Drew Barrymore Praises Reneé Rapp for Protecting Her From Alleged Stalker: ‘She Mama-Beared Out’

Drew Barrymore praised “Mean Girls” star Reneé Rapp on Friday’s episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show” for protecting her from an alleged stalker.

The cast of “Mean Girls” joined Barrymore on her eponymous talk show to discuss the movie musical. At one point, the daytime host pulled Rapp into a hug and thanked her for escorting her offstage when an alleged stalker approached them during a speaking event last year.

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“You and I, by the way, you’re my protector,” Barrymore said. “Reneé and I had an incident recently where this guy came to attack me on a stage that I was [on] with Reneé, and she mama-beared out and protected me so well.”

Back in August 2023, Barrymore was interviewing Rapp at the 92nd Street Y in New York City about the actor-singer’s debut album “Snow Angel,” when an audience member interrupted the discussion and yelled, “Drew Barrymore!”

“Oh my God, yes? Hi!” Barrymore responded, as the man — identified as Chad Busto — quickly approached her.

“I’m Chad Michael Busto, you know who I am,” he said. “I need to see you at some point while I’m here in New York.”

As multiple security guards intervened and told the audience member to “back up,” Rapp put her arm around Barrymore and safely escorted her offstage. The pair later returned to continue their conversation.

“Well, I have a new definition of your sexiness, it’s that level of protectiveness — that went full ‘Bodyguard,’” Barrymore told Rapp onstage at the New York event, referring to the 1992 romantic thriller. “You are my Kevin Costner.”

Days after the incident, Busto was arrested and “temporarily detained” after “going door to door telling area residents that he was looking for Drew Barrymore’s residence,” Southampton Chief of Police James Kiernan confirmed to Variety.

Rapp portrays Regina George in Paramount’s “Mean Girls” musical, now playing in theaters.

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