Few cinematic characters have left as big of an impression as Ellen Ripley, Sigourney Weaver’s iconic “Alien” survivor, who led four films in the franchise and left behind some massive shoes to fill for everyone who’s come since. In “Alien: Romulus,” that’s a young cast of franchise newcomers, led by “Priscilla” and “Civil War” star Cailee Spaeny.
Directed by “Don’t Breathe” and “Evil Dead” filmmaker Fede Álvarez, the latest installment heads back between the events of “Alien” and “Aliens,” introducing a young group of friends desperate to escape their grungy mining colony. You will, of course, recognize the Xenomorph — H.R. Giger’s inimitable alien creature — but for everyone else, here’s a handy guide to the “Alien: Romulus” cast and characters.
Cailee Spaeny as Rain — A recent A24 darling, “Priscilla” and “Civil War” star Cailee Spaeny plays Rain; the resourceful, pragmatic protagonist, a la Ellen Ripley. Like the rest of her friends, Rain is desperate to get off her dreary mining planet. She grew up with and shares a close bond with Andy the android. Spaeny’s previous roles also include “Bad Times at the El Royale,” “Pacific Rim: Uprising” and “The Craft: Legacy.” She’s also known for the TV series “Devs” and “Mare of Eastown.” Next up, she’s set to join the cast of “Knives Out 3.”
David Jonsson as Andy — “Rye Lane” standout David Jonsson stars as Andy, Rain’s android “brother,” who was reprogrammed by her father to be her caretaker. Jonsson’s previous roles also include HBO’s “Industry” and Fox’s “Deep State.”
Archie Renaux as Tyler — “Shadow and Bone” and “Upgraded” star plays Tyler in “Alien: Romulus.” His resume also includes “Morbius,” “Voyagers,” “Catherine Called Birdy” and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.”
Isabela Merced as Kay — Best known as the live-action Dora the Explorer in “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” Isabela Merced plays Kay. In addition to her music career and her breakout role on the Nickelodeon series “100 Things to Do Before High School,” Merced’s best-known work also includes “Instant Family,” “Transformers: The Last Knight,” “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” and, more recently, “Madame Web.” Next up, she’ll play Hawkgirl in James Gunn’s “Superman” and Dina in “The Last of Us” Season 2.
Aileen Wu as Navarro — Big screen newcomer Aileen Wu stars as Navarro in “Alien: Romulus,” which is her feature film acting debut.
Spike Fearn as Bjorn — The wildcard of the bunch, Bjorn, is played by Spike Fearn. His previous credits include “Tell Me Everything,” “Aftersun,” “Back to Black” and “The Batman.”
Daniel Betts as Rook — “Alien: Romulus” brings back a familiar face as a new synthetic named Rook. While the original actor (we’ll keep it vague here for anyone who hasn’t seen the film) is credited for reference, Daniel Betts is credited for Rook’s facial and vocal performance in “Romulus.” Betts has a wide-ranging resume, including “After the Flood,” “Fate: The Winx Saga,” “Allied,” “Atlantic Crossing,” “War Machine,” “The Good Liar” and “Fury.”
Trevor Newlin as Xenomorph— The “Alien” franchise has no shortage of extraterrestrial monsters, but the Xenomorph reigns supreme as one of the most unique, unforgettable creature creations in cinema history. In “Romulus,” the creature is, of course, brought to life through a variety of effects, including a man-in-suit performance credited to Trevor Newlin — and some incredible animatronics.
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