'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (2024)

With a sweeping score from John Williams and bikes that could fly — thanks to a pumpkin-headed alien who just wanted to "phone home" —Steven Spielberg'sE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialwas an instant box office success upon its 1982 release, surpassingStar Warsto hold the top spot as the highest grossing movie for over a decade.

The film centers around a lost alien and a 10-year-old boy, Elliott (Henry Thomas), who takes him in. As authorities try to track and capture theextra-terrestrial interloper, the newfound friends form a symbiotic connection, with their well-being hinged on each other. Love and friendship ultimately save the day while audiences around the world were left in tears.

Elliott is a middle sibling, and his older brother has a friend group, which meant the cast was comprised of young actors such asDrew Barrymore, who have since stayed in the public eye or purposefully walked away from it (K.C. Martel), as well as adults with extensive careers still ahead of them (Peter Coyote).

See what the cast ofE.T.has been up to since the supernatural movie premiered.

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Drew Barrymore as Gertie

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (1)

Only 7 years old at the time of filming, E.T. catapulted a young Barrymore — a.k.a. Gertie — to superstardom. Following the release, Barrymore began a fruitful career in Hollywood, starting with 1984's Firestarter. Barrymore also starred in Poison Ivy (1992), The Wedding Singer (1998), Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), Charlie's Angels (2000), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), 50 First Dates (2004) and Music and Lyrics (2007).

Her performance in the 2009 HBO biographical film Grey Gardens earned her an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe win for best actress. That same year Barrymore made her directorial debut in the sports dramedy Whip It.

Barrymore launched her own daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, in September 2020 on CBS. In January 2023, the network announced its renewal through 2024, as reported by Variety.

Although the star took a hiatus from acting in 2021, she remains hard at work in other professional endeavors. Later that year, Barrymore released her first cookbook Rebel Homemaker alongside chef Pilar Valdes and a new lifestyle magazine called Drew Magazine. She's continued to expand her lifestyle brand, launching Flower Beauty and Flower Home and furthering her partnership with Walmart for her Beautiful cookware line.

Barrymore has two daughters, Olive and Frankie, whom she shares with ex-husband Will Kopelman. The pair finalized their divorce in August 2016 after four years of marriage. Though she hasn't publicly revealed any names, Barrymore told Whoopi Goldberg in December 2022 that she's dating again.

02of 07

Henry Thomas as Elliott

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (2)

Thomas was just 10 years old when he took on the lead role of Elliott, for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination. E.T. was his third film. The movie's success sparked a lengthy career on the big screen, including Legends of the Fall (1994), Gangs of New York (2002), 11:14 (2003), Dear John (2010), To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021) and Crawlspace (2002). Thomas earned another Golden Globe nomination in 1996 for his role in the 1995 HBO film Indictment: The McMartin Trial.

He has also appeared on series such as Betrayal, The Haunting of Hill House, Stargirl, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Thomas played in many unsigned bands and independently released several albums.

Thomas was also arrested in Oregon in October 2019 on suspicion of DUI. He was booked for misdemeanor driving under the influence of intoxicants. Thomas was reportedly asleep at the wheel, forcing the Tualatin Police Department to wake him up, according to TMZ at the time.

The actor has three children: daughter Hazel from his previous marriage to Marie Zielcke and two kids with his wife Annalee Fery, whom he wed in 2009.

03of 07

C. Thomas Howell as Tyler

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (3)

Like several of his costars, then 13-year-old C. Thomas Howell got his start in E.T. and went on to star in The Outsiders (1983) and Gettysburg (1993), as well as on shows like The Walking Dead and Criminal Minds.

Howell has also appeared in a few superhero movies, including The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013).

The actor has three children, Dashiell, Isabelle and Liam, with his ex-wife, Sylvie Anderson.

04of 07

K.C. Martel as Greg

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (4)

K.C. Martel already had several television credits before joining E.T. in the role of Greg. After the film's release, the actor continued his work on the small screen, most notably on Growing Pains, his final Hollywood project.

Martel has since retired from acting and now works in wealth management. The former actor is married with two children.

05of 07

Robert MacNaughton as Michael

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (5)

In E.T., Robert MacNaughton starred as Elliott and Gertie's big brother Michael. MacNaughton also formed a close bond with costar Thomas, revealing to Yahoo Movies in 2017 how he and Thomas would play Dungeons & Dragons on set. Spielberg, he recalled, asked to join them.

Although MacNaughton seemingly retired from acting in the late 1980s, he appeared in 2015's Frankenstein vs. The Mummy and Laugh Killer Laugh, costarring wife Bianca Hunter. The couple has a son named Noah.

06of 07

Peter Coyote as Keys

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (6)

Peter Coyote found his first mainstream role as Keys in E.T. and has since become an award-winning household name. Some of Coyote's notable film credits include Jagged Edge (1985), Patch Adams (1998), Femme Fatale (2002) and A Walk to Remember (2002). He has been nominated two times for an Emmy, winning in 2015 for narrating an episode of the Ken Burns' documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History. The actor is known for his other voice work at the Academy Awards and Olympic Winter Games.

Coyote is a lifelong political activist and has worked to promote countercultural ideals and anti-consumerism. He has two children from previous relationships.

07of 07

Dee Wallace as Mary

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (7)

Dee Wallace already had a busy career on TV before joining the cast of E.T., where she played Gertie and Elliott's mother, Mary. After the film's release, she starred in the horror films Cujo (1983) and The Frighteners (1996). She also appeared on The New Lassie, Sons & Daughters, General Hospital and Just Add Magic, among dozens of other projects.

Wallace has authored several self-help books and delivered a TED talk in 2019.

She has one daughter, Gabriel, with her late husband, Christopher Stone.

'E.T.' Cast: Where Are They Now? (2024)

FAQs

What is Elliot from E.T. doing now? ›

Henry Thomas (Elliott Taylor)

While he's no longer embarking on moonlit bike flights, the Texan is still acting. Following his role as the boy who befriended the alien, Thomas appeared in Murder One (1988) and Legends of the Fall (1994).

Does Robert MacNaughton still act? ›

MacNaughton retired from acting in 2002.

What happened to the original E.T. puppet? ›

E.T. has a new home. The original mechatronic model of the little alien from Steven Spielberg's 1982 sci-fi classic “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” sold over the weekend for a staggering $2.56 million, according to the auction organizers. The model was created by Carlo Rambaldi in 1981.

What town was E.T. filmed in? ›

E.T. was filmed in Crescent City, Los Angeles, Porter Ranch, and Fort Dick, California. Elliot's house was located at 7121 Lonzo Street, Tujunga, Los Angeles, California. Redwood National Park. Photo by Michael Bryant on Unsplash.

Is Drew Barrymore a millionaire? ›

Drew Barrymore has a net worth of $125 million.

As an illustration, consider the $250,000 she received for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind or the $500,000 she reportedly received for Donnie Darko.

What happened to Robert MacNaughton? ›

After largely leaving the entertainment industry, he found employment with the U.S. Postal Service. MacNaughton can thank his E.T. co-star Barrymore for his marriage to actress Bianca Hunter, who he's been wed to since 2012. "We met back in 1985.

Who is Drew Barrymore's grandfather? ›

Drew Barrymore's Paternal Grandparents, John Barrymore and Dolores Costello. Georgiana and Maurice had three children, including Drew's paternal grandfather, John Barrymore, who earned high acclaim as a Shakespearean actor in the 1920s.

Why did E.T. get sick? ›

E.T.'s people are a race of empaths. The farther away from each other they are, the sicker they get, because their bonds are weakening. He'd been away from them for some time, and their apparently not receiving his "phone home" only made him reach the despair event horizon that much faster.

Was E.T. a puppet or CGI? ›

the Extra-Terrestrial. Most of the full-body puppetry was performed by a 2'10" tall stuntman, but the scenes in the kitchen were done using a 12-year-old boy who was born without legs but was an expert on walking on his hands.

Is Henry Thomas currently married? ›

Thomas also has two children with his current wife Annalee, and in 2014 moved to Wilsonville, Oregon.

How rich is Henry Thomas? ›

News: Henry Thomas, the renowned American actor born on September 9, 1971, boasts a net worth of $1.5 million. With a thriving career in the entertainment industry, Thomas has achieved significant financial success.

Where does Elliot from E.T. live? ›

E.T. finds a temporary home with young Elliot at 7121 Lonzo Street in Tujunga, a residence still used today. This house had just recently completed construction in 1980 when filming began in September of 1981.

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