WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' 39 years later
Talia Lakritz
- The movie "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" came out in 1982.
- Henry Thomas, who played Elliott, appeared in "To All The Boys: Always and Forever" on Netflix.
- Drew Barrymore played Elliott's younger sister Gertie and now hosts a talk show on CBS.
It's been almost 40 years since E.T. phoned home in 1982. Since then, some of its young stars have gone on to achieve even greater Hollywood fame, while others took a break from the spotlight.
Here's where the cast of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" is today.
Henry Thomas played the film's protagonist, 10-year-old Elliott.
Thomas was only a year older than his character, starring in the film at age 11.
In 2012, a tape of his audition for the role was uploaded to YouTube and went viral. At the end of his impressive performance, director Steven Spielberg says, "OK, kid, you've got the job!"
After taking a break from Hollywood to finish school in Texas, Thomas returned to the screen. Most recently, he's appeared in projects for Netflix.
Thomas has appeared in shows such as "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Haunting of Bly Manor" on Netflix, as well as "Stargirl" and "Betrayal." His movie credits include "Moby Dick," "Legends of the Fall," "Gangs of New York," and "Dear John."
He most recently played Peter Kavinsky's dad in "To All The Boys: Always and Forever" on Netflix.
Robert Macnaughton played Michael, Elliott's older brother.
In the movie, Michael helps his younger brother care for E.T.
Before landing the part at the age of 14, Macnaughton starred in a few TV movies.
After a few more TV movie appearances throughout the 1980s, Macnaughton quit acting and began working as a mail carrier.
He acted for the first time since 1988 in "Frankenstein vs. the Mummy" and "Laugh Killer Laugh" in 2015.
He told Yahoo Entertainment's Gwynne Watkins in 2017 that he grew tired of the auditioning process by the time he was about 30, so decided to get a "real job." He joined the mail service in 1995 and now works in New York. However, he told Watkins he'd return to acting if the creators of "Stranger Things" called him.
Drew Barrymore was just 6 years old when she appeared in "E.T." as the boys' younger sister, Gertie.
Barrymore was 7 when the movie was released in 1982. Her parents and paternal grandparents were also actors.
She went on to become an A-list Hollywood actress, and now hosts "The Drew Barrymore Show" on CBS.
After struggling with addiction as a teenager, Barrymore sought treatment and went on to rule Hollywood. She has appeared in iconic movies like "The Wedding Singer," "Charlie's Angels," and "50 First Dates."
She ventured into TV when she starred in and executive produced "Santa Clarita Diet" from 2017 to 2019, before hosting her own talk show. The first season kicked off in 2020.
Dee Wallace played the kids' mother, Mary.
Prior to "E.T.," Wallace appeared in movies such as "The Stepford Wives" and "The Howling" and guest-starred on several TV shows.
Wallace has continued acting, most recently in the series "9-1-1" on Fox, and also works as a healer.
While she remains best-known from her '80s movies — particularly horror movies such as "Critters" — Wallace has continued to act and is slated to appear in upcoming films such as the horror movies "The Nest" and "Final Cut," and the drama "Catch a Fallen Star."
She has also written multiple self-help books, hosts a weekly internet radio show, and leads monthly webinars, according to her website.
Peter Coyote played the government agent known as "Keys" investigating E.T.
Coyote got his start in acting with TV movies like "Isabel's Choice" and "The People vs. Jean Harris" before landing a role in "E.T."
Coyote still acts, having most recently played Robert Mueller in the Showtime mini-series "The Comey Rule."
He has appeared in famous films such as "Bitter Moon," "A Walk To Remember," and "Erin Brockovich," and in 2015, he won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding narrator for the Ken Burns documentary "The Roosevelts" on PBS.
Coyote is set to star in the upcoming Christian films "Jesus and the Others" and "The Girl Who Believes in Miracles."
C. Thomas Howell, pictured left, played Elliott's friend Tyler, who helps E.T. hide from the authorities.
"E.T." was Howell's first onscreen role.
The film jumpstarted Howell's acting career, leading to roles in "The Outsiders" and "The Hitcher," as well as TV shows like "Criminal Minds."
Howell has worked on TV and movies consistently since the '80s. After recent appearances on "The Walking Dead" and "Bosch," Howell is now set to appear in the films "The Wrong Path," "Mama's Eggnog," and "The Express."
Erika Eleniak played an unnamed classmate who Elliott had a crush on.
"E.T." was her first movie role.
Eleniak went on to star in "Baywatch" as well as movies such as "Under Siege," "The Blob," and "The Beverly Hillbillies."
Eleniak's most recent film appearance was "Cor Values" in 2018. She has also guest starred in "CSI: Miami" and "Desperate Housewives."
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