Drew Barrymore at 50 "I'm the Happiest I've Ever Been"

As she celebrates her milestone birthday (in her PJs!), Hollywood icon Drew Barrymore looks back on her roller-coaster life - and the lessons learned

- DAN WAKEFORD & ISABEL MOHAN

Drew Barrymore could do anything she wants for her 50th birthday: an epic, glamorous party, wall-to-wall with A-list friends; an indulgent getaway in an exotic paradise or perhaps a chi-chi private dining event at an exclusive restaurant, wearing something expensive and fabulous.

But no: The superstar actress, talk show host and businesswoman instead plans to celebrate the milestone on Feb. 22 in her happy place: bed! Yup, in typical Drew style, she’s eschewing the celebrity norm and following her heart: She’s throwing a sleepover, and her daughters, Olive, 12, and Frankie, 10, will be right there, snuggling up with their mom and probably leaving crumbs on the sheets.

“We’re the three sardines, and we’ll get into our can,” laughs Barrymore. “I’ve always spent the night with them on my birthday and their birthdays. We have a tradition, so I’m doing a night or two of sleepovers leading up, and then I’m doing a sleepover with my daughters on my 50th. But the whole theme of the 50th birthday is sleepovers. Sleepovers should never go away.”

As one of Hollywood’s best-known child stars, winning over the world’s hearts in 1982’s E.T. at just 7 years old, Barrymore was working — and partying — hard when most of her peers were innocently attending sleepovers. So now, it’s only right that she should get to enjoy them whenever she wants. Plus, these days, Barrymore is a cozy homebody who admits to subscribing to JOMO — the joy of missing out — and has even instructed her friends to try and get her out of the house more (“I’m just very peaceful and content!” she says). Ultimately, when she’s not working, she loves nothing better than hunkering down with her tweens, who she coparents with ex-husband Will Kopelman.

But before all the fun starts, she’s kicking off the festivities by cozying up with another special guest: