly shared.
G Flip and Chrishell, who is soon to make her debut on Aussie soap Neighbours, recently had another wedding Down Under with their loved ones.
As well as enjoying an intimate chat with G Flip, Drew also welcomed Dannii Minogue to the stage, who put on a glamorous display in a floral dress for the occasion.
The sister of Kylie Minogue, 52, showed off her incredible style credentials in a strapless pink and orange floral gown as she sat down to chat with Drew.
The pair both bonded over their early rises to fame, as Drew was famously a child actress while Dannii made her debut on Young Talent Time at the age of seven.
Drew also had a deeply personal conversation with Michael Klim about his ‘tough’ four-year battle with a rare autoimmune disorder which left him unable to walk.
The Aussie swimming legend, 46, was diagnosed with the neurological disorder chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in 2020.
The former Olympian has spoken openly about the challenging diagnosis, which saw him lose the ability to walk in just six months and left him bedridden.
Drew also had a deeply personal conversation with Michael Klim about his ‘tough’ four-year battle with a rare autoimmune disorder which left him unable to walk
The Aussie swimming legend (pictured in 2012), 46, was diagnosed with the neurological disorder chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in 2020
CIDP causes the body to attack its own tissue – the myelin sheaths which insulate and protect the nerves – causing weakness and lack of feeling in the arms and legs.
At the Wanderlust event, Michael spoke about the mental challenge of going from being an Olympian to not being able to walk.
‘I just almost got tipped over the edge, and within six months, I could not walk. I lost all functionality from the knees down, my muscles were literally just disappearing,’ he told press ahead of taking to stage with Drew.
‘It was really confronting mentally, not just physically. I could look down and see these sticks hanging off my body, which for someone that used to pride myself on my physical ability, that was taken away within six months.’
Klim undergoes rehabilitation including plasma treatment, which has helped him to walk with the assistance of a cane by reducing inflammation and restoring nerve damage.
‘The last two years have been OK, but the first two were pretty tough,’ he confessed.
Drew closed the wellness talk show by talking to rapper Baker Boy about his upbringing in the Arnhem Land communities of Milingimbi and Maningrida.
He impressed Drew by revealing he can speak both English and the Indigenous dialect Yolgnu Matha as they spoke about the importance of community.
Drew closed the wellness talk show by talking to rapper Baker Boy about his upbringing in the Arnhem Land communities of Milingimbi and Maningrida
Drew has long been a stalwart advocate for wellness practices and mental health awareness.
She will be taking her Wanderlust show to the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday night, where she will also interview Terri Irwin and Emma Watkins.
Drew said she was ‘thrilled’ to be appearing on stage with the handpicked array of celebrities for the talk, which focused on themes of self-care and healing.
‘My life’s journey has been an extraordinary odyssey, and I am absolutely thrilled to share my life story from my triumphs, setbacks, and everything in between in Australia, one of my favourite countries, at Wanderlust True North,’ she said in a statement prior to her tour.
‘This will be an unforgettable evening filled with heartwarming laughter, joy and an abundance of soul-stirring moments that will inspire you to be the best version of you, and as Wanderlust highlights ‘Find your True North’.’
