Shot in 1992 at Bruce Weber’s Bellport, Long Island home for Interview Magazine, this portrait captures a crucial turning point: 17-year-old Drew Barrymore moving from child-star notoriety into adult complexity.

Weber pairs his natural light with a relaxed, near-documentary setup. Smoke curls through the frame, a half-raised camera intrudes, and Barrymore’s steady gaze fuses cinematic tension with disarming intimacy.

The photographer excels at coaxing authentic moments rather than constructed poses. He speaks of creating “a world” where young performers feel safe enough to shed their public armour; here, Barrymore appears entirely present, neither acting nor resisting the lens.

The photograph reflects Weber’s broader impact on 1990s Hollywood: he recast emerging actors not as polished commodities but as vulnerable, searching individuals.

His sittings became unofficial masterclasses. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, River Phoenix, and Barrymore all benefited from the new visual narratives he crafted. By trading studio gloss for natural settings and encouraging unscripted gestures, Weber offered these actors a platform to redefine themselves at key career junctures. The resulting images circulated widely, shifting public perception and paving the way for more nuanced roles.

The Bellport portrait sums up that legacy. Barrymore is neither child nor fully formed adult; Weber captures the tension of becoming. The frame suggests fragility yet radiates quiet resolve, hinting at the resilience that would fuel her later reinventions. In one image, Weber mentors, documents, and myth-makes—confirming why his work became a rite of passage for a generation of young stars.