Brenda Khan
Drew Barrymore plays Sheila Hammond in the Netflix horror-comedy series *Santa Clarita Diet*. Barrymore's character is a suburban mom and real estate agent who, after contracting a mysterious illness, becomes a zombie with a craving for human flesh. Barrymore's eyes appear crossed in some scenes where her character has been depicted as a zombie. Barrymore has stated that she enjoyed working on the show, despite the fake blood and guts involved, as it helped her come out of a slump and made her laugh.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Show Name | Santa Clarita Diet |
| Show Type | Horror-comedy |
| Streaming Platform | Netflix |
| Star Cast | Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant |
| Barrymore's Character Name | Sheila Hammond |
| Barrymore's Character Profession | Real estate agent |
| Barrymore's Character Traits | Cannibal, Zombie, Undead, Suburban Mom |
| Barrymore's Character Transformation | From human to cannibal-zombie |
| Barrymore's Character Craving | Human flesh |
| Show Creator | Victor Fresco |
| Show Director | N/A |
| Show Premiere Date | February 3, 2017 |
| Number of Seasons | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
Drew Barrymore's cannibalism
Drew Barrymore's character in the Netflix horror-comedy series *Santa Clarita Diet* is a flesh-eating cannibal. Barrymore plays Sheila Hammond, a real estate agent who becomes a zombie and develops a craving for human flesh.
The show follows Sheila and her husband Joel (played by Timothy Olyphant) as they navigate her transformation and her new diet. While Joel is initially reluctant to support Sheila's cannibalism, he ultimately helps her procure human flesh to eat, all while keeping her condition a secret from their teenage daughter, Abby, and their neighbours.
To create the show's cannibalistic scenes, the special makeup effects designer, Christien Tinsley, used gummy bears to create realistic-looking raw meat. This was due to Barrymore being a vegetarian and not wanting to consume meat on set. Tinsley created moulds and recipes that matched the look and feel of gummy bears, allowing Barrymore to physically bite into and consume the edible "meat".
Barrymore has spoken about how taking on the role in *Santa Clarita Diet* helped her through a difficult time in her personal life, calling it a reawakening. She also commented on the unique blend of deadpan humour and macabre elements in the show, which set it apart from traditional comedy or horror genres.
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Barrymore's character Sheila Hammond
Drew Barrymore's character in the Netflix comedy-horror Santa Clarita Diet is Sheila Hammond, a realtor and wife of fellow realtor Joel Hammond (played by Timothy Olyphant). The couple are based in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita, California, and lead vaguely discontented lives.
In the season premiere, Sheila dies and reanimates, becoming a zombie. She also becomes undead and starts craving human flesh. This results in a radically altered personality, with Sheila becoming more primal and impulsive. She loses her impulse control and starts preaching about doing whatever to her friends.
Sheila's metamorphosis throws up a series of obstacles for the couple to navigate, as they try to help her through her transformation while dealing with neighbours and cultural norms. They also have to dispose of the bodies of her victims. Sheila's new diet also includes gummy bears, which are used as a substitute for human flesh.
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The show's advertising campaign
The advertising campaign for the Santa Clarita Diet leaned into the show's gory premise, featuring fake diet ads and posters depicting a human finger sliced up like a currywurst, a popular German fast-food dish.
The campaign was designed to launch during the Golden Globes ceremony, a departure from Netflix's usual strategy of silence before a show's premiere.
The ads sparked criticism in Germany, with the German Advertising Council receiving over 50 complaints that the advertising was glorifying violence and inducing fear in children. Despite this, the campaign successfully generated buzz for the show, with fans of absurdist comedy excited by the fake diet ads.
The campaign also included a Canadian promo featuring Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod promoting the eponymous "diet" in a parody of their Body Break series of television PSAs.
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Barrymore's personal life
Drew Barrymore's personal life has been well documented, with the actress facing a number of struggles from a young age. Born on February 22, 1975, in Culver City, California, Barrymore comes from a family of actors. Her parents divorced when she was nine years old, and her mother, Jaid, introduced her to drugs and the party scene. By the age of 12, Barrymore had been to rehab and was supporting the 'Just Say No' campaign. However, she relapsed and, at 13, began an 18-month stint in hospital, where she was treated for alcohol and drug addiction.
At 13, Barrymore's mother also had her institutionalized, and at 14, she was legally separated from her mother and declared an adult. She has written about her experiences in two books, 'Little Girl Lost' and 'Wildflower', as well as in a series of autobiographical essays. Despite these challenges, Barrymore has gone on to have a successful career in Hollywood, both as an actress and a producer. She has also been involved in various charitable causes, including supporting organizations like Save the Children and the World Food Programme.
In more recent years, Barrymore has continued to be open about her journey to self-discovery and empowerment, inspiring many with her resilience and positivity. In 2020, she launched a daytime talk show, 'The Drew Barrymore Show', and in 2021, she launched a lifestyle magazine, 'Drew Magazine'. In 2023, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
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The show's genre
Santa Clarita Diet is an American horror-comedy sitcom created by Victor Fresco for Netflix. The show follows suburban realtors, Joel and Sheila Hammond, whose lives take a dark turn when Sheila dies and is reanimated as a zombie with a craving for human flesh. The show combines elements of horror and comedy, with critics noting its blend of morbid humour and gore.
The show's creator, Victor Fresco, has described the central message of the show as being about "empowerment" and the dangers of "narcissism". He has also commented on how the show is a critique of modern culture, where people act as "zombies", consuming without thinking about the consequences. This is reflected in the show's satirical advertising campaign, which parodied weight-loss products and diet culture.
The show received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its cast, humour, and engaging premise. However, some noted that the level of gore might not be to everyone's taste.
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Frequently asked questions
Barrymore was going through a divorce and the script for Santa Clarita Diet made her laugh and helped her forget her problems. She also found the show's focus on a functional marriage relatable.
Sheila Hammond is a real estate agent in Santa Clarita, California.
Sheila Hammond turns into a zombie or an "undead" person with a craving for human flesh.
Santa Clarita Diet is a horror-comedy about a suburban family in California whose lives change dramatically when Sheila Hammond turns into a zombie.
The human remains that Barrymore's character eats are made of vegetarian items such as gummy bears, dehydrated apples, beet paste, pasta, and moistened cake.
