Ridley Scott’s Alien is a sci-fi horror classic that still holds up today. What could’ve been a phoned-in B-movie turned out to be a timeless masterpiece. More than four decades later, H.R. Giger’s otherworldly designs are still just as haunting, Jerry Goldsmith’s experimental soundscape creates an eerie atmosphere, and iconic moments like the chestburster haven’t lost any of their impact.
Scott made Alien in the ‘70s with such beloved stars as Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, and Yaphet Kotto. If the script had sat around on a shelf at 20th Century Fox until the ‘90s, these actors might have been cast in their place.
Drew Barrymore As Ripley
Sigourney Weaver broke new ground for female action heroes with the role of Ellen Ripley in Alien. Like Sarah Connor in The Terminator, Ripley is an everywoman at the beginning of the movie and transforms into a bonafide badass in time for a showdown with the monster.
Drew Barrymore became a huge star in ‘90s romcoms like The Wedding Singer and Never Been Kissed. Viewers of a ‘90s-era Alien would’ve related to Barrymore’s Ripley and rooted for her in the final standoff with the xenomorph. A sci-fi horror movie could’ve expanded Barrymore’s reach and opened her up to more genre work.
Will Smith As Dallas
After making waves with his rap career and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air TV series, Will Smith became one of the biggest movie stars in the world throughout the ‘90s. He made his name specifically in the sci-fi genre with hits like Independence Day and Men in Black.
Tom Skerritt played Alien’s Dallas as the amiable leader keeping the crew of the Nostromo together. If the movie had been made in the ‘90s, casting Smith as the charming rogue to lead the crew would be a no-brainer.
John Leguizamo As Kane
John Hurt brought a real warmth to Kane in the opening scenes of Alien, which made his gruesome midpoint death all the more shocking and heartbreaking. In the ‘90s, John Leguizamo could’ve brought the same genial energy (and a healthy dose of humor) to the unfortunately doomed character.
With roles in Carlito’s Way, Romeo + Juliet, and Summer of Sam, Leguizamo proved in the ‘90s that he was a rare standup comedian with real range as a dramatic actor.
Winona Ryder As Lambert
Lambert is the navigator of the Nostromo and the only woman on the ship besides Ripley. In the 1979 original, she’s one of the last crew members to go, and thanks to Veronica Cartwright’s affable performance, the audience wants her to survive to the end (unfortunately, she falls just short).
In the ‘90s, when movies like Edward Scissorhands and Girl, Interrupted had made her a big name, Winona Ryder appeared alongside Sigourney Weaver in Alien: Resurrection. If the first movie wasn’t made until then, Ryder could’ve played Lambert instead.
Al Pacino As Brett
Brett is the first poor soul to be devoured by the fully grown xenomorph towering over him. Harry Dean Stanton gives a wonderfully understated performance, playing Brett as the older, more seasoned, more grizzled member of the crew.
In the 1990s, this role could’ve been filled by Al Pacino, fresh off his long-overdue Oscar win for Scent of a Woman. Pacino would’ve brought the same veteran edge to the ensemble that Stanton brought to the 1979 original.
Edward Norton As Ash
Ian Holm gave an unforgettably unnerving turn as Ash in the original Alien movie. Halfway through the movie, he’s revealed to be an android ordered to protect the xenomorph, even if it means allowing his human crewmates to die.
This role necessitated a very specific kind of actor — somebody the audience can trust in the first half of the movie, but can also indulge in the character’s unsettling dark side after the twist reveal. From Fight Club to Primal Fear, Edward Norton walked this line beautifully in a bunch of classic ‘90s thrillers.
Jodie Foster As The Voice Of “Mother”
The ship’s computer “Mother” isn’t the most crucial role in Alien, but the character does round out the movie’s futuristic worldbuilding and allows for easy exposition about the Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s sinister intentions and their belief that the crew of the Nostromo is expendable.
Like the original voice actor, Helen Horton, this role requires a voice that the crew — and the audience — can trust. After her Oscar-winning turn as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs, ‘90s audiences fell in love with Jodie Foster.
Samuel L. Jackson As Parker
Parker is as cool as ice, but he’s always got his crewmates’ back. In the original movie, he was played brilliantly by Yaphet Kotto, who brought real likability to the role. In the ‘90s, this part could’ve been played by Samuel L. Jackson instead.
After playing minor roles in Goodfellas and Jurassic Park, Jackson became a screen legend overnight with his iconic Oscar-nominated supporting turn in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Jackson’s smooth charms could’ve endeared audiences to Parker the same way Kotto did in the original movie.