Drew Barrymore reveals the most adorable secret while hosting an ‘E.T.’ cast reunion

Can you believe it’s been 40 years since “E.T” premiered? Some of us have been alive a lot longer than that, some of us haven’t even made it to 40 yet, but one thing’s for sure: we all know and love that classic film because it’s a staple of our childhoods. So the fact that Drew Barrymore had the “E.T.” cast on her show for the anniversary (premiering today, on Halloween, no less) is just fantastic.

Also, Barrymore reveals the most adorable memory she has from filming—and the “secret” that helped her perform her role as Gertie so well. During the “E.T.” reunion, she said she thought the alien was real. The entire time. Even when the camera was off.

The “E.T.” reunion, featuring Gertie’s brothers, Elliot himself (Henry Thomas), Robert MacNaughton and “mom” Dee Wallace, is incredibly sweet. Especially when the cast describes the great lengths they all were willing to go to—director Steven Spielberg included—for Barrymore.

In the clip above, she said she suspected “E.T.” was real, and the three cast members agreed.

Related: Drew Barrymore says her dysfunctional childhood made her a better mom

“Now I believed E.T. was real,” Barrymore said. “I really loved him in such a profound way. Is it like true that … what would happen?” she then asked her castmates, recalling, “Because I would go and take lunch to him.”

Wallace confirmed that Spielberg basically hired two guys on-set to “keep E.T. alive” for her so she would continue to engage with the creature on-camera and off, and well, because she was so darn cute and everyone thought her friendship with the little alien was super cute.

“We found you over there just talking away to E.T. and so we let director Steven know,” she explained. “And so Steven, from that time on, appointed two guys to keep E.T. alive so whenever you came over to talk to him, he could react to you.”

Barrymore, who was only 7 when she filmed the movie, is inarguably one of the best parts of the whole movie. Thomas agrees, remembering that Barrymore asked “the wardrobe lady” if she could have a scarf for E.T.’s neck “because he was gonna get cold.”

Related: Drew Barrymore wants you to know she does not ‘hate sex,’ thank you very much

Barrymore said that Spielberg also recently pointed out to her that her own daughters are around the same age she was when she was filming the epic movie.

“So he’s like, ‘We’re not missing this moment with your kids,'” she told PEOPLE earlier this year. “I’m like, ‘Okay. You’re right. We can’t. You’re right.’ This is very emotional and full circle. My kids are very close to the age that I was when ‘E.T.’ came out. Frankie actually is at the age. She is 7, and she will just be turning 8, and Olive is 9. She’ll be turning 10. This is where I’m at, and they love Steven.”

You can watch the “E.T.” cast reunion on today’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, and learn more behind-the-scenes info while scratching your nostalgia itch.