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Where Are They Now: The 'Alien' Series Cast
Since the blockbuster success of Ridley Scott’s Alien in 1979, the franchise has spawned spin-offs, sequels, cross-overs, video games, comic books, and a new TV series on Hulu from Fargo (the FX series) and Legion creator Noah Hawley. But what has the cast from Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection been up to since the horror-science fiction film started terrifying movie audiences decades ago?
Which sleeper agent android actor from Alien went on to play a beloved hobbit in The Lord of the Rings franchise? Which child actor from Aliens decided to call it quits on her show business career after playing a memorable role in the sequel? Which actor misunderstood the tough Marine character she was trying out for and showed up to the audition in high heels and makeup?
Bill Paxton, John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, and Michael Biehn are just a few of the beloved character actors who appeared in the earlier Alien movies. What kind of career did they have after the Xenomorph infestation?
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Lance Henriksen played Bishop in Aliens and Alien 3. Bishop was a heroic android, model 341-B, who served as a loyal team member to Ripley.
Henriksen has had a prolific career on both TV and film with over 250 acting credits. Before Aliens, movie audiences knew the actor from The Right Stuff and The Terminator.
Following Aliens, he co-starred in Pumpkinhead, Dead Man, Stone Cold, and Hard Target. Henriksen moseyed over to the Western genre for a stretch in the '90s with roles in Dead Man and The Quick and the Dead.
In the mid-'90s, the actor also starred in the underrated Chris Carter-created sci-fi series Millennium where he earned three Golden Globe nominations. He added to his TV resume with performances in The X-Files, NCIS and The Blacklist.
Henriksen also performed as a voice actor in Tarzan, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, The Legend of Korra, and Tron: Uprising.
Henriksen is an octogenarian but continues to do impressive work. In the 2020s, he appeared in On Fire, Rabbit Hole, and Altered Reality.
In 2011, Henriksen co-wrote his autobiography Not Bad for a Human (a wink to his Aliens character) and the comic book series To Hell You Ride.
He has been married three times and has four children.
- Age: 84
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
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Michael Biehn played Corporal Dwayne Hicks in the 1986 sequel Aliens and Alien 3. Director James Cameron knew Biehn well after casting the actor to play Kyle Reese in The Terminator.
Following his role in Aliens, Biehn never became that big A-List Hollywood movie star that some expected him to be, but he continued to work regularly.
He said in a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
People always talk about me being an '80s star. I was not an '80s star. Bruce Willis was an '80s star. Tom Cruise was an '80s star. Schwarzenegger and Stallone. Mel Gibson. Those guys were making $20 million [a picture]. I never even got $1 million. I kind of liked it that way.
In 1989, he re-teamed with Cameron for The Abyss. The actor also appeared in the films The Fan, Tombstone, The Rock, Clockstoppers, and Planet Terror.
He also worked on the small screen with roles in Criminal Minds, The Walking Dead, and scored the baddie role of Lang in the second season of The Mandalorian.
Biehn is married to actress Jennifer Blanc. He has five sons from three marriages.
- Age: 68
- Birthplace: Anniston, Alabama, USA
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Sir Ian Holm played the villainous Ash, a Nostromo science officer, later discovered to be a sleeper agent android in Alien.
Holm was an acclaimed English actor who trained as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1967, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance in The Homecoming by Harold Pinter.
Holm transitioned from stage to TV and film after suffering severe stage fright during a performance of The Iceman Cometh in 1976.
He received an Oscar nomination for his role as Sam Mussabini in 1981’s Chariots of Fire. Following Alien in 1979, Holm appeared in the Shakespeare films Henry V and Hamlet. He also co-starred in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Fifth Element, and Garden State.
Modern audiences most likely remember Holm for his role as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
Holm was married four times and had five children. In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II knighted the British thespian. Holm died in 2020 at the age of 88.
- Age: Dec. at 88 (1931-2020)
- Birthplace: Goodmayes, Essex, England, UK
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Carrie Henn played Rebecca Jorden, AKA Newt, in Aliens. Newt and Ripley develop an unbreakable mother-and-daughter-type bond after both losing their families.
Despite being just 9 years old while playing Newt, Henn decided to call it quits after one major film role. She didn’t have an interest in pursuing a career in movies and became a school teacher in Northern California instead.
"That's what a lot of people have a hard time understanding," Henn said in 2016. "They don't understand that [acting] wasn't my passion. It wasn't my dream. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Was it an amazing experience? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Of course. But it wasn't my passion. Teaching was."
Henn is married and has one child.
- Age: 48
- Birthplace: USA, Florida, Panama City
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Harry Dean Stanton took on USCSS Nostromo engineering technician Samuel Brett in Alien. Brett became the Xenomorph’s first victim in the original Alien film.
Stanton was a seasoned character actor with over 200 professional credits. In the 1960s, he appeared regularly on television in the westerns Bonanza and Rawhide. The following decade, Stanton had roles in The Godfather II and Straight Time.
Following his memorable turn in Alien, Stanton impressed with supporting roles in Private Benjamin, Escape from New York, Christine, Pretty in Pink, The Last Temptation of Christ, Wild at Heart, The Green Mile, Rango, and The Avengers.
“Usually, I just play myself,” Stanton said. “Whatever psychological traumas or conflicts I’m going through at the time I try to put into the role. Sometimes it’s quite a feat to pull off, but sometimes it works.”
Stanton had a featured role as prophet Roman Grant in the HBO drama Big Love. In 2017, he reprised his role as Carl Rodd in the television series Twin Peaks.
The actor never married. He did say that he had “one or two children.”
Stanton died in 2017 at the age of 91.
- Age: Dec. at 91 (1926-2017)
- Birthplace: West Irvine, Kentucky, USA
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Veronica Cartwright played USCSS Nostromo navigator officer Joan Lambert in Alien. She is just one of the crew members in the first Alien who becomes a victim of the Xenomorph.
"The film still holds up,” said Cartwright of Alien. “Ridley had an incredible eye. Everything was built and filmed on the largest sound stage in London, so walking onto those sets was an incredible experience.”
Cartwright started acting at a young age in TV programs such as Leave it to Beaver and The Twilight Zone. She transitioned to adult roles and became mostly known for her work in horror and science fiction films. Cartwright has amassed an impressive filmography with over 150 credits.
Following Alien, the British-born actor had supporting roles in The Right Stuff, The Witches of Eastwick, Money Talks, and Kinsey. She also appeared regularly on the small screen with stints on Miami Vice, L.A. Law, ER, The X-Files, Six Feet Under, The Closer, and The Good Doctor.
In the 1990s, she earned three Emmy nods for guest actress, one for a recurring character on ER and two for her multi-episode work on The X-Files.
Cartwright has been married three times, and she has one child.
- Age: 75
- Birthplace: Bristol, England, UK
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Yaphet Kotto played USCSS Nostromo chief engineer Dennis Parker in Alien. Parker was yet another victim of the Xenomorph.
Kotto was an accomplished stage actor who became a steady character actor on TV and film. Before his role in Alien, most movie fans recognized Kotto for his turn as Bond villain Mr. Big in 1973’s Live and Let Die.
Following Alien, Kotto amassed a successful career in mostly supporting roles. He appeared in the films Blue Collar, The Running Man, and Midnight Run.
In the 1980s and '90s, Kotto appeared in several television movies and was a frequent small-screen guest star. His biggest later-in-life role came as shift commander Lieutenant Al Giardello in the 1990s gritty cop drama Homidice: Life on the Street. Kotto co-starred on the Emmy Award-winning show for its entire seven-season run.
Kotto was married three times and had six children. In his later life, he ran an artist's retreat in Manila, Philippines with his third wife Tessie Sinahon. The actor died in 2021.
- Age: Dec. at 81 (1939-2021)
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
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Sigourney Weaver played Ellen Ripley in four Alien movies. Ripley is one of the most popular heroes in cinema history, and the only survivor from the first Alien movie. A female action protagonist was considered ground-breaking at the time of the original Alien in 1979, and Weaver received an Oscar nod for her performance in the sequel Aliens.
“Weaver, who is onscreen almost all the time, comes through with a very strong, sympathetic performance: She's the thread that holds everything together,” wrote critic Roger Ebert of Weaver's performance in Aliens.
While Ripley is Weaver’s most famous movie role, the actor has enjoyed a prolific career on the big screen. She worked steadily in movies in the 1980s and '90s across all genres. Weaver earned Oscar nods for her performance in Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl.
A few of Weaver's additional film roles include The Year of Living Dangerously, Ghostbusters, The Ice Storm, Copycat, The Village, and Vantage Point. Weaver reunited with her Aliens director James Cameron, and co-starred in his blockbusters Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water.
Weaver has also enjoyed a successful career on both stage and television. She married stage director Jim Simpson in 1984. The couple has one child.
- Age: 75
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
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Sir John Hurt played the executive officer of the USCSS Nostromo, Gilbert Kane, in Alien. Hurt often joked about how many times he was killed onscreen over his multi-decade-spanning career. However, none of his screen deaths were as famous as the scene when a Xenomorph suddenly bursts out of Kane's chest.
Hurt was an accomplished and highly regarded British stage actor. In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him for his impressive dramatic career.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art graduate received Oscar nominations for his performance in Midnight Express and The Elephant Man. A few of Hurt’s other big screen roles include Heaven’s Gate, History of the World, Part I, The Hit, Rob Roy, Contact, Dead Man, and Wild Bill.
Younger generations will most likely recognize Hurt from his role as wand-maker Mr. Ollivander in the Harry Potter franchise. He also appeared in V for Vendetta, Hellboy, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Snowpiercer, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Hurt was married four times and had two children. He died in 2017 at the age of 77.
- Age: Dec. at 77 (1940-2017)
- Birthplace: Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, UK
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Tom Skerritt played the Captain of the USCSS Nostromo, Arthur Dallas. It's his poor decision to allow Kane back on the ship that leads to disaster.
Skerritt has served as a character actor and leading man, however, most of his roles have been supporting ones. He was already a recognizable TV face before his fatal turn in Alien, appearing in the TV series The Virginian and Gunsmoke. He also co-starred in Robert Altman’s 1970 satire M*A*S*H.
Following Alien, Skerritt enjoyed a prolific career on the big screen with supporting roles in The Dead Zone, Top Gun, Steel Magnolias, Poison Ivy, A River Runs Through It, Contact, and Lucky.
The actor has also amassed an impressive TV resume with performances in several TV movies and series, including a recurring role on Cheers and Brothers & Sisters. In 1993, he won an Emmy Award for his performance of Sheriff Jimmy Brock on the CBS series Picket Fences.
Skeritt has been married three times and has five children.
- Age: 91
- Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Bill Paxton played Private First Class William Hudson in a scene-stealing, unhinged performance in Aliens. The heroic Marine is sent to the planet LV-426 after it becomes overrun with Xenomorphs. The beloved Hudson utters one of the franchise’s most memorable lines of dialogue, “Game over, man.”
Paxton enjoyed a successful career following his memorable turn in Cameron’s sequel. He appeared in the films Near Dark, Predator 2, Tombstone, True Lies, Apollo 13, Twister, Titanic, A Simple Plan, Edge of Tomorrow, and Nightcrawler.
In 2006, the actor turned his attention to television where he starred in the HBO series Big Love as a patriarch in a Mormon family. Paxton also directed and co-starred in 2001’s Frailty.
In 2017, Paxton died suddenly after a stroke he suffered days after having open-heart surgery. He was 61 years old. The actor is survived by his wife and two children.
- Age: Dec. at 61 (1955-2017)
- Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Paul Reiser played junior executive Carter Burke in Aliens. The company man may not have been the film’s primary antagonist but audiences hated him just as much as any alien.
Reiser was a successful stand-up comedian before landing his breakout role in Barry Levinson’s 1982 film Diner. Following Aliens, Reiser found success on the small screen with My Two Dads. His most-known role came as Paul Buchman on the long-running NBC sitcom Mad About You. Reiser received six Emmy Award nominations over the show's initial seven-season run.
Reiser also co-starred in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise and Whiplash.
The New York-born actor’s television work includes appearances on Fosse/Verdon, The Kominsky Method, and Reboot. However, most young folks will recognize Reiser from his role as Dr. Sam Owens on the Netflix series Stranger Things.
Reiser landed 77th on Comedy Central's 2004 list of the “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.”
In 1988, Reiser married Paula Ravets. The couple has two children.
- Age: 67
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
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Jenette Goldstein played Private First Class Vasquez in Aliens. Vasquez was a tough-as-nails Smartgun operator in the Marines who was sent to LV-426 after an Alien infestation.
Cameron’s sequel served as Goldstein’s cinematic debut. In fact, the actor was so green that she misread the part and showed up to the audition wearing high heels and makeup.
"I had seen Alien, but I had no idea this was a sequel. It had been so long ago, it didn't even occur to me," said Goldstein. "I thought it was about actual aliens, you know, immigrants to a country. I was wondering why they wanted Americans. I figured the movie was about lots of different immigrants to England."
Cameron cast Goldstein anyway, and her character became a fan favorite.
Goldstein went on to appear in several films. She re-teamed with Cameron for a small part in Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Titanic, in which she played a third-class passenger and mother. Earlier, also appeared in Kathryn Bigelow's cult classic vampire movie Near Dark. Goldstein had additional small roles in Lethal Weapon 2, Fair Game, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
The actor also guest-starred on episodes of L.A. Law, ER, 24, and Six Feet Under.
Goldstein became an entrepreneur and started Jenette Bras, a large cup bra, lingerie, and swimwear store for “full-busted” customers, with her husband Aaron Noble. The motto of their chain is “The alphabet starts at D.”
- Age: 64
- Birthplace: Beverly Hills, California, USA
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Charles S. Dutton played prisoner Leonard Dillon in Alien 3. Dillon has found God and tries to spread the gospel among the inmates.
When Dutton was 17 years old, he was found guilty of manslaughter and spent seven years in prison. While incarcerated, he started a drama group. After his release, Dutton went on to study drama at Towson State University and Yale School of Drama.
In 1984, the actor made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and earned a Tony Award nomination for best actor. Dutton took his immense talent out to Hollywood. Following Alien 3, Dutton played supporting roles in Rudy, A Time to Kill, Cookie’s Fortune, Gothika, and Fame.
Dutton has also had an impressive career on the small screen. He won an outstanding guest actor Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2003 for his performances in The Practice and Without a Trace. Dutton also starred in the Fox comedy show Roc which aired from 1991-1994.
- Age: 74
- Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Charles Dance played Jonathan Clemens in Alien 3. Clemens was an inmate turned Fury Correctional Unit medical officer. He develops an intimate relationship with Ripley.
Dance has enjoyed a storied career playing hero and villain across multiple genres. The British thespian performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Dance’s first big screen role came in the 1981 James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only. Following Alien 3, Dance appeared in several popular movies, including Last Action Hero, Michael Collins, Gosford Park, The Imitation Game, Mank, The King’s Man, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
He stepped behind the camera in 2004 to direct, write, and produce the musical romance Ladies in Lavender.
The four-time Emmy nominee has also had a prolific career in television. Most modern audiences know Dance for his regal but villainous performance as Hand of the King Tywin Lannister on Game of Thrones. He also played Lord Mountbatten in two seasons of The Crown. Dance also co-starred in the Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole.
“People think I’m aristocratic because of the way my face is put together, but I’m not,” said Dance. “My mother was a servant at the age of 13; came from Bethnal Green.”
Dance has been married once and has three children.
- Age: 78
- Birthplace: Redditch, Worcestershire, England, UK
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Ron Perlman played Ron Johner in 1997’s Alien Resurrection. Johner was a mercenary on the ship Betty.
Perlman’s breakout role came as Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast, which aired from 1987 to 1990. Perlman earned two Emmy Award nominations for his performance as the “Beast.”
Following Alien Resurrection, Perlman stayed busy as a recognizable character actor and sometimes leading man. He co-starred as the titular Hellboy in 2004’s Hellboy and the 2008 sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
The classically trained actor's most popular role came as grizzled biker Clay Morrow on the long-running FX series Sons of Anarchy. Perlman has also appeared in Enemy at the Gates, Blade II, Drive, Pacific Rim, Highlander: The Series, The Outer Limits, Don’t Look Up, The Magnificent Seven, Hand of God, Nightmare Alley, and Pinocchio.
Perlman also works regularly as a voice actor in animated series and video games.
Perlman is married and has two children.
- Age: 74
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
Dominique Pinon - Dom Vriess
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Dominique Pinon played mercenary/engineer Dom Vriess in Alien Resurrection. Vriess is able to survive the Alien attacks despite being paralyzed from the waist down.
Pinon is a French actor with a theater background. Most of his work is in French cinema. American audiences may recognize Pinon for his recurring role as Master Raymond in Outlander and Antoine in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
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Winona Ryder played android Annalee Call in Alien Resurrection. The Auton was a mercenary/engineer/sleeper agent on the ship Betty.
Ryder was one of the biggest Hollywood actresses in the 1980s and '90s. Before she landed the part of Annalee in Alien Resurrection, Ryder was famous for her film roles in Lucas, Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Edward Scissorhands. She earned back-to-back Oscar nods in 1993 and 1994 for her performances in The Age of Innocence and Little Women.
In the early 2000s, Ryder’s Hollywood career slowed down, although she never stopped working. She appeared on Friends and took supporting roles in A Scanner Darkly, Star Trek, Black Swan, and the TV miniseries The Plot Against America.
In 2016, Ryder made a full comeback playing fan favorite Joyce Byers in the hit Netflix science fiction series Stranger Things.
Ryder was previously engaged to Johnny Depp; however, the Edward Scissorhands co-stars never married. She has been in a relationship with fashion designer Scott Mackinlay Hahn since 2011.
- Age: 53
- Birthplace: Winona, Minnesota, USA
