E.T. is ‘real’: what Drew Barrymore confessed 40 years after the release of Spielberg’s iconic film

Steven Spielberg is never short of wild ideas, and the best example of that is today’s story.

Apparently the director went out of his way to make Drew Barrymore believe E.T. was real while filming. It’s been 40 years since Spielberg’s legendary sci-fi adventure arrived in theaters and warmed audiences’ hearts, grossing more than $794 million.

The film tells the story of an alien stranded on our planet who befriends a group of children who try to rescue him from the clutches of the American government and send him home to his home planet.

The cast of E.T. includes Drew Barrymore, who at the time played Gertie, Elliot and Michael’s younger sister.

Drew Barrymore on E.T., the movie of a generation

In a recently aired special episode, Barrymore reunited with her former family from E.T. Hosting Thomas, McNaughton and Dee Wallace, who played Gertie’s mother Mary in the film, she discussed the making of her most beloved movie. During the special, Barrymore revealed that some of her reactions from the film were as genuine as it gets.

In a clip posted to The Drew Barrymore Show’s official Twitter account, she said “I thought E.T. was real… I really loved it in a deep way.” Her castmates confirmed this. In fact, there are reports that the actress, who at the time was nearly 7 years old, was often caught backstage interacting with the E.T. doll.

Although she made her film debut with Altered States, E.T. remains, for the most part, one of Barrymore’s most iconic films.

Arguably, E.T. also became a hugely compelling film because Drew Barrymore believed the cute alien was real. As proof, this film remains as beloved as ever 40 years after its release.