26 January 2025
Steven Spielberg wanted to become a father after working with Drew Barrymore.
Steven Spielberg wanted to become a father after working with Drew Barrymore
The 78-year-old moviemaker - who has Max, 39, with Amy Irving, as well as Theo, 36, Sasha, 34, Sawyer, 32, Mikaela, 28, and Destry with wife Kate Capshaw - directed Drew, 49, in the 1982 film 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' and recalled that the then-child star had inspired him to have his own children.
Speaking at the TCM Classic Film Festival in New York City, Drew said: "I think 'E.T'., for me, is the one I'm the most proud of. It changed my life. There's no question about that. Everything in my life is about how I got believed in by one human being, and that is the life that I try to honor every day."
Steven replied: "It changed my life also. Up until that point — ’81, ’82 — I was just making movies. That was my life. I was obsessed with telling stories, but making E.T. made me want to be a father for the first time. I never even thought about that until 'E.T'."
When the 'Never Been Kissed' star asked the Oscar-winning director if her presence on set didn't "ruin" the idea of fatherhood for him, he reassured her that it was "quite the opposite" in fact.
Drew joked: "Thank goodness, my job is done."
Steven added that all of his children have now seen the classic film, although he has not shown it to all of his grandchildren because they are "sill too young" at the moment.
He said: "I have seven kids and six grandkids. I've shown the film to all my kids and a couple of my grandkids. Some of them are still too young, because I'm always worried about them being worried about 'E.T'. and I want to let them know before they turn the corner and are surprised by something, what to expect."
English (US) ·