Drew Barrymore discusses reconciling with her father, lying to Steven Spielberg

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Drew Barrymore stopped by "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Friday where she opened up about reconciling with her ailing father before his death in 2004 and how she lied to filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

The actress was on hand to promote her new memoir, Wildflower and shared some of the stories from the book about her relationship with her father, actor John Drew Barrymore.

"He was very charismatic and odd," the 40-year-old shared. "And I just appreciated him from afar." The former child star kept her distance until they reconciled in 2001 after John fell ill.

"He got cancer," Barrymore said to DeGeneres. "And I had a very rare turn of events where I got to take care of him for three years in a hospice." After his passing. Barrymore then mentioned that her dad's burial was a cathartic moment and how in 2014 she was able to finally reconcile with her mother.

On a lighter note, Barrymore shared some lies she told acclaimed director Steven Spielberg in order to impress him during auditions for Poltergeist. "I lied my face off," she revealed. "I told him I was in a rock 'n roll band. I was a drummer, of course, because drummers are the coolest, and that I was a cook."

Spielberg however saw something in the young actress and explained to her how she might be better suited for a different film. The filmmaker called Barrymore up to audition for a film entitled, This Boy's Life." "I went in for it and it was a movie called This Boy's Life. After numerous auditions, I got that, which later became a different title called E.T.," Barrymore exclaimed. "So crazy."

Barrymore last made headlines in October when the admitted to struggling with postpartum depression after the welcoming of her daughter Frankie.