Steven Spielberg’s classic movie, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year – and its biggest star, Henry Thomas, is thankful to have been a part of it.
Thomas spoke with Fox News Digital about how the film continues to capture the hearts of viewers in every generation. Thomas played Elliott, the boy who befriends E.T.
“It’s such a phenomenon. It still has a life. I’m amazed at it all the time,” Thomas said. “The fans for this film just won’t be stopped. It’s sort of a generational, ‘Wizard of Oz.’ I’m just amazed by it. You know, it’s the longest press tour in history. That’s what I keep saying.”
“It’s great that people have fond memories of it, and it’s a beloved film,” Thomas added, noting that “it would be horrible if it was the worst film in history,” which is not something he would have wanted to be associated with.
The cast of the iconic movie reunited last month on “The Drew Barrymore Show” in honor of the film’s 40th anniversary. Thomas said it had been quite a while since he and Barrymore last saw each other, joking he sees “her in 20-year increments.”
“It’s funny because it’s at the point now where, it’s like a family. It’s almost the same thing, like without the blood ties,” he explained. “But, you know, everybody’s life and you kind of vaguely keep up with people. It’s like cousins, like distant cousins.”
Thomas was 10-years-old while filming “E.T.,” and while he did not think the prop alien was real, he found it enduring that “the veil of fantasy and reality was still sparkling” for Barrymore.
“She thought E.T. needed a scarf when we walked off-stage when it was cold and things like that,” Thomas recalled of Barrymore, who played his character’s younger sister, Gertie. “‘What is he going to have for lunch today? Is he going to eat with us or is he going to wait here?’ Things like that. But she was really cute. I mean, her personality at that age was kind of like the character of Gertie just turned down about one click or a half click. But there it is on-screen.”
“E.T.” is not the only reunion for Thomas this year, as his newly released movie, “Sam and Kate,” reunited him with his “Raggedy Man” co-star Sissy Spacek. The 1981 movie was Thomas’ first acting job, and he said “it was just really special” to be able to work with her again.
The movie revolves around Sam, played by Jake Hoffman, who returns home to care for his sick father, played by Dustin Hoffman. While taking care of him, he begins to fall in love with Kate, played by Schuyler Fisk, while his dad falls for Kate’s mom Tina, played by Spacek.
“For me to have a chance to work with her again, It was just really special. We’ve been in contact over the years, of course, but it was really nice to work with [her] and Schuyler together, as well as Dustin and Jake,” Thomas said. “Regrettably, I didn’t have any scenes with Dustin, but it was still wonderful to share the screen with them.”
Thomas was excited to be a part of the movie before Spacek and Hoffman had signed on, but the excitement grew when he found out they were involved.
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“I know Orian Williams, one of the producers, and have known him for years. He’s been one of my oldest friends, and years ago, I met with Darren Le Gallo and Orian, and they were trying to get this off the ground,” Thomas explained. “Eight or nine years later, we actually worked together. The story of the film took on a whole new life when Dustin and Sissy came on board. I think it’s just a really special story. The script was always great, but having Jake and Skyler and Dustin and Sissy together, it’s really quite magical.”
He described his character, Ron, as “a foil for what could happen to Sam” if he does not get his life back on track, calling Ron “a fun-loving guy” who is “very much stuck in his little corner of the world.” He based his character off people he knew in his hometown growing up, saying everyone knows someone like him.
With this movie, Thomas hopes to inspire people to “fall in love with going to the theater again,” because watching something made for the big screen at home is like “looking at Picasso in a snow globe all the time.” He thinks there should be a balance between streaming and going to the theater.
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“I think with COVID and the pandemic kind of easing up relatively throughout the world, I think people could do well for themselves to get out and go to the theater again,” he said. “Maybe it’s wrapped up in nostalgia for me because some of my earliest memories [are] going with my parents to the movie theater and seeing things and being kind of blown away by these big images.”
Thomas has a few projects he is currently working on, calling himself a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” He has an album, a book and a few movies expected to come out next year.
“I’ve got a couple of film projects that hopefully will be starting in the first quarter of the New Year. I’ve got some projects that are being released on Netflix in the near future. I don’t know when exactly, but [they will be] in the Mike Flanagan universe,” Thomas shared. “I also have a book, the fantasy book that I wrote that was published in 2019 that is now being printed and in paperback, and that will be released… So I’ve got a lot of irons in the fire.”
“Sam and Kate” will be available on Nov. 18.
