Drew Barrymore 'Owns Decision' For Filming Amid Strike

After receiving some backlash for starting to film season 4 of "The Drew Barrymore Show" amid the Writers Guild of America, or WGA, strike, host Drew Barrymore has issued a response taking "full responsibility" for the decision.

Barrymore took to social media to explain her reasoning and apologize for anyone who was affected by her decision.

Barrymore sympathetically explained in a video shared on Instagram why she made the decision to start filming despite the ongoing WGA strike.

"I believe there's nothing I can do or say in this moment to make it okay. I wanted to own a decision so that it wasn't a PR protected situation, and I would just take full responsibility for my actions. I know there's just nothing I can do that will make this okay for those that it's not okay with. I fully accept that. I fully understand that," she explained holding back emotions.

"There's so many reasons why this is so complex, and I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anyone. It's not who I am."

The actress and talk show host continued to explain that she's been through a lot of "ups and downs" in life and this is one of them. She apologized to writers and to the union for her decision and said she takes "responsibility" for the decision.

"I don't exactly know what to say because sometimes when things are so tough, it's hard to make decisions from that place so all I can say is that I wanted to accept responsibility," she explained. "And no, I don't have a PR machine behind this. My decision to go back to the show, I didn't want to hide behind people, so I won't, and I won't polish this with bells and whistles and publicists and corporate rhetoric. I'll just stand out there and accept and be responsible."

Barrymore than addressed her "why" to help people understand why she decided to cross picket lines to film the new season of her talk show.

"Well, I certainly couldn't have expected this kind of attention, and we aren't gonna break rules and will be in compliance. I wanted to do this because as I said, this is bigger than me and there are other people's jobs on the line," she explained.

"And since launching live in a pandemic, I just wanted to make a show that was there for people in sensitive times. And I weighed the scales and I thought, if we could go on during a global pandemic, and everything that the world has experienced through 2020, why would this sideline us? So, I want to just put one foot in front of the other and make a show that's there for people, regardless of anything else that's happening in the world because that's when I think we all need something that wants to be there, being very realistic in very realistic times. So that is my why."

It didn't take long before followers hopped into the comment section to leave their thoughts on her decision and apology. The comment section is a mixed bag of support and more backlash.

"As a consumer, I can understand that there are SO MANY other people working on your show that aren’t writers who are directly impacted by the strike. It’ll all work out!" one person wrote, supporting her decision.

Another added, "Camera crews need work too, stage crew etc, it’s not just about the writers. You are giving those people work and that is good. There will be always someone pointing the finger but you did good. They need to pay for their homes and families, you did good drew."

And then there are comments that don't support her decision.

"You’re not taking responsibility here so much as reinforcing a misguided decision you made to cross the picket lines. I don’t think anyone cares about your intent as much as they do your action plan for how to fix it," one person wrote.

"So are you apologizing but going to continue being a scab and forcing your crew to be scabs? Because, let’s be real, those crew members who want to continue standing with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA will be replaced if they don’t scab with you. Don’t sit here and cry like you’re doing them a favor when, in reality, you’re forcing them to choose between their job or standing with unions," wrote another.

Shortly after it was announced that "The Drew Barrymore Show" will be returning with new episodes on September 18 by CBS, Barrymore took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the return during the strike.

"I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it, but this is bigger than just me," she said in her announcement. "I own this choice."

Many left comments about her decision. Popular TikToker Elyse Myers was one of them writing, "Please, I really urge you to reconsider. This will be detrimental to your writers in the long run and will affect them far beyond this show." Other shared the same sentiment.

"Are you going to walk past your own writers on the picket line? Disappointing," wrote another.