Henry Thomas: End of 'E.T.' still ‘chokes me up’

>>> back now at 8:22 with one of my favorite movies, "e.t., the extra terrestrial " hit theaters in 1982 and became the fourth most successful movie of all time. it's the story of an ailated little boy who finds and befriends a lost alien.

>> you should give him his dignity. this is the most ridiculous thing i've ever seen.

>> phone.

>> phone.

>> he said phone.

>> he said phone!

>> e.t. phone home .

>> e.t. phone home .

>> e.t. phone home .

>> well, now, e.t. has been digitally remastered. it's available in a special 30th anniversary blu-ray dd. henry thomas , as you know, played elliot. good morning.

>> good morning. thanks for having me.

>> can you believe it's been 30 years?

>> no, i can't, and i -- i would never have imagined that 3 years ago, you know, i would be talking about it today.

>> well, my 9-year-old self is so thrilled to be sitting with you. i can't watch the end without crying. can you?

>> it chokes me up, i admit. i'm caught on film being choked up for the rest of my life, so --

>> you had to go through an audition, of course, to get this role. how did you get the part? there must have been so many boys lined up to get it.

>> you know, it was interesting. the first film that i did was a universal film, and the editing bays were next door to each other, so steven spielberg knew about me, and universal brought me out to meet him and, of course, hi seen " raiders of the lost ark " and came to the meeting with a bull whip on myself, and i just wanted to talk about harrison ford and indiana jones , and he said i want you to come in tomorrow and i want you to read for me. i go in and i read a scene and i did an improv, and you can actually find my audition on youtube and watch it, and it's the improv that got me the -- the part. it's the only part in my career that i knew i had before i left the audition room because you can hear it on -- on the audition. i finished my -- my scene, and they are in tears and i'm in tears, and i said -- steven says, kid, you've got the job. i keep waiting for that to happen again.

>> well, it was, of course, a high point. drew barrymore , just talking about it, was so darn cute.

>> i know.

>> and as i understand it, she kind of believed e.t. was real. i mean, she was at that age.

>> yeah. she was around 7, and the veil hadn't quite been lifted yet, so she was really worried about him all the time. why doesn't he eat lunch with us? what's he doing? he's cold, you know, would wrap a scarf around his neck. yeah, she was super cute.

>> what's it been like to be part of a movie that isn't just a successful movie? it is a cultural phenomenon .

>> well, it's strange because, you know, you -- you go off for a couple of months as a 9-year-old, and you make this film, and then it takes on a totally different life of its own afterwards, and, you know, everyone has such fond memories of it, and you just feel a responsibility towards, it i think.

>> well, henry thomas , we loved you then, and we love you now. so great to have you here. and, again, the 30th anniversary of blu-ray