“Alien”: Sigourney Weaver remembers James Cameron and the tension she experienced on set during the filming of the first film
The director's shouts to the younger ones during filming, and the actress's intervention
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There are rare instances when a sequel, even a film with a very different style and genre, manages to match the prestige and quality of its predecessor. This is what James Cameron achieved with "Aliens: The Last Stand," the sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 cult classic, which once again starred the magnificent Sigourney Weaver.
Taking the sci-fi saga from its original horror roots to an action-packed vibe, the title once again sees Ellen Rilpey take center stage after she, as the sole survivor of the Nostromo, survives her first encounter with the deadly alien lifeform known as the Xenomorph. Returning to Earth and greeted with skepticism by the community, she sets out on a mission across the galaxy to investigate the disappearance of some colonists on LV-426, awakening emotions of uncontrollable terror.
Recalling her experiences on set way back in 1986, Weaver mentioned an anecdote in which she defended the actors against a stubborn and still immature Cameron, who from then on would learn to relate better to his crew. During filming, when a young actor was struggling with some scenes, the actress told the director, after hearing him yell at his colleague, "When you yell at an actor, you yell at all of us, so try to understand that what he's doing is really difficult. Maybe try shooting something else while he gets used to doing things your way." This episode, Weaver continues, not only convinced Cameron to take a break, but also helped establish a more stable and productive working environment, based on tutelage rather than authoritarianism.
Reflecting on the workload and pressure Cameron faced in those years, managing such a young group of actors and such a major production, Weaver also stated how the director has become much more mature and skilled at managing human relationships over time: "He's a good guy. I really think Jim has become more balanced."
And highlighting his light-hearted, humorous side, which usually emerged during off-set dinners, he added: “He wasn’t like that during filming. He was incredibly funny and witty. I can understand why he couldn’t express himself the way he wanted to during Aliens, because it was a difficult set, especially for him.”
Die-hard Alien fans were treated to a reunion with "Alien: Planet Earth," the television spinoff created in collaboration with FX and Disney Entertainment Television, set years before the events of Scott's original film. After an unexpected cliffhanger in the final episode, creator Noah Hawley confirmed that the show will continue with a second season, which will begin filming in London this year. Following the announcement, FX president John Landgraf said: "It's a tremendous privilege to have worked with Noah for over a decade on some of FX's most important and beloved series, and we're thrilled to extend our partnership into the future. Noah never ceases to amaze us with his truly original stories, and his unique ability to bring them vibrantly to life as a director, producer, and writer is extraordinary. We can't wait to get started on the next season of Alien: Planet Earth and other equally exciting future projects currently in advanced development."
Regarding the series "Alien: Planet Earth," Weaver has made no secret of her difficulty following the episodes, shocked by the sight of the horrendous monstrosities that populate the setting. She confessed in a past interview: "I'm watching it like a normal person. I have to schedule a meeting with my husband because I don't want to watch it alone, in case one of those creatures pops off the screen. So we have to organize ourselves. I'm behind on my viewing, but what I've seen is fascinating."
Praising the work of her colleague Noah Hawley, she added: “I admired Noah’s work on Fargo, and I was curious to see what he would do with this world. And what I admire is that it’s not about aliens. It’s about the world we’ll be living in 100 years from now. I think the scope is much bigger than an Alien project. It’s much more about our world, about what’s going to happen, about what’s going to matter, about the role of greed. It’s exploded some of the themes that have always been part of the Alien saga, and I think it’s beautifully acted and executed. I can’t believe it’s television, really.”
