While theAlienfranchise largely focuses on Ellen Ripley’s endless vendetta against the Xenomorph, the chest-busting, acid-spitting extraterrestrial menace has taken out entire space crews over the course of its cinematic lifespan. Some of its victims have been rather forgettable, but among the various missions in theAlienmovies, there have also been a number of memorable and endearing supporting characters.
Ridley Scott’s originalAlienin 1979 and James Cameron’s lauded sequel,Aliens, are regarded among thefinest sci-fi horror movies of all time, but the franchise hasn’t always had it easy. Between Fincher’s much-maligned threequel, the chaoticAlien: Resurrection, and Scott’s highly divisive prequels,PrometheusandCovenant,Alien-enjoyers have had to endure drastic changes to canon, a couple of Ripley rebirths, and controversial Xenomorph mash-ups. One thing’s for sure, though, each and every one of the installments in the series, including the latest,Alien: Romulus, offer up lots of fun and plenty of talking points.
This list obviously excludes anyone considered a lead character (including David), and also rules out the Xenomorph due to the creature’s prominent role across the franchise.
Ripley may be the star of the show, and one of thebest final girlsyou could wish for, but who are the best supporting characters in theAlienfranchise that have helped (or hindered) her along the way? Ahead of the release ofAlien: Earth, take a dive into the history of the whole Xenomorph saga and see who makes the cut.
10Kay
Alien Romulus (2024)
Alien: Romulusmight not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you simply cannot deny that Fede Alvarez took the story to weird and wonderful places with theAlien: Romulusending, namely the birth of the Offspring. We wouldn’t have that moment were it not for Kay, one of the most importantAlien: Romuluscharacters.
Kay is a really endearing supporting character because, once we learn about her pregnancy, it is abundantly clear why she is embarking on this reckless mission to escape LV-410. As a result,Kay ends up being one of the Xenomorph’s most tragic victims.
9Tennessee Faris
Alien Covenant (2017)
TheAlienfranchise doesn’t always have to be extremely serious and heavy, and proof of that is in Danny McBride’s Tennessee. He offers moments of genuine levity inAlien Covenant, which is rather fitting considering his roots in the comedy genre and his general warm screen presence.
But, that’s not to say that Tennessee doesn’t have his poignant moments as part of the Covenant crew. In fact, when his wife, Maggie, is left to fend off the onslaught of the Xenomorph and Faris can do nothing about it, it’s an incredibly emotional scene, and shows the depth of his character.
8Jonathan Clemens
Alien 3 (1992)
Say what you will aboutAlien 3, but setting the film in a high-security prison was a genius move, and Fiorina 161’s Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Clemens, is the embodiment of the moral conflict at the heart of Fincher’s movie. Well-meaning as he may be,viewers simply cannot trust Clemens given his background, and that makes him a fascinating character. A large part of what makes the character work, though, is down to the performance of Charles Dance. The esteemed actor brings such a gravitas to the role, and it’s just a shame he dies so swiftly.
7Janek
Prometheus (2012)
Prometheusmay have divided the fanbase, but it’s actually one of the more interesting and arguably one of thebest Ridley Scott moviesof the modern era. It’s true that there’splenty aboutPrometheusthat doesn’t make sense with the rest of the franchise, but it’s packed with stunning visual, and a brilliant ensemble cast, with one of the highlights here being Janek, the captain of the Prometheus and a welcome voice of reason within the film.
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Idris Elba’s Janek is typically charismatic, has a gruff and gritty edge, and he’s a bold and brave pilot, too. Ultimately, his efforts incrashing the Prometheus into the Engineer’s ship prevents Earth from being subjected to the dangerous black substancewhich is key to the Xenomorph’s evolution. For that alone, he’s a hero, and one of the best supporting characters in theAlienfranchise.
6Samuel Brett
Alien (1979)
If we’re talking about ensemble casts, the originalAlienis by far the best, boasting the likes of John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Harry Dean Stanton. His character, the mellow and placidBrett offers the perfect juxtaposition to the chaos and carnage taking place on board the Nostromo.
It’s not exactly something to brag about, but Brett was the very first victim of the Xenomorph when it comes to what we see on screen in theAlienfranchise. The sad thing is, he was just trying to find his cat. If only Jones didn’t wander off so much, Brett might have survived, earning himself a bigger role in the remainder of the story.
5Thomas Kane
From one member of the Nostromo to another, Kane also has an unenviable honor: he is the first to be affected by the facehuggers. This infection leads to not only themost iconic scene in theAlienfranchise, but perhaps even the most shocking in science fiction cinema history, as Kane tucks into breakfast and ends up busting his guts all over the table.
Played by the inimitable John Hurt, Kane is such an amiable and inquisitive soul, but it is this curiosity that becomes his downfall as he is punished for investigating the mysterious pods on Acheron. It says a lot about Hurt’s talents that he can play such a calming presence, before so convincingly depicting a man suffering the agony of an alien lifeform bursting out of his chest.
4Private William Hudson
Aliens (1986)
It was always going to be difficult for theAlienscast to live up to the standards set by the original crew, but Bill Paxton certainly rose to the challenge. As Private William Hudson, Paxton brings a wildly entertaining and erratic energy, which is actually the exact kind of panic you’d expect someone facing annihilation at the hands of an alien terror to behave.
Aliensis definitely not a funny film by any means, but Paxton’s line delivery throughout is unintentionally hilarious. It may not be particularly subtle, but it’s among thebest performances in any James Cameron movie, and he genuinely steals the show from Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley when he’s on screen inAliens.
3Ash
Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986)
The Xenomorph may be the overarching villains of theAlienfranchise, but the moment Ash’s true intentions are revealed in Ridley Scott’s first movie is just as spine-chilling as anything the space monsters have ever done.Ian Holm plays the android with such frightening apathy and clinical precisionthat it’s impossible to really get a read on him, as the crew of the Nostromo learn all too late.
In a movie filled with so many shocking and gory scenes, it’s telling of the quality of Ash’s character arc that his beheading and subsequent explosion of milk-like liquid is one of the most disgusting of all. It’s just a shame that the character’s legacy was tarnished with theintroduction of Rook inAlien: Romulus, with the latest android taking on the appearance of Ash in a messy CGI recreation of Holm’s likeness.
2Bishop
In complete contrast to the villainous Ash,Aliensintroduces us to Bishop, a far more benevolent and cooperative android. He may still have that same matter-of-fact manner and unnerving exactness, butthere is an underlying warmth and sense of trustworthiness in Bishop, and a lot of that is down to Lance Henriksen’s brilliant performance.
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He’s an incredible ally to Ripley throughoutAliens, and his sacrifice at the end of the movie is one of the more uplifting moments in the whole franchise. After the more snivelling and cowardly demise of Ash before him, it’s interesting to see an android becoming more bold and ruthless. This aspect of the character also helps to elevate the action, where Bishop plays a key role.
1Andy
Before the release ofAlien: Romulus, Bishop would be the undisputed number one when it comes to Alien’s androids and indeed the supporting characters in the franchise. However, Andy was a real highlight of the Fede Alvarez movie, with this new version of Weyland-Yutani’s robotic creations delivering an uncanny reflection of the tenderness and vulnerability of mankind.
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Through his glitches and reprogramming,Andy’s primary directiveis overwritten by Rain, though this is more down to his immense emotional connection to his adopted sister than any technical trickery, and that’s testament to the rich nuance the character is given. Deeper than that, the credit has to go to David Jonsson, who imbues Andy with such an endearing charm and gives the audience an unlikely hero to root for.
He may be the most recent addition to theAlienfranchise, but Andy will live long in our programming as the most impactful and best supporting character to have ever faced the Xenomorph. Now, we just need to see more of him inAlien: Romulus 2, as we find out what he and Rain discover on their journey to Yvaga.
Alien
The Alien franchise, which began with Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, is a Sci-Fi series comprised of several horror films, games, and comic books centered on humanity’s encounters with a hostile extraterrestrial species known as Xenomorphs. Characterized by their lethal prowess and capability to reproduce at an alarming rate, these creatures pose a profound threat to human existence. The primary series protagonist, Ellen Ripley, acts as the voice of reason as she seeks to keep the creatures out of the hands of greed-driven corporate scientists.
