‘Alien: Romulus’ actors battled lifelike creatures to bring the film back to its horror roots

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) — While filming “Alien: Romulus,” Cailee Spaeny didn’t have to dig too deep to muster up sheer terror. She was often facing off against real creatures on set — or as close to real as they could get.

Under director Fede Álvarez, a prominent horror filmmaker, the actors played opposite animatronic and puppet alien creatures, including the famed “face huggers” and the dreaded xenomorph.

“From an acting standpoint, it’s such a gift because you’re not having to act against a tennis ball, so it’s right there. There’s less work you have to do,” Spaeny said in a recent interview.

Spaeny said using practical effects whenever possible was a priority for Álvarez from the beginning of the film’s production.