Henry Thomas
Henry Jackson Thomas Jr. is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his breakout role as Elliott in Steven Spielberg's film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and his more recent role in The Haunting of Hill House.
Early life
Thomas was born in San Antonio, Texas. His mother, Carolyn L., is a homemaker and his father, Henry Jackson Thomas Sr., is a hydraulic machinist. He attended East Central High School and Blinn College.Career
Acting
Thomas struggled with the popularity he gained in the months following the release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. In November 2019, Thomas reprised his role as Elliott for an Xfinity & Sky UK commercial, in which E.T. returns to visit a now-adult Elliott and his family for the holidays.Music
Thomas wrote songs and played guitar for a San Antonio band, The Blue Heelers, in the 1990s. Although the band was not signed to a record label, it self-produced an album, Twister. Thomas continued to write and record songs. In 1998, his song "Truckstop Coffee" appeared on V2's soundtrack for Niagara, Niagara. In 2003, Thomas and Nikki Sudden collaborated on the music for Mika Kaurismäki's film Honey Baby, which featured four original songs written and performed by Thomas as the fictional musician Tom Brackett. An album was in the works, but Sudden died unexpectedly in 2006.Personal life
Thomas married actress Marie Zielcke on May 10, 2004. They had a daughter, Hazel. The couple were divorced in 2007. Thomas also has two children with his current wife Annalee, and in 2014 moved to Wilsonville, Oregon.On October 21, 2019, Thomas was arrested and charged with DUII in Tualatin, Oregon, and pleaded no contest on November 18, 2019. He was ordered to participate in a year long diversion program and install a breathalyzer in his car.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | ' | Young Norman Bates | Television film |
| 1992 | A Taste for Killing | Cary Sloan | Television film |
| 1995 | ' | Ray Buckey | Television film |
| 1996 | Riders of the Purple Sage | Bern Venters | Television film |
| 1998 | Moby Dick | Ishmael | Miniseries |
| 1999 | Happy Face Murders | Dylan McCarthy | Television film |
| 2005 | Masters of Horror | Jamie | Episode: "Chocolate" |
| 2006 | Stephen King's Desperation | Peter Jackson | Television film |
| 2006 | ' | Robert Fornoy | Episode: "The End of the Whole Mess" |
| 2007–08 | Without a Trace | Franklin Romar | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | ' | Jeremy Kent | Episode: "If I Had a Hammer" |
| 2011 | The Mentalist | Thomas Lisbon | Episode: "Where in the World is Carmine O'Brien?" |
| 2013–14 | Betrayal | T.J. Karsten | 13 episodes |
| 2015 | Sons of Liberty | John Adams | Miniseries |
| 2016 | ' | Sean Roberts | Episode: "Making a Rapist" |
| 2017 | Better Things | Robin | 4 episodes |
| 2018–present | The Haunting of Hill House | Young Hugh Crain TBA | Series regular, first and second season |
| 2018 | Girl in the Bunker | Vinson Filyaw | Television film |
| 2020 | ' | Dr. Justin Brock | Episode: "Dopesick" |
| 2020 | Stargirl | Charles McNider / Doctor Mid-Nite, Voice of Chuck | Recurring role |
Accolades
Other honors
- VH1's "100 Greatest Kid Stars"
- 2005, ranked #4, E!'s "50 Cutest Child Stars All Grown-up"
- 2013, inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame.