‘Alien: Romulus’ Movement Coordinator Breaks Down Training the Actor Behind the Xenomorph

In the world of movies, where every action tells a story, having someone who specializes in guiding actors’ movements is essential. Movement coordinator Alain Gauthier is known for his work on big films like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Alien: Romulus. In a talk with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, Gauthier shared insights into his approach, drawing from various techniques and experiences.

Gauthier’s feature film journey started with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, where he helped actors like Owen Teague and Kevin Durand with their movements. He explained that physical acting involves using different methods to help actors understand their bodies better. Techniques like Feldenkrais and Jacques Lecoq are part of this process.

“There’s a lot of techniques out there. What happens in physical acting is that you gather different movement techniques. The basis of it is you want somebody to guide you through becoming aware of your body. So, you’ll go through Feldenkrais, you’ll go through even some Jacques Lecoq from France. There’s a lot of different techniques. Usually, it’s a choice of elements that exist.

“To me, they go back 1,500 years with Shaolin monks,” Gauthier explained. “But anything that works to get somebody to be in their body and to be conscious is an asset because then you realize that your psychological character, the persona you’re creating here in your mind, has a reflection. The body doesn’t lie, and if you’re not in the body, the body might actually not be doing what you’re thinking it’s doing.”

Gauthier believes that the body communicates truths that words might not express. For instance, he noted how the direction someone looks while talking can reveal if they’re being honest or not. He emphasized that our bodies react before our minds do, which is why it’s crucial for actors to be aware of their physical presence.

“Actually, the head, the you who thinks, the you who is in control of this, is the last one to get the memo. Your body is already reading me as I speak to you before the words come out of my mouth. It’s in my eyes. They’re called mirror neurons — they focus — and all animals have this quality. It’s really extraordinary. And so what’s important to remember is that you don’t ignore the body.”

Training a Xenomorph to Move Like a Real Creature

In Alien: Romulus, Gauthier faced a new challenge: preparing an actor to play a towering Xenomorph. He used his expertise to train the actor intensely, focusing on every detail of movement. He explained:

“Wow, that was an experience. I really loved every moment of it. I had to prepare a gentleman who’s 7’7” and is seriously crippled. He has really serious impediments, and in physical acting, you always use what you have as an asset, and we went that way. The company that designed the whole costume for him did such an incredible job, and he totally surrendered to my work in the body and just awakened. Six weeks later,
he’s on set and people are mesmerized by how incredible he is, going, ‘My god.’ He was not an actor; he had never acted before.
And so, I started with the body and then we went to the voice, and to, ‘What is the character? Where is he going? What’s the persona?’ But we started with the body and built it from what he had to offer, and it became just the perfect creature for that moment.”

As Alien: Romulus gets ready for release, Gauthier’s work highlights the significance of movement in filmmaking. His dedication to helping actors embody their roles authentically continues to make an impact on the industry. Stay tuned for Nemiroff’s full conversation with Gauthier, Kevin Durand, and Owen Teague.

Alien: Romulus opens in theaters on August 16.

Alien: Romulus

Sci-Fi

Horror

Young people from a distant world must face the most terrifying life form in the universe.

Release Date

August 16, 2024

Director

Fede Alvarez

Cast

Cailee Spaeny , Isabela Merced , David Jonsson , Archie Renaux , Spike Fearn , Aileen Wu

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Writers

Fede Alvarez , Rodo Sayagues

Studio(s)

Scott Free Productions

Distributor(s)

20th Century Studios