Romulus’ Star Aileen Wu Discusses Battling Facehuggers and Chestbursters

Expectations are high for horror fans eager to see “Alien: Romulus,” the seventh installment in the iconic sci-fi franchise. Directed by Fede Álvarez, acclaimed for the 2013 “Evil Dead” remake and 2016’s “Don’t Breathe,” the film is set between the first two movies — 1979’s “Alien” and 1986’s “Aliens.” Remarkably, it features the first major film role for Aileen Wu, who portrays Navarro, a spaceship pilot with some very close encounters with the aliens. Wu, a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Stella Adler Studio, shares her experience of acting with aliens, learning to pilot a spacecraft, and the joy of shaving her head.

Wu describes her path to securing the role as a whirlwind. She received a self-tape request, got a callback two days later, was sent the full script, and shortly after found herself on a call with Álvarez, who was already in Budapest. Álvarez’s description of the challenges ahead, including being covered in blood and sitting in a confined space, didn’t faze Wu, despite her past struggles with claustrophobia. She officially landed the role soon after and was on a plane to Budapest within days, diving straight into filming.

The realization of being part of a massive production set in when she started working on the space hauler scenes. Wu’s character, Navarro, pilots the ship, and with the help of a real pilot, Wu learned the intricacies of the cockpit. The production design left her in awe, with every button on the set being functional, making the experience surreal and a dream come true for Wu.

Despite not being very familiar with the “Alien” franchise initially, Wu had a childhood connection through her older brother, who was an avid collector of action figures, including a Xenomorph. It was only after landing the role that Wu watched the original “Alien” film and realized her brother had been right in protecting her from its horrors when she was younger.

The thrill of seeing herself on the movie’s poster was a slow revelation for Wu. She gradually noticed the posters popping up on various media platforms, public transport, and even Times Square, making her shaved head a prominent image worldwide. The shaved look is something she’s embraced since 2019, and it’s become a recognizable aspect of her identity among friends and classmates in New York.

One of the significant physical challenges Wu faced was working with the facehugger prop. She recalled walking into what felt like a “Hugger Depot” on set, with rows of different facehugger parts. Wu had to endure a taste test of lubes used to give the facehugger its glistening effect. Filming the scenes with the heavy, silicone creature wrapped around her head and neck were intense, involving intricate coordination with the crew to make it look convincingly terrifying.

Wu also detailed the process of shooting her character’s death scene involving the iconic chestburster. Created by Alec Gillis’ team, who worked on the original movies, the chestburster scene took several days to film and involved multiple prosthetic setups. Wu had to endure hours in a hole with a prosthetic chest attached to her, while puppeteers controlled the menacing creature emerging from her body.

Despite the chaotic nature of shooting, Wu’s death scene is highly believable, thanks to her trust in Álvarez’s vision. Although she cannot relate to the actual experience of dying, she tried to channel intense physical pain and relied heavily on Álvarez for direction and feedback during the filming process.

As for her friends and family, Wu firmly states that watching the film is obligatory, except for those with a heart condition. She wants everyone, neighbors included, to experience the movie in theaters, appreciating the collective thrill of the sci-fi horror.

One memorable moment for Wu at the film’s premiere was receiving a fist bump from producer Ridley Scott, who was remarkably casual about it. This small gesture from a legend in the industry left a lasting impression on the newcomer.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Source: Variety, Gilbert Flores, Getty Images