Henry Thomas audition for E.T made Stephen Spieberg cry

ESQ: And you made Spielberg cry in your audition?

HT: Yes. I made everyone cry, and then I got the job.

ESQ: What exactly were you doing?

HT: I read a scene from some early version of the script, and then I was asked to do an improvisation. I think the gist of the improv was, "You found someone, and they're going to take them away from you, and it's your friend, and you really don't want your friend to go away." So I started crying, and really going for it I guess.