E.T. was the real star in 1982’s blockbuster film. The Extra-Terrestrial met up with Steven Spielberg’s cast on Thursday.
Matthew De Merrit is one of three actors that spent time inside E.T. suit, attended LA’s The Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Festival for a very special 40th Anniversary screening.
Matthew, a boy who was born without legs, was 11 when E.T. invited him to star in one of its most memorable scenes.
On the red carpet: The real star of 1982 blockbuster movie E.T. Matthew De Merritt was reunited at Thursday’s 40th Anniversary screening with his stars and Steven Spielberg.
Matthew was seen on his skateboard, which he used to move around the screening. He also mingled and mingled among Spielberg’s cast members (Mary Taylor), K.C. Martel (Greg), Robert MacNaughton(Michael Taylor).
Matthew played E.T. from inside the 4ft rubber suit, which he dubbed ‘an old sausage skin,’ and which was also inhabited for various scenes by two people with dwarfism – ‘Little Pat’ Bilon and Tamara De Treaux.
Although he has kept his name largely secret for the past 40 years, he gave an interview to The Mirror magazine in 2002 about the 20th anniversary of the release. He explained how he was able to land the role.
Matthew revealed how he was undergoing physical therapy at UCLA medical centre at the time, when Universal Studios got in touch with his doctors, keen to find people to fit inside the rubber suit which was used on set along with various sized models.
Teamwork: Matthew De Merrit, one of the three actors who spent time inside the actual E.T. suit, along with ‘Little Pat’ Bilon and Tamara De Treaux (pictured on set in 1982)
Alien: Matthew (11 years old) revealed that Spielberg had filmed him walking on his hands during an audition
Film role: He shared that he was in physical therapy at UCLA at the time. Universal Studios reached out to his doctors to get them to make sure they had the right people for the rubber suit.
He explained that there was an appointment and they measured me and filmed my walking.
“I have no idea what the thought process was when I was taken down there. It was the first time I ever demonstrated that I could walk with my hands to anyone. I also don’t understand how people could believe I could fit in a costume, walk about and act like an alien. However it did work out.
Matthew was cast along with ‘Little Pat’ Bilon and Tamara De Treaux, but he landed one of the movie’s most iconic scenes thanks to his ability to walk on his hands.
Icon: Matthew has kept his identity largely untouched for 40 years. He went on, after his one major role in the movie, to teach English at college.
Star in the Making: He later stated that he didn’t know how anyone could imagine him fitting into a costume to walk around looking like an alien. But it worked out this way.
Hot and awkward: Matthew played E.T. Matthew played E.T. from within the rubber suit (4ft), which he called “an old sausage skin” and was pictured together with Henry Thomas (who played Elliot).
Barely a mention: The film credited Matthew as ‘Special E.T. Movement, and was his sole major role on the big screen.
I was asked by Spielberg to play all the parts where E.T. I fell or walked in awkward ways. Matthew explained that the awkward way I walked was different from Pat and Tamara’s because I was on my feet.
He said that E.T. would use him in any scene they thought was appropriate. They would use me in any scene where they wanted E.T. to collapse, including that famous sequence when the alien drinks beer.
‘Spielberg wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get hurt,’ he said of filming the beer scene.
“He suggested that you might just be able to walk right into the cabinet, and then just sorta drop on your stomach and get back up. Then you can turn around and have the final fall on top of you.”
Expert: Matthew landed one of the movie’s most iconic scenes thanks to his ability to walk on his hands, explaining that ‘any scene where they wanted E.T. Expert: Matthew landed one of the movie’s most iconic scenes thanks to his ability to walk on his hands. He explained that if they wanted E.T., they would use him, including the famous sequence in which the alien drinks beer.
Stars: Robert Macnaughton, Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote are pictured on the film’s 20th anniversary in 2002
It was a team effort. Matthew and others contributed their expertise to bring this extra-terrestrial life to the screen. Pat Welsh, the beloved alien, voiced her voice. She smoked two packs of cigarettes per day and gave it its distinctive raspy sound.
Matthew was the film’s ‘Special Electronic.T. Matthew was credited as ‘Special E.T.
In later years, he was seen in some sci-fil movies that were straight to video. Later on, he also continued his education by teaching English and playing wheelchair basketball.
Matthew kept in touch with Henry Thomas who was Elliot and Robert MacNaughton who were Elliots elder brother Michael for a short time, but things fell apart over the years.
Matthew was not the only one who contributed his talents to bringing this extra-terrestrial character to life.
Reunited: E.T. Spielberg and stars such as Dee Wallace, Mary Taylor’s mother, reunited at E.T.
Pat Welsh, an actor who replaced Debra Winger as the actress who voiced the alien in her beloved role, sung the lines of Spielberg’s rough cut.
Welsh used to smoke two cigarettes per day. This gave her her distinctive raspy voice.
E.T. was also created by 16 additional people and different animals.E.T.’s voice was also recorded by Spielberg, Ben Burtt, the sound effects creator, and his sleeping wife, who had a bad cold.
Matthew was also close to Caprice Rothe. Caprice made and performed E.T.’s hands.’s close-ups.
E.T. The film was immediately a smash hit, and remained at the top for the first six weeks.
The film grossed an unprecedented $359 million in North America, and $619 millions worldwide. This record would remain for eleven years, until Jurassic Park, another blockbuster by Steven Spielberg, broke it.
Older: Robert MacNaughton (right), who played Michael, Elliot and Gertie’s older brother, was also in attendance but Henry Thomas, who played Elliot was missing
Brother: Robert retired from acting in 2002 but returned to screen work in 2013