Drew Barrymore played Little Edie in the TV movie Grey Gardens (2009). In this film, David Maysles asked Little Edie who she would like to portray Big Edie if a movie based on Grey Gardens were made, suggesting Ethel Barrymore (Drew's great-aunt), despite the fact that Ethel Barrymore had been dead since 1959.
According to a 2009 interview in the San Francisco Chronicle, Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale wore a beautiful red dress to the 1975 premiere of this film, only she wore it backwards, with the zipper in front.
The film was something of an accident, in the sense that Albert Maysles and David Maysles came across Edith Bouvier Beale and Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale when involved in another project--a movie about (Jacqueline Kennedy's sister) Lee Radziwill's childhood. As part of research, the Maysles brothers were introduced to the Beales, and were captivated by their world. Deciding not to make the Radzwill film, they turned instead to the Beales, and a year after first meeting the two women, began filming.
Edith Bouvier Beale was the sister of Jacqueline Kennedy's father, John V. "Blackjack" Bouvier. As a child, Jaqueline spent a great deal of time with her aunt and cousin Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale at Grey Gardens and considered "Big Edie" her favorite aunt throughout her lifetime.
The house, Grey Gardens, was sold by Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale in 1979 to Ben Bradlee, former editor of the "Washington Post", and Sally Quinn. The pair completely restored the house (the sale agreement forbids razing the house), but the Bradleys only stay there in the month of August. During the rest of the year, the home is occupied by Frances Hayward.