Today Alien: Romulus became available to own on digital and demand so what better time than now to share our exclusive interview with Trevor Newlin - the man who portrayed the Scorched Xenomorph in Alien: Romulus! Trevor was kind enough to answer some questions for us about his time working on Romulus; what it was like to wear the iconic Xenomorph suit, challenges on set, most memorable moments and more! Read on for our conversation with Trevor and let us know what you think in the comments!
Scified: How many days did it take for you to complete all your scenes?
Trevor Newlin: I was on set for 44 days total. My shooting days were mixed in throughout that time. Depending on what was going to be shot on the day and what Fede wanted to use for the scene.
Scified: Was the Xenomorph suit comfortable?
Trevor: The suit was pretty comfortable. It felt a lot like a scuba suit. The head was the heaviest part. I think it weighed about 12 pounds and the length of course as well was something that I had to get used to wearing. Overall though the suit was nice, it did get a little toasty sometimes, but they kept me cool haha.
What was your most memorable moment on set?
The most memorable moment for me was filming the Cocoon sequence where Kay (Isabela Merced and Bjorn (Spike Fearn) discover the Xenomorph.
Were there any stunts or performances that you found particularly challenging?
The Cocoon sequence was definitely the most challenging due to the fact I was upside down and I had no vision.
What was your favorite moment working on Alien: Romulus?
My favorite moment was seeing the fully practical sets, working with Fede, the cast, and Legacy Effects. Also Budapest is gorgeous and the people were wonderful. Favorite moments I guess haha.
What kind of direction did Fede give you while performing as the Xenomorph? The Xenomorph has been portrayed differently throughout its various incarnations but in Alien: Romulus the Xenomorph movements mimicked those of the Xenomorph in the first film instead of the insect-like "bugs" portrayed in subsequent installments. Was this intentional?
Fede along with Legacy Effects were instrumental in creating the movement of the Xenomorph. I remember Fede always saying to “keep the creature alive” even when I wasn’t moving around. He also gave me the note of having the Xeno move like a cat stalking its prey which you can see translates in a number of scenes in the film. It was intentional that Fede wanted to capture what made the Xenomorph terrifying in the first film and also blend that with its quicker movements you see in Aliens and the rest of the franchise.
Have you seen all of the Alien films?
I have seen all of them, except for the AVP films. I have seen parts of those though.
Were there any specific Xenomorph suit acting performances that you personally drew inspiration from or stood out to you? Which film / moments influenced your portrayal the most?
Balaji Badejo,and Tom Woodruff Jr. are who I looked at mostly when I was doing research. I wanted to bring that beautiful haunting movement Badejo used to bring the Xenomorph to life in the original film and pair that with the quicker movements Tom brought to the Xeno in the later films. I would say the biggest moment that influenced me was when Brett encountered the Alien for the first time in the original film. It is such an iconic moment in cinema and the Cocoon sequence in Romulus definitely pays homage to that moment. I also took a lot of inspiration from Stompy the Xenomorph in the video game Alien Isolation. I knew Fede used Isolation as an inspiration for parts of Romulus and I wanted to explore what made Stompy such an iconic video game monster. I watched documentaries on Youtube about the game and how Stompy was designed and took inspiration from the way they built his movement as well.
How many different suits did you have to wear?
I wore two different full suits. The first suit is the one that comes out of the cocoon the subadult which had some blood on it and then Scorched when he is a fully grown adult Xenomorph. I also wore a mocap suit for certain shots.
Compared to previous work, how did your time on Romulus compare?
Romulus was my first ever feature film and it was incredible. Having the opportunity to work with legends in the industry on a franchise that is loved by millions was amazing! I learned a lot from the experience and I am forever grateful to have been a part of this film.
Would you like to portray the Xenomorph again future installments?
Absolutely!
Did you get keep any souvenirs from the Alien: Romulus set?
I have the sign that was on my tent, a finger from one of the blown up Xeno’s, a piece of the hive, and a container from the lab.
After watching Alien: Romulus, what was your favorite scene from the film?
I think it has to be the Cryo chamber scene when the face huggers are first discovered. It captures the horror and suspense of the film perfectly, and the fact that it was all practical just makes it even better.
What's next for you? Can you share what other projects you're currently involved in or will be involved in soon?
I have a film coming to theaters later this year and one next year as well! Can’t say what they are yet, but super excited for everyone to see them. I also am working on a few more films currently playing different creatures.
Another iconic Alien creature that benefits greatly from practical effects and man-in-suit acting is the infamous Predator. A new Predator film is currently in development. Is that a role you would ever be interested in portraying as well?
I definitely would be interested. My buddy Dane DiLiegro did an incredible job in Prey. It would be awesome if they did another AVP and we had the chance to fight it out haha. That’d be super cool! Will see what happens.
Finally, what's your favorite Alien film and why?
My favorite Alien film is Alien. I watched it at the Egyptian recently in 35mm and it still looks incredible. I truly believe practical when done right can hold up forever and this film is the perfect example. The sets still look amazing. The cast is a group you are rooting for and you care about everyone. The Alien is something that hadn’t been seen in cinemas before and has become one of the most iconic creatures in film. I think that all of these things combined with the direction of Ridley Scott and the influence from HR Giger make Alien the best Alien film in the franchise.
Once again, a huge thank you to Trevor for taking the time to speak to us! Check back soon for more Alien: Romulus interviews!
More Alien Movie Universe News & Articles
Now that Alien: Romulus is out, discuss the film with other Alien fans in the Alien: Romulus forums here.
Visit the Alien: Earth TV Series forums to browse topics about the upcoming TV series by Noah Hawley as well! Got news for the Alien: Earth TV series? You can share that, here!
