Pop quiz: what are the first things that jump into your head when you think of the Alien movies? If you answered some combination of 'the Xenomorph' and 'Sigourney Weaver's Ripley' then, ding ding, top marks. Alien: Earth ticks the 'Xenomorph' box in a big way, but given Ripley isn't part of the show, the mantle of Xeno-slayer-in-chief has fallen to Sydney Chandler's new character, Wendy.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ at a press event in London, Chandler says that while Ripley wasn't a direct influence on her characterisation of Wendy in the series, Weaver's performance was an inspiration in other ways. "I've been a massive fan of the original for a really long time. So, I just held on to the essence of that and the strength that her character gave to me when I was younger," Chandler says, adding that "I don't think you can recreate or try and mirror anything from that original film. It stands on its own, as it should. I just went off the feeling that that film gave me. Kind of how Noah [Hawley, creator] said he went off the feeling of Alien and then allowed his imagination to explode."
Wendy is far from your typical Alien movie lead. In fact, she's the original 'hybrid' – a terminally ill teenage girl who has her consciousness placed inside a super-strong Synthetic body. Alongside several other dying children who go through the same procedure, they are known as the 'Lost Boys', and named after characters from J.M. Barrie's classic novel by the Peter Pan-esque figure who created them, Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin). Intellectualising the process of playing an adolescent in an adult body proved one of the show's greatest challenges for Chandler.
"Noah talked about focusing on the aspects of the personality and being the child and I took that and tried to think of where the personality would override the machine, and what it means to be a child," Chandler explains. "I mean, they're great acting teachers. They're so present and vulnerable and honest. They don't overthink and, especially in Wendy's case, she listens to her gut and stands on her own feet and she goes for it. There's a freedom that you get to access when you're playing a child that's really vulnerable and really, really, really rewarding.
Starring Chandler, Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant and more, Alien: Earth sees the iconic sci-fi creature come crashing to Earth for the first time, just as humanity is taking its first steps into a transhuman future. Hawley also spoke to GamesRadar+ recently and revealed that some changes are in store for the iconic Xenomorph in the show.
Alien: Earth streams on Hulu in the US from August 12, and on Disney Plus in the UK from August 13. For more ahead of the show’s debut, read our Alien: Earth review, or get ready with our full breakdown of how to watch Alien movies in order.
