Kid from ET reveals 'devastating' impact iconic movie had on his life

Henry Thomas, etched in the hearts of countless as the endearing boy cycling across the moonlit sky in 's timeless gem E.T., soared to stardom at a mere 10 years old.

For legions of admirers, Henry Thomas will forever be remembered as the tender-hearted youngster pedalling his way into cinematic history alongside an in the 1982 classic.

Yet, this landmark performance in the film was more than a mere stepping stone to Hollywood; it became a defining moment that overshadowed his subsequent life, rendering his childhood anything but ordinary, reports the .

Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, where he was born in 1971, Henry stepped onto the set of E. T. with modest acting credentials, having only one prior movie under his belt - in stark contrast to his co-star Drew Barrymore who had already established herself as a budding starlet. Nevertheless, it was Henry's extraordinary audition that secured his part in cinema history.

A casting tape now public shows the director prompting Henry, leading to an impromptu display of raw emotion and authentic tears as he pleads, "You can't take him away, he's mine, I don't care what the president says, he's my best friend and you can't take him away."

His impassioned plea moved not only those present but also prompted Steven Spielberg himself to confirm on the spot, "OK kid, you got the job."

The movie rocketed to enormous success, securing its spot as one of the decade's top moneymakers, smashing box office milestones, and grabbing nine nods.

This whirlwind of recognition transformed Henry's life overnight-he was no longer only Henry but also the iconic Elliot.

Still youthful, Henry had a scant grasp of stardom as he embarked on the role.

Talking to The Guardian, Henry said: "It was a total unexpected side-effect of doing this fun thing I had wanted to do.

"I had no clue that my life would change in any way. I worked on this movie, then I'm back on the farm, I'm back at school - but now people are pointing at me in the street."

Hailing from an unassuming background, his family found themselves ill-prepared for their newfound attention.

Henry said: "My whole family wasn't really well equipped to deal with anything like that. And other than a few precautions, we didn't change our lives that much.

"Consequently, we got a lot of weird visitors to our residence and things like that, phone calls. We had to call the authorities a few times."

Post-E. T., Henry has maintained his presence in Tinseltown, featuring in acclaimed films such as Legends of the Fall, Gangs of New York and Suicide Kings.

Yet it's his latest projects that have gained impressive traction-introducing him to swathes of new admirers unaware of his E.T. legacy.

The actor formed a professional bond with director Mike Flanagan, renowned for his spine-chilling films like The Shining sequel Dr Sleep, Gerald's Game and Ouija: Origin of Evil - all featuring Henry in their casts.