Long before she became a well-known face in Hollywood, Drew Barrymore pulled off one bold move that changed her life forever. At just six years old, she lied her way into an audition with the legendary Steven Spielberg and landed one of the most iconic roles in movie history.
That’s right – that lie helped her become the heart of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a movie that would go on to make over $797 million and define a generation. Here’s how Barrymore’s imagination won over one of cinema’s greatest directors.
A six-year-old Drew Barrymore lied her way into E.T. and made movie history
Before she became one of Hollywood’s most famous stars, Drew Barrymore pulled off a bold move that would change her life forever – and it all started with a lie. At just six years old, she auditioned for director Steven Spielberg with hopes of landing a role in Poltergeist.
But instead of sticking to the truth, young Barrymore let her imagination take over. That’s right, as per Entertainment Tonight she told Spielberg that she wasn’t just a child actor; in fact, she was also the drummer in a punk rock band called “The Purple People Eaters,” wore face paint to perform, and had just played to a crowd of thousands the night before. She added:
I lied my face off. I told him I was in a rock ‘n roll band. I was a drummer, of course, because drummers are the coolest, and that I was a cook.
It wasn’t true, of course, but it was the kind of fearless storytelling Spielberg admired. Though she didn’t get the Poltergeist role, the director was impressed with her. So, he told her she wasn’t right for the movie but invited her to audition for something else he was working on. That something else turned out to be E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Following that, Barrymore was cast as Gertie, the youngest sibling in the heartwarming sci-fi story that would go on to earn over $797 million globally (via The Numbers). Not only that, but the movie also became one of the most beloved films of all time. Barrymore’s performance became one of the best parts of the movie.
Looking back, that playful lie didn’t just win her a role – it launched her Hollywood career. Her story perfectly proves that sometimes all it takes is a wild idea, a little courage, and the right person to believe in you, even if it starts with a fib. And for Drew Barrymore, it was the beginning of a career that started with the most unexpected twist.
Steven Spielberg was the father figure Drew Barrymore needed on the set of E.T.
Back in 1982, six-year-old Barrymore was stealing hearts on the set of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. But while she was becoming a star, her real life behind the scenes was far from easy. The actress saw Steven Spielberg as more than just a director – she saw him as a father figure.
In fact, she even asked him if he could be her dad. While the director deeply cared for her, he had to gently say no, but later agreed to be her godfather as per Variety.
At the time, Barrymore’s own father, John Drew Barrymore, was dealing with addiction and had left the family. So, the director tried his best to protect her innocence while filming. He made sure she believed E.T. was real, and when she saw the puppeteers behind the alien, Spielberg told her E.T. just had a lot of helpers. He even had people operate the alien during lunch breaks so E.T. could eat with her.
Barrymore would often stay with Spielberg on weekends. He once gifted her a kitten she named Gertie – just like her character. Still, the iconic director noticed that she was living far beyond her years. He saw that she was missing out on a real childhood. But all he could do was care for her the best he could.
You can currently rent E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in the USA on Apple TV.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
