'Disclosure Day' stars cried after landing roles as Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor's younger selves

The pair also admitted they believe extraterrestrial life could exist somewhere in the universe

The child actors portraying the younger versions of Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor in Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day have revealed that they burst into tears when they learned they had been cast in the blockbuster sci-fi film.

Speaking exclusively to People, Delaney Anne Cuthbert and Tyler Maxwell Renaud opened up about their emotional reactions to landing the coveted roles. Cuthbert plays a young Margaret Fairchild, portrayed by Emily Blunt in the film, while Renaud portrays the younger version of Josh O’Connor’s Daniel Kellner.

Both actors admitted that the news left them overwhelmed with excitement. “I cried,” Cuthbert recalled, while Renaud said he also shed tears of joy after learning he would be working with Spielberg and sharing the screen with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

The young performers recently attended the film’s New York premiere, where they reflected on the experience of collaborating with the legendary director. Cuthbert described the opportunity as “surreal” and said she had learned so much from watching Spielberg at work. Meanwhile, Renaud praised Josh O’Connor for being welcoming and supportive, noting that the actor was especially helpful in making him feel comfortable on set.

The pair also shared their excitement about seeing the film’s special effects and admitted they believe extraterrestrial life could exist somewhere in the universe. If aliens ever visited Earth, they joked that they would introduce them to classics such as E T the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and even Legally Blonde.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day follows cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner and meteorologist Margaret Fairchild as they uncover evidence of extraterrestrial life while attempting to expose the truth in the face of mounting danger. The film also stars Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo and Wyatt Russell.

Now playing in cinemas, Disclosure Day marks Spielberg’s return to the kind of alien-themed storytelling that made him famous, and for its youngest stars, the opportunity to be part of that legacy was enough to bring tears of joy.