E.T.’s movement came from puppetry and several performers

One alien, several ways to move

E.T. did not move by means of a single all-purpose puppet. The production mixed mechanical effects with performers inside versions of the alien suit, choosing different methods for different shots. A mechanical puppet could supply controlled facial or body movement; a performer could give the figure the weight, balance, and timing of a living body. The camera might show only the part each method handled best.

That division mattered because E.T. had to feel like one character even when no single technique could convincingly do everything. A close view could emphasize the head and its expressions, while a wider view could show the alien crossing a room or reacting with his whole body. Editing joined these solutions, letting viewers read the changes as one continuous performance.

A distinctive gait from a distinctive performer

Matthew De Meritt, who was born without legs, performed inside a version of the suit. His way of moving helped shape E.T.’s unusual gait. Rather than treating movement as a technical problem to be hidden, the production could use a performer’s particular physical approach as part of the character’s design.

That choice gave E.T. a motion unlike an ordinary person in a costume. The alien’s body could seem awkward and vulnerable, but still purposeful—a physical personality conveyed through how he shifted and traveled, not just through his face.

The effect of combining methods

Each solution brought a different strength and limitation: mechanical effects offered controlled movement, while performers supplied bodily motion that could respond naturally to a scene. The filmmakers could vary the approach from shot to shot instead of forcing one device to handle every action.

The result is a useful reminder of how screen creatures are made: a character that appears physically consistent may be assembled from separate performances and effects. In E.T.’s case, the small differences between those methods helped create the impression of a being whose body worked by its own rules.