Valerie Bertinelli has always been open about her past, but this time, even Drew Barrymore was stunned. During a recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the actress casually revealed that she once dated legendary director Steven Spielberg for about three to four months. The moment unfolded during a lighthearted segment called “Memory Bank,” where guests share forgotten stories from their lives.
Bertinelli came prepared with a black-and-white photo of herself and Spielberg at the 1980 Academy Awards. Drew instantly recognized the director, her longtime mentor from E.T., and reacted with total disbelief. As Valerie confirmed the story, Barrymore shouted, “WHAT?!”
She dated Steven Spielberg before she met Eddie Van Halen
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Bertinelli shared that the fling happened shortly before she met her first husband, rock legend Eddie Van Halen. Spielberg had asked her out after she auditioned for a role in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Although she didn’t land the part, she ended up going to the Oscars as Spielberg’s date. According to Valerie, the relationship only lasted a few months, but she remembers it fondly.
She even joked that Spielberg still has one of her bowling shirts, which she left in his closet when they broke up. “Steven, I’d like it back,” she said on the show, smiling. Spielberg eventually married actress Kate Capshaw in 1991, after meeting her during the filming of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But according to Bertinelli, their short-lived fling remains a fun memory from a completely different chapter in both their lives.
Valerie Bertinelli wants Selena Gomez to star as her should there be a Van Halen biopic
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The year Bertinelli dated Spielberg turned out to be a major turning point. That same year, she met Van Halen, whom she married in 1981. The couple stayed together for over two decades before finalizing their divorce in 2007. Reflecting on it all, Valerie said she “had a ball” with Spielberg and cherished the experience.
Bertinelli also revealed she’s told her son not to approve any Van Halen biopics until after her death. While she said Selena Gomez could play her in a movie, she quickly added, “But Selena, don’t do it. Please don’t do it.” Fans are wondering if the actress still has more fascinating stories like this one.
