Hollywood actor Henry Thomas, best known for his role as Elliot in the classic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, is in Tenerife this week as an honoured guest at the Canary Islands’ Isla Calavera Fantastic Film Festival.
In a light-hearted moment yesterday at a press conference held at the La Laguna Town Hall, he recreated one of cinema’s most iconic scenes. Well-known Canarian TV presenter Baby Solano challenged the actor to reenact the unforgettable BMX sequence from Steven Spielberg's 1982 masterpiece.
Thomas played his original role as Elliot, while Solano enthusiastically played the part of E.T., pretending to sit inside a basket on the handlebars of the bike with a blanket around him.
The moment delighted attendees, mixing nostalgia with humour, and showed the enduring impact of E.T., which remains a cherished classic more than four decades after its release.
Thomas will be awarded the Isla Calavera Honorary Award at a special gala on Sunday (November 17th).
Special screening of E.T.
To commemorate his visit to the island, the festival has scheduled a special screening of E.T. on Friday (November 15th) at the Multicines Tenerife, followed by a Q and A session with the actor.
Thomas's career has experienced a renaissance in recent years, most notably in his collaboration with director Mike Flanagan, in films such as Ouija: Origin of Evil (2015), Doctor Sleep (2018), and series such as The Haunting of Hill House (2018) and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023).
Henry Thomas’s visit has drawn significant local and international attention, as fans flock to celebrate his contribution to cinema and the festival’s tribute to science fiction and fantasy films.
