Whitney Cummings Shares How Drew Barrymore Helped Her with Her Postpartum Depression: 'Big Healing Moment'

Mar. 15, 2025

Whitney Cummings (left); Drew Barrymore (right).Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Steven Ferdman/Getty

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic; Steven Ferdman/Getty

Whitney Cummingsis feeling grateful for how her friendDrew Barrymorehelped her through a tough time.On the Thursday, Jan. 16 episode ofThe Drew Barrymore Show, Cummings shared that she was in “deep throes ofpostpartum depression,” when she was offered to appear on the revival game showHollywood Squaresalongside Barrymore.However, after finding out Barrymore was involved with the show, Cummings decided to go through with the episode, which she said “snapped me out of it” and “really helped me a lot.““I needed to see other moms, like working and having fun, and that was a big healing moment for me,” Cummings shared. “I think I was just putting so much pressure on myself and that really helped me just like release it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Drew Barrymore and Whitney Cummings discuss Whitney’s postpartum depression on The Drew Barrymore Show.The Drew Barrymore Show/YouTubeCummings, whowelcomed her sonin December 2023, said that Barrymore made her feel “safe.““I knew that even if I did suck, we’d make it funny and we’d figure it out,” she said. “Then, I was safe enough to be able to just feel like, ‘You can do this, and if you can’t do this, that’s also fine.“Cummings said that moment helped her realize the pressure she was putting on herself was the thing that was blocking her.“I realized how much I defined myself through my ability to make people laugh or be smart or say the thing in the moment or remember the thing the fastest, and my brain was not working,” Cummings admitted. “I was so scared.“Whitney Cummings on Hollywood Squares.Sonja Flemming/CBSBarrymore, who’s a mother to daughters Olive and Frankie, with her ex-husbandWill Kopelman, also opened up about her postpartum experience. She said that she felt “isolated” and “didn’t know what was happening with me chemically.““I felt so confused in the most profound and beautiful ways after I had my kids,” Barrymore shared. “I didn’t know who I was supposed to be, and so I didn’t know how to work. I felt like I didn’t necessarily relate to my friends the same way anymore.“TheBlendedactress first struggled with postpartum depression when she had her younger daughter, Frankie, in 2014.“It was just really challenging and I felt overwhelmed,” the actress told PEOPLE in a2015 interview. “I made a lot of decisions and I definitely changed my work life to suit my parenthood.”

Whitney Cummingsis feeling grateful for how her friendDrew Barrymorehelped her through a tough time.

On the Thursday, Jan. 16 episode ofThe Drew Barrymore Show, Cummings shared that she was in “deep throes ofpostpartum depression,” when she was offered to appear on the revival game showHollywood Squaresalongside Barrymore.

However, after finding out Barrymore was involved with the show, Cummings decided to go through with the episode, which she said “snapped me out of it” and “really helped me a lot.”

“I needed to see other moms, like working and having fun, and that was a big healing moment for me,” Cummings shared. “I think I was just putting so much pressure on myself and that really helped me just like release it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Drew Barrymore and Whitney Cummings discuss Whitney’s postpartum depression on The Drew Barrymore Show.The Drew Barrymore Show/YouTube

The Drew Barrymore Show/YouTube

Cummings, whowelcomed her sonin December 2023, said that Barrymore made her feel “safe.”

“I knew that even if I did suck, we’d make it funny and we’d figure it out,” she said. “Then, I was safe enough to be able to just feel like, ‘You can do this, and if you can’t do this, that’s also fine.”

Cummings said that moment helped her realize the pressure she was putting on herself was the thing that was blocking her.

“I realized how much I defined myself through my ability to make people laugh or be smart or say the thing in the moment or remember the thing the fastest, and my brain was not working,” Cummings admitted. “I was so scared.”

Whitney Cummings on Hollywood Squares.Sonja Flemming/CBS

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Barrymore, who’s a mother to daughters Olive and Frankie, with her ex-husbandWill Kopelman, also opened up about her postpartum experience. She said that she felt “isolated” and “didn’t know what was happening with me chemically.”

“I felt so confused in the most profound and beautiful ways after I had my kids,” Barrymore shared. “I didn’t know who I was supposed to be, and so I didn’t know how to work. I felt like I didn’t necessarily relate to my friends the same way anymore.”

TheBlendedactress first struggled with postpartum depression when she had her younger daughter, Frankie, in 2014.

“It was just really challenging and I felt overwhelmed,” the actress told PEOPLE in a2015 interview. “I made a lot of decisions and I definitely changed my work life to suit my parenthood.”

source: people.com