See The Emotional Audition That Landed Henry Thomas His Breakout Role In E.T.

Even after more than four decades, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" remains one of Steven Spielberg's most beloved movies. It made a star out of Drew Barrymore, then a little-known six-year-old, and sent sales of Reese's Pieces skyrocketing. (Spielberg originally wanted to use M&Ms in the film, but the company refused to grant permission to feature their candy without seeing the script.) However, "E.T." would never have become a classic if not for the talents of Henry Thomas. At just 10 years old, he made the world believe that a big-eyed animatronic puppet was his best friend from another planet. 

Looking at Thomas' audition for the film, it's easy to see why he was chosen for the part. The clip, widely circulated online on X, shows the young actor reacting to an offscreen adult telling him that the government needs to take away his friend. Thomas' voice chokes and tears roll down his cheeks as he protests, "You can't take him away! ... I don't care what the President says — he's my best friend! ... He lives with me, and he likes me, and he wants to stay here! How do I know you're going to bring him back?" Even after the "agent" promises they'll only talk to E.T. for a short time, Thomas still maintains a doubtful look even as he nods in agreement. The clip concludes with Spielberg saying, "Okay, kid, you got the job." The boy's tears instantly turn into a huge smile. 

Henry Thomas' astonishing audition to play Elliott in E.T. At the end Spielberg says, "okay, kid, you got the job." pic.twitter.com/5GDLOtLfqs

— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) May 12, 2026

Casting director Marci Liroff confirms that Thomas wowed everyone. "I know, because I cast this movie with Mike Fenton," she tweeted. "You'll hear my laugh at the end! Simply the best audition I've ever had the opportunity to witness."

Watching Henry Thomas' tryout for "E.T.," it's easy to see why Steven Spielberg wanted to cast him right then and there. The portion that's charming the internet isn't the full story, though. Thomas explained to The Hollywood Reporter's "It Happened in Hollywood" podcast in 2026 that his tearful performance was only the final few minutes of the complete audition. "I felt like I had lost the part the minute that I opened my mouth and uttered the first line on the page," he explained. "And so when you see the audition tape that exists, at the very beginning, if you look at my face, I'm looking down and I look really sad and defeated." 

Then the iconic director tried another strategy: Putting aside the script, Spielberg told Thomas to improvise a reaction to losing his best friend. Using the "sense memory" acting technique, the boy dug into the heart-wrenching memory of seeing his dog being killed. The tears naturally flowed, and so did Spielberg's. It was clear Thomas was meant to play Elliott. 

Although his co-star Drew Barrymore had a tragic life before finally finding her footing, Thomas is one of the rare child actors who has found normalcy despite his career. He's worked fairly steadily in various TV series and movies; his post-"E.T." credits include "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Haunting of Bly Manor," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Thomas told the podcast, "There were periods where things were great and periods where it felt like you couldn't get arrested. You realize eventually it's all cyclical ... You just keep showing up."