Steven Spielberg: Ronald Reagan Said 'E.T.' Was Real, Was Probably Joking

Long out of Hollywood, Ronald Reagan may have put on his own little acting clinic in the company of a legendary director.

In a new interview with Aint It Cool News, Spielberg details the time he screened his classic film "E.T." at the White House for Reagan and distinguished guests -- and the former president's coy response to the alien epic.

"He just stood up and he looked around the room, almost like he was doing a headcount, and he said, 'I wanted to thank you for bringing E.T. to the White House. We really enjoyed your movie,' and then he looked around the room and said, And there are a number of people in this room who know that everything on that screen is absolutely true,'" Spielberg remembered. "And he said it without smiling! But he said that and everybody laughed, by the way. The whole room laughed because he presented it like a joke, but he wasn't smiling as he said it."

So, did he really believe that the story of the friendly little Reese's Pieces loving alien and his young friend actually happened?

Maybe, maybe not. But Spielberg thinks it was probably a joke from the actor president. Not that he isn't hoping otherwise.

"I think he delivered a joke without smiling, without a little bit of a twinkle behind the joke," Spielberg said. "I think the joke landed because everybody laughed, but because I'm a little bit of a Ufologist I was hoping that there was something more to the joke than met my eye. I'm sorry to say I think he was simply trying to tell a joke."

Interestingly, Spielberg's new movie, "Super 8," involves government secret coverups about aliens and mysterious forces. Perhaps if he screens it for Barack Obama, he may get another little hint.

For more, click over to Aint It Cool News.