Jason Behr: The Second Coming of E.T.?

He craves Tabasco sauce, not Reese's Pieces. He uses his whole hand to heal wounds, not just a glowing fingertip. He's also tall, dark and handsome, not short, bug-eyed and wrinkly. Still, Max Evans, the teenage alien played by Jason Behr on the WB's new drama Roswell, does share some traits with Steven Spielberg's lovable space creature.

Like E.T., Max is sweet, earnest and sure to warm your heart. But since he and his two space relatives have no idea where they're from, odds are he won't be phoning home anytime soon.

So, how do you prepare to play someone from up there whose background is a mystery?

Well, I couldn't go flag down any alien ships and talk to them one-on-one, but I did a lot of research on the history of Roswell, New Mexico. I watched a lot of documentaries, and I actually watched a show called Alien Autopsy with Jonathan Frakes.

Do you have to psyche yourself up for those scenes where Max guzzles Tabasco?

I don't mind it so much. But if I ate as much as those guys do, I'd be in the hospital right now.

Did you read the conspiracy books on which the show is based?

Yes, but I think we're going to deviate a bit from that. I think the alien and sci-fi aspect is just a backdrop, another way to tell a story of coming of age, self-discovery. I mean, you have the teen alienation, that's all there, but it's also about relationships. The different background allows us to tell a story in a different way.

How do you see Max?

He's pretty reserved, kind of a quiet type.

Not the sort of thing that comes out of Sigourney Weaver's belly?

Right. People have made the E.T. comparison, and in retrospect, I see the similarities. But I wasn't thinking about it when I did the pilot. It wasn't something I tried to rip off.

Are you a fan of the little extraterrestrial?

Definitely! It was one of my favorite movies growing up. It was so endearing to see how sweet and sensitive he was. Very different from Battlestar Galactica, which scared the beejeebies out of me. Also, Star Wars--the whole trilogy--was so fascinating, and it had a philosophy and just a way of living. Star Wars is probably one of my favorite movies of all time.

What'd you think of The Phantom Menace?

I liked it.

And Jar Jar?

Um, The Phantom Menace I liked.

Got it. Now for the million-dollar question: Do you believe in aliens?

For me to sit here and say we're the only intelligent life that ever existed would be very presumptuous and somewhat arrogant.

--Amanda Rudolph