Biography
Who is Henry Thomas?
Early Life and Education
Henry Thomas Jackson Thomas was born on September 9, 1971, in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up in the United States and attended East Central High School before moving on to Blinn College. He left college without earning a degree to pursue other paths.
As a young boy, he showed an interest in acting. His career began in Texas before he transitioned into major motion pictures.
Rise to Stardom
Henry made his film debut in the Sissy Spacek drama Raggedy Man in 1981 at the age of eight. Director Jack Fisk suggested the young performer for a major upcoming project. This led to his audition for director Steven Spielberg.
His emotional audition convinced Spielberg to cast him as Elliott Taylor in the 1982 film E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The movie became a big commercial success and grossed $797.3 million at the box office. Henry earned a Young Artist Award and received nominations for Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Saturn awards.
Acting Career and Collaborations
Throughout his career, Henry appeared in numerous films such as Cloak & Dagger, Valmont, Legends of the Fall, Gangs of New York, and Dear John. He also worked in television, earning a Golden Globe nomination for the television film Indictment: The McMartin Trial.
In later years, he collaborated frequently with filmmaker Mike Flanagan. He appeared in Flanagan's horror films Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game, and Doctor Sleep. He also acted in television series created by Flanagan, including The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
Music and Personal Life
Aside from acting, Henry has a background in music. During the 1990s, he wrote songs and played guitar for a San Antonio band named The Blue Heelers. The group self-produced an album titled Twister. His song Truckstop Coffee appeared on the soundtrack for the film Niagara, Niagara in 1998. He also collaborated with musician Nikki Sudden on music for the film Honey Baby.
Henry married actress Marie Zielcke in May 2004, and they had a daughter before divorcing in 2007. He later had two children with his third wife, Annalee Fery, and eventually moved to Wilsonville, Oregon. In 2025, reports noted that he was dating actress India Eisley.
Birthday and age
Henry Thomas was born on September 9, 1971, which makes Henry 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Henry shares the date with 63 other famous people.
Explore more
