Steven Spielberg admitted to feeling helpless when filming E.T., as he witnessed Drew Barrymore being robbed of her youth.

The award-winning filmmaker, 76, and the child actress, 48, forged a deep friendship on the 1982 film’s set.

Drew, who has been frank about her traumatic past, branded him ‘the only person in my life to this day that ever was a father figure’ in a new interview with Vulture.

Drew’s bond was so strong that she begged the filmmaker to be her father. He answered ‘no’ but agreed to be her godfather instead.

Steven told Vulture about his tight relationship with Drew, saying that if she showed up to work wearing red lipstick, he would be the one to advise her to remove it.

Candid: Steven Spielberg has said he felt ‘very helpless’ while watching Drew Barrymore be ‘robbed of her childhood’ while making E.T. (pictured in April with Ke Huy Quan)

The award-winning filmmaker, 76, and the child actor, 48, had a tight bond on the set of the 1982 film.

He recalled: ‘She was staying up much past her bedtime, going to places she should only have heard about, and living a life at such a young age that I believe robbed her of her infancy.

‘Yet, I felt helpless because I wasn’t her father. I could only be a consigliere for her.

He revealed that Drew remained with him on weekends, and he took her to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm while also giving her a cat named Gertie after her character in E.T.

While filming, Steven became very determined to keeping Drew’s belief that E.T. was real, saying, ‘I didn’t want to shatter the bubble.’

Drew ordered Steven to kick out the men who were controlling the alien behind a wall.

Kind: While shooting the film, Steven became very committed to keeping Drew’s belief that E.T. was real, saying: ‘I didn’t want to burst the bubble’

Exploitation: The actress has been extremely vocal in the past about how her mother, Jaid (pictured in 1982), used to take her to Hollywood parties and nightclubs when she was tiny.

He explained: ‘I simply answered, “It’s okay, E.T. is so amazing. E.T. has eight assistants. I am the director, and I only have one.”‘

To maintain the illusion, the film was shot in strict continuity with a few of operators present. Drew frequently had lunch with E.T. and shared her secrets.

Drew previously revealed that her father, actor John Drew Barrymore, was a violent drinker who left the picture when she was little.

Drew’s mother, Jaid, who manages Drew’s career and is also an aspiring actor, was unable to raise her alone.

The actress stated that Jaid ‘exploited her’ by taking her to Hollywood parties and nightclubs when she was a child. She had her first drink at the age of nine and was doing cocaine by the age of 12.

In April, she honored the legend with a special award at the Time 100 Gala, together with fellow former child star Ke Huy Quan.

Drew’s mother admitted her to a psychiatric facility at the age of 13, where she remained for 18 months before returning to rehab at the age of 14 after attempting suicide.

After leaving the center, she successfully petitioned her parents for freedom at the age of fifteen.

Drew and Stephen are still friends now, and they have been pictured supporting one other’s endeavors over the years.

In April, she honored the legend with a special award at the Time 100 Gala, alongside former child star Ke Huy Quan.