Starlet Drew Barrymore's new film, Big Miracle, is hitting theaters this Friday and is sure to make waves with the audience. Based on a true story, the romantic drama focuses on Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to rescue gray whales trapped in ice near Point Barrow, Alaska.  

Directed by Ken Kwapis, Big Miracle is based on the book Freeing the Whales, and took Barrymore to Anchorage, Alaska, where the movie was shot.

"I'm a Cali-girl through and through, but it was just nice to not be in the busy rush of Los Angeles," Barrymore told USA Today. The actress closed herself off from the Internet and e-mail for the six week shoot.

Barrymore plays non-profit advocate Rachel Kramer, based on real-life Greenpace activist Cindy Lowry, and spent time with her to get into the role.

"She and I would go hiking and talk about life. She gave me her jewelry and clothes, and I actually wear them in the movie. It was really cool and meaningful."

Along with meeting the actual people the movie focuses on (and the real stars of the movie), the animatronic whales, Drew decided to communicate through letters only, getting the feel of news and politics surrounding the event in 1988. She researched and read books including Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America.

"I much more gravitated to the political and environmental and news aspect of this movie," she told The Washington Post. "The core of it is people putting their agendas aside for one minute and doing something together."

Tags: Drew Barrymore