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May 08, 2026


The adorable little boy from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" blockbuster found his way to a new home after dealing with challenges as a childhood star.
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" celebrated its 40th anniversary and was released decades ago in theatres to critical and commercial success.
The director, Steven Spielberg, brought in nearly $800 million globally, winning four Oscars out of the nine nominations.

Henry Thomas in a scene from the film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” in 1982. | Source: Getty Images
Speaking about the fact that the beloved film remains famous to this day, Scott Tobias from the Guardian wrote:
"Spielberg approaches the material with the sincerity and openness that his characters bring to their kinship with the alien, and it still feels timeless and pure as few films do."
The cast members of the main characters include Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Peter Coyote, Drew Barrymore, and Henry Thomas, who plays protagonist Elliott Taylor.

Steven Spielberg, Drew Barrymore & Henry Thomas at the Anniversary Premiere of "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" in California. | Source: Getty Images
WHAT HAPPENED TO HENRY THOMAS?
Only 9 years old, Thomas famously made Spielberg cry in the audition and got the role on the spot -- but this was only the beginning. After "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" came out, Thomas became a sought-after actor right into adulthood.
As a kid, he played in 1984's "Cloak & Dagger" and 1985's "The Quest" -- both of which he got starring roles. He said it wasn't always easy because although his mother and the crew looked after him, the stress of being a young actor burdened his parent's marriage.
He also struggled with fame, which made him very uncomfortable around people as they would immediately treat him differently.

Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, and Drew Barrymore in May 1982. | Source: Getty Images
Eventually, as an adult and after decades of living in Los Angeles, he decided to leave Tinseltown and move to Oregon. He stays on a farm with his two wives and three kids.
But, just because he no longer lives in the world's entertainment center, he has still taken up several roles. These include "Girl In the Bunker" and Netflix's "The Haunting of Hill House."
MacNaughton, who played Elliot's older brother, also opted for a simpler lifestyle but on a more extreme level. After the blockbuster, he continued acting for a while but eventually opted to become a mail carrier.
Wallace, the mother, was already acting before the film in the movie "The Stepford Wives" and "Howling." She was recently on Fox's "9-1-1" and has released self-help books.
Erin Brockovich also continued acting, playing in "A Walk To Remember" and "Bitter Moon." IN 2015 he took home a Primetime Emmy for his narration of the documentary "The Roosevelts."
Perhaps the most well-known of the cast is Barrymore, Spielberg's goddaughter. She has become a famous actress and received many accolades.
She has her own production company, talk show, and star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, among other achievements.
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