Drew Barrymore, the crusty tot who chided E.T. that he ate like a pig, gets a more emotional role in 'Irreconcilable Differences,' due out in September, as a daughter caught up in a custody battle between her divorcing parents. During Miss Barrymore's heart-wrenching courtroom speech about the trauma of divorce on children, the actress who plays the judge wept -- which was not part of the script.
A few days later, Ryan O'Neal, Miss Barrymore's father in the film, bumped into Steven Spielberg and was surprised when the director, who gave the youngster her first break in 'E.T.' but is not involved in 'Irreconcilable Differences,' asked about the courtroom speech. Spielberg was delighted that Miss Barrymore had brought the 'judge' to tears. 'I worked with her for three weekends on that,' Spielberg beamed. O'Neal told the Los Angeles Times that he wanted to complain to Spielberg, 'You might have worked with me, too!