This week’s new Academy Originals episode gives viewers a rare look behind-the-scenes at one of the crucial moments of the making of Steven Spielberg’s ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.
E.T. is widely regarded as a classic film for movie lovers of all ages, but without a child actor capable of pulling in audiences, everything else would be for naught. Well it turns out that casting the role of Elliot was not only incredibly important, but it was one of the “most amazing and moving audition experiences” casting director Marci Liroff has ever encountered. Liroff narrates this emotional story (damn these allergies) using archive footage from the audition process, giving all who are interested a glimpse into E.T.‘s formation and the often-hidden importance of casting.
Avoid watching this at work if you can. Spontaneous crying isn’t always looked upon reasonably.
For more inside baseball peeks at Hollywood classics, check out these and other great Academy Originals videos on their Youtube page here.
