Steven Spielberg went the extra mile to keep E.T. 'alive' on set for Drew Barrymore

[1]( [Steven Spielberg went the extra mile to keep E.T. 'alive' on set for Drew Barrymore]( It's understandable that a young child seeing a movie like "E.T." might think the wide-eyed creature from another planet is real. After all, it's an award-winning film with still-impressive animatronics that bring E.T. to life. One would probably assume, however, that a child who acted in the movie and saw the behind-the-scenes filmmaking process firsthand would know he wasn't real. However, that wasn't the case for actress Drew Barrymore. Barrymore played the main character's younger sister, Gertie, in the film. After an initial scare, Gertie adored E.T.—and as it turns out, so did 7-year-old Barrymore. Barrymore recently had some of the cast members on her daytime talk show for the film's 40th anniversary and they described how she would interact with the E.T. character, even in-between takes. Henry Thomas, who played the main character Elliott, shared that it had been cold on the set one day and Barrymore asked the wardrobe lady for a scarf to put on E.T. so he wouldn't get cold. [Read the story]( [2]( [Barack Obama had a funny response to a woman who said he's 'still fine' at a campaign rally]( Former president Barack Obama reminded everyone of his off-the-cuff sense of humor at a campaign rally for Democratic voters in Detroit on Saturday, October 29. Nearly six years after leaving the White House, the 61-year-old lamented that it was more challenging for him to be out on the campaign trail than it used to be. “I have to admit that sometimes going out on the campaign trail feels a little harder than it used to,” the 44th president [said to the crowd.]( “Not just because I’m older and grayer…” A woman behind Obama responded by screaming that he’s still “finer than a mug,” using what sounds like a euphemism for a much stronger phrase. Although, she may have used the whole term. The funny thing is that after she made the bold proclamation, she had no interest in backing down. She stayed strong, nodding affirmatively and twirling her finger in the air as Obama laughed on the stage. [Read the story]( Did a friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( [3]( [Martin Luther King Jr. paid for Julia Roberts' first major role: Her birth!]( When most people think of Julia Roberts, they think of "Pretty Woman" or "Ocean's Eleven" or one of the other plethora of films she's acted in. Most people don't see her signature red hair and broad smile and immediately think of a civil rights icon. But there's a connection that Gayle King encouraged Roberts to share during a recent interview. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King paid for the birth of the megacelebrity when her parents were in a bind with medical bills. The story is obviously more nuanced than the Kings ponying up $300 or whatever the price was to deliver babies back then. Roberts explained to Gayle King that her parents became acquainted with the Kings after Coretta Scott King asked if her children could attend the acting school Roberts' parents owned. The two couples became good friends after that, and thanks to a fateful phone call, Roberts was welcomed into this world carrying a little bit of unknown history with her. [Read the story]( [4]( [One-minute PSA perfectly captures why compassion is more helpful than 'good vibes' thinking]( Spend just two minutes scrolling through whatever platform of social media is your poison, and you’ll notice a prevailing theme. Sure, it might be said in different words, “keep a positive mindset,” “good vibes only,” “attract the life you want,” but the message remains the same—those difficult, painful feelings you might be experiencing shouldn’t exist. Where these uplifting quotes might be well-intentioned, they can be unhelpful for those who are struggling—particularly for those dealing with mental health issues. It can already feel hard to quantify and express what’s really going on, and many have the added obstacle of being without a safe space to talk to anyone, making a person feel further isolated. A PSA video posted to YouTube perfectly captures the lonely reality that many face when dealing with a mental illness and a culture of what’s commonly known as “toxic positivity." The video focuses on teens, primarily teens of color, who became a higher risk for mental health issues in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. These young people are met with less-than-helpful messages from friends and family like “It’s all in your head,” “Think happier thoughts,” “I don’t know why you're so sad, you’ve got a roof over your head” and the (sadly) ever-popular “Men don’t cry in this house.” [Read the story]( [5]( [Kid's off-the-cuff remarks about the joy of imagination is a pure shot of inspiration]( Kids are truly the best philosophers, and anyone who's taken the time to sit down and have a conversation with a child knows that they can surprise you sometimes with their insights. The folks at Recess Therapy know this to be true, which is why people follow them to see interviews with kids on various topics. Sometimes they're hilarious, sometimes they're surprising, but they are pretty much always endearing and adorable. Take, for instance, this kid who waxed rhapsodic about the importance of imagination in a way that would make Mister Rogers proud. In a video shared on Instagram and TikTok, Recess Therapy interviewed a kiddo who says he wants to be an engineer, but who might just turn out to be a motivational speaker. Like, someone needs to get this sweetheart on a TED Talk, immediately. [Read the story]( Find us on the World Wide Web: [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2022 GOOD | Upworthy, All rights reserved. 1370 N St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028 You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.