Emmys 2017: 15 movie stars who stole the small screen this year

Drew Barrymore in Santa Clarita Diet. Photo credit: Saeed Adyani / Netflix.

15. Drew Barrymore

The project: Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet

The character:  Sheila Hammond, a real estate agent in California who dies, comes back to life and begins to crave human flesh. Sheila finds that being undead has allowed her to feel truly alive for the first time.

How she stole the small screen: Most often cast as girl-next-door characters in romantic comedies and feel-good flicks (Big Miracle, Going the Distance, Music and Lyrics), Santa Clarita Diet gives Barrymore a chance to play with her image. Zombie Sheila, in many ways, is a typical Barrymore role: She’s a successful, approachable woman. The fact that Sheila seems like such a cool girl makes the process of luring and catching people to eat much easier. No one would suspect that the polished suburban wife and mother is actually a cadaver smoothie chugging undead cannibal.

Her past TV experience: Barrymore recently guest starred on the Bravo comedy Odd Mom Out and has provided voice work for Family Guy on and off since 2005. The actress’ biggest pre-Santa Clarita TV role is probably Little Edie in the HBO movie Grey Gardens. Barrymore and Jessica Lange played relatives of Jackie Kennedy who start off as wealthy socialites and end up living as recluses in their dilapidated mansion. The 2009 narrative TV film is based on the 1975 doc of the same name.

Awards recognition: Nothing for Santa Clarita Diet, but Barrymore was nominated for an Emmy for Grey Gardens in 2009. She took home a Golden Globe for playing Little Edie in 2010.