To be a child, an adult and a cyborg in one and the same body – what demands does it place on an actor? Sydney Chandler laughs.
For all roles, it's important to get to know the character before you start. So here it was scary to think about how I would get everything to work, she says to TT.
But children have a freedom that adults don't have. They react without thinking ahead. I wanted to find that energy.
Dying twelve-year-old
Her character in "Alien: Earth" is initially a twelve-year-old who is dying. Her inner life is transferred to an adult woman's body – which is also a cyborg with eternal life. She is baptized Wendy, after one of the main characters in "Peter Pan", and becomes the leader of a small gang of other cyborgs who have also been dying children. A bit like "the lost boys" from "Peter Pan".
A spaceship crashes on Earth and Wendy and her gang become part of the rescue mission. They are unaware of the horrific creatures that are on board – a story that belongs in the "Alien" universe.
I saw "Alien" as a child and it stuck with me. When I got older and saw it again, I could appreciate the technical aspects of it. I love science fiction, because it allows you to ask so many questions. You can delve into the depths of humanity. And I love the movie "Alien", it lives on for so many reasons, says Sydney Chandler.
Two years before "Alien"
Since Ridley Scott's film was released, it has gotten numerous sequels. "Alien: Earth" takes place in 2120, two years before the events in the original film. You've basically ignored the story in the two prequels that have been made and created a series that leads up to the film "Alien".
"Alien: Earth" is packed with references to JM Barrie's "Peter Pan" and the animated Disney movie. Sydney Chandler notes that the book is much darker than the movie.
It's nasty, a bit like if it were from the Brothers Grimm. It's a good framework for our series, it opened doors. I didn't know how they would get it to hang together until I saw the finished product – and it became good and a bit disturbing.
Since Wendy is a cyborg, she has eternal life. Is that something to strive for?
It's of course fun to be able to experience as much as possible. But I don't know. Would you want to have eternal life?
Age: 29 years. Lives: In Austin, Texas. Occupation: Actor. Previous roles in selection: "Skam", "Austin", "Pistol", "Don't worry darling". Current with: "Alien: Earth" which streams on Disney+ from 13/8.
