Steven Spielberg Reveals Directing 6-Year-Old Drew Barrymore in ET Sparked His Desire for Fatherhood

As an ardent admirer looking back at my childhood heroics, let me share a fascinating tidbit: I was Drew Barrymore, the one who sparked a life-changing thought in the legendary Steven Spielberg. In his latest confession, he disclosed that directing a six-year-old version of me on the set of E.T. in the ’80s ignited within him the contemplation of parenthood for the very first time. Quite an honor to have played such a significant role in shaping one’s life, wouldn’t you agree?

This past Saturday, the 24th of January, I had the privilege of conversing with an esteemed individual about our potential collaboration on the 1982 classic film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Our discussion unfolded during a panel discussion led by Dave Karger at the TCM Classic Film Festival held at 92nd Street Y in New York City.

Barrymore expressed, “E.T., to me, is the project I’m most proud of because it was the one that transformed my life.

The actress, aged 49, remarked, “Without a doubt, everything in my life revolves around the faith one person had in me. That’s the life I strive to uphold each day.

Spielberg, 78, added that the film changed his life too.

Until 1981 and 1982, his world revolved around filmmaking. That’s what he did. He was captivated by storytelling, but making E.T. sparked within him the desire to become a father for the first time. A thought of fatherhood had never crossed his mind until E.T. came along.

Barrymore joked, “I didn’t ruin that for you?” to which Spielberg replied, “The opposite.”

Previously in our discussion, Spielberg confessed that he’s seen the sci-fi movie he directed more times than any other, largely because he’s screened it for each of his children.

Spielberg now has seven children ranging in age from 28 to 48.

He mentioned at the gathering that he has seven children and six grandchildren. He’s shared the movie with all of his kids, and a few of his grandkids as well. Some of them are still quite young, so he tries to prepare them before they reach an age where they might be scared by E.T., as he wants them to understand what to expect if they encounter something unexpected in the film.

The movie, for those who may not know, is inspired by Spielberg’s parents’ divorce.

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2025-01-27 11:10