More than 30 years after its release, Steven Spielberg's classic E.T. captures the imagination
of new fans around the world — and remains one of the most beloved films of all time.
Let's take a look back at some of the talented cast members who helped make it such a success
and find out what they're up to today.
"Are you okay? Too much excitement, huh? Want a Coke?"
Henry Thomas' role as Elliott in E.T. launched him to stardom practically overnight. While
still a child actor, Thomas starred in a number of other movies, including the 1984 adventure
film Cloak and Dagger with Dabney Coleman. Thomas made a successful transition to adult
roles in the early 1990s, and has appeared in dozens of films and television shows since
then — including Fire in the Sky, Legends of the Fall, Gangs of New York, and Without
a Trace.
In addition to his acting talents, Thomas is also a musician. One of his songs was even
used for the soundtrack of 1997's Niagara, Niagara — in which he also starred. In 2017,
Thomas appeared in Netflix's adaptation of Gerald's Game, and in a recurring role on
the FX comedy-drama Better Things. Other roles include the Netflix horror series The Haunting
of Hill House as well as a pair of projects with director Mike Flanagan: The Netflix series
Midnight Mass and The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, in which Thomas appeared as the spirit
of Jack Torrance.
"The mind is a blackboard, and this… is the eraser."
Like many girls her age, Elliott's little sister Gertie — portrayed by Drew Barrymore
— enjoys playing pretend with her dolls and watching Sesame Street, but she isn't
your typical five-year-old. Quick-witted and sarcastic, Gertie calls her mother "Mary"
and can tell when her brothers are lying to each other. Gertie helps with chores around
the house, and her mother even trusts her to stay home alone for short periods.
As a member of the famed Barrymore family of stage and screen actors, Drew Barrymore's
successful Hollywood career isn't surprising. Before E.T., she had a few minor film and
television parts, but Barrymore's performance as Gertie put her on the map, opening the
door for starring roles in movies like Firestarter.
"No! No!"
By the end of the 1980s, Barrymore was one of Hollywood's most famous child actors, and
since then, she's starred in dozens of films, including Poison Ivy, The Wedding Singer,
Boys on the Side, and the Charlie's Angels action franchise. In 2009, Barrymore directed
the roller derby drama Whip It, and she's also executive produced a number of other
movies and television shows. More recently, Barrymore produced and starred opposite Timothy
Olyphant in the Netflix dark comedy series Santa Clarita Diet. She also served as a producer
on the 2019 Charlie's Angels movie — and she's joined the ranks of actors-turned-talk-show-hosts
with the aptly titled The Drew Barrymore Show.
While the role of Tyler in E.T. may have been actor C. Thomas Howell's first real gig, it
certainly wouldn't be his last. In fact, Howell was the only one of his character's rowdy
teenage gang to continue acting into adulthood — and since his film debut in 1982, he's
appeared in more than 200 film and television roles.
You probably remember Howell as Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders, Lieutenant Chamberlain in
Gettysburg, or Officer Dudek in the TNT crime drama Southland. More recently, he appeared
in several episodes of the Showtime series Ray Donovan, as well as an arc on the long-running
crime procedural Criminal Minds, and he also starred in the shows The Terror and SEAL Team.
In addition to his acting chops, Howell has also spent some time in the director's chair.
He's directed at least seven movies thus far, including several "mockbuster" spoofs of classic
science fiction films.
Because of the movie's focus on Elliott and the other children, Elliott's mother Mary
— played by Dee Wallace — is one of only two significant adult characters in E.T. In
fact, other than Mary, we don't even see another adult's face onscreen until the final 30 minutes
of the film. After her husband goes to live with his girlfriend in Mexico, Mary struggles
to deal with the situation and her new role as a single mother, and the pressure of providing
for and raising her children alone gets even worse after Elliott starts behaving strangely
and acting out at school.
"Oh, Elliott! Don't ever do this again, Elliott!"
While she's afraid of E.T. at first, Mary's heart softens toward the alien after she sees
the incredible bond it shares with her son.
Over her four-decade Hollywood career, Dee Wallace has appeared in well over 200 films
and television shows, and is an icon among horror fans for her performances in films
like The Howling and The Hills Have Eyes. After playing Mary in E.T., Wallace starred
in the 1983 horror film Cujo as a mom trying to protect her son from a rabid St. Bernard
dog. From 1989 to 1992, she played a mother yet again in The New Lassie, and you might
also remember her from Rob Zombie's 2007 remake of the horror classic Halloween.
"No! No! You leave my baby alone!"
After a brief stint on General Hospital that earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination, Wallace
returned to horror in early 2018 when she starred in Death House alongside several other
legends of the genre — and again the following year, as part of the cast of Rob Zombie's
3 from Hell.
Along with Elliott's mother Mary, the only adult audiences get to know during E.T. is
a government agent — portrayed by Peter Coyote — who leads the team searching the
area for any sign of E.T.'s whereabouts. Known as "Keys" among E.T. fans for the keychain
he wears, Coyote's character finally meets Elliott and E.T. after the two become gravely
ill. While many scientists put in such a position might be callous or even cruel, Keys is different.
He tells Elliott about his own childhood dreams, and gives the boy a few moments alone to mourn
after E.T. appears to die. After Elliott and E.T. escape, Keys rides with Mary and Gertie
as they follow the children to the forest clearing. There, Keys is rewarded for his
kindness by getting to witness E.T. saying goodbye to his friends and leaving on the
spaceship that has returned for him.
The multi-talented Peter Coyote was still starting out as a film actor when he was cast
as Keys, and he's been going strong ever since. In fact, he's played well over 100 different
roles since E.T., including those in Bitter Moon, Sphere, A Walk to Remember, The 4400,
and Erin Brockovich. In addition to his acting career, Coyote is also a published author
who has frequently contributed to Mother Jones magazine. More recently, he starred in the
2017 miniseries The Disappearance and the movie The Etruscan Smile, alongside Thora
Birch and Rosanna Arquette.
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