Latest news with #Ceesay
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I spoke to the stars of 'Alien: Earth' about bringing the Xenomorph to TV —and which episode they can't wait for fans to see
Full disclosure: I love 'Alien: Earth.' As a superfan of the 'Alien' franchise, it's pretty much the sci-fi show of my dreams, and I said as much in my glowing 'Alien: Earth' review. Naturally, when offered the chance to sit down with two of the show's biggest stars, Babou Ceesay and Samuel Blenkin, I leaped at the opportunity with enough enthusiasm to make a Xenomorph jump. I was particularly thrilled to speak to Ceesay and Blenkin, as their compelling characters were the standout roles in the six episodes I've seen to date. Ceesay plays Morrow, a Weyland-Yutani cyborg, obsessed with reclaiming the Xenomorph specimens taken by the rival Prodigy corporation. While Blenkin plays the Boy Kavalier, the CEO of Prodigy, a character who Blenkin describes as having an ego 'bigger than Planet Earth.' While the likes of Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant and Alex Lawther headline the show (and for the record, all three are also fantastic in their roles), throughout 'Alien: Earth,' my attention was always drawn to Morrow and Boy Kavalier, and their individual arcs totally hooked me. So when I sat down to talk to Babou Ceesay and Samuel Blenkin during a recent roundtable discussion, I was bursting with questions. Here's what we chatted about. Right off the bat, I wanted to dig into the characters of Morrow and Boy, and to understand what it was about these roles that stood out when Ceesay and Blenkin first read the scripts. 'I love my role and I love Sam's role. You know, there are two characters that are complex and ambiguous and contradictory. It's not often you get a chance to sink your teeth into material like this,' explained Ceesay. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. For me, it was the size of the ego that I got to portray; I don't normally get a chance to inhabit somebody whose ego is bigger than Planet Earth itself,' Blenkin told me. 'That was a very, very exciting prospect for me playing somebody with that much mad ego.' Blenkin also pointed out how much he enjoyed Ceesay's work as Morrow: 'There are contradictions at the heart of those characters. I just find Morrow's quest to be more than human, but unable to go beyond his human body, it's just classic Noah [Hawley]. If you get to push and pull against those two things, it's very satisfying to turn up to work every day.' As somebody who ranks 1979's 'Alien' as their favorite movie of all time, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I was more than a little bit jealous of the cast getting to step onto the show's practical sets that look straight out of the very first Xenomorph's big screen appearance. Talking about their reaction to seeing the incredible sets for the first time, Ceesay said, 'Walking onto the set of the Maginot, and of course, it's the Nostromo, you can't help it but get goose bumps running down your body, just chills, even as I'm saying it now, but everybody, including Noah, became a kid.' You're walking around, and you're touching things, as you're pressing buttons and doors are sliding open and you're walking into other rooms, and after a very short space of time, you forget you're in a studio. You feel like you're on a ship.' 'It wasn't just little sets that they needed for specific shots. They just made the whole thing, and the level of detail was insane,' added Blenkin. One of my slight concerns ahead of watching 'Alien: Earth' for myself was that it would be merely an 'Alien' movie stretched over a longer runtime. It is fair to say that fear was quickly alleviated within the first episode, so I wanted to ask Ceesay and Blenkin how they believe 'Earth' sets itself apart from the numerous feature films that have come before it. 'Noah has an amazing ability to write really compelling character arcs and storylines that can expand,' explained Blenkin. 'I think he's a really great writer in the sense of his ability to continually up the stakes or develop a situation. I think that's kind of just what great storytelling is made up of. You get one situation, and then it develops into this and what happens next?' 'It definitely doesn't feel like an eight-hour-long Alien movie,' said Ceesay. 'It feels like its own thing. And of course, that's scary. You don't know if that's going to land, but then when people start to tell you, 'Hey, we're enjoying this,' you go, okay, good. We're on the right track.' Finally, and with my allotted time rapidly running out, I was eager to ask Ceesay and Blenkin which episode they couldn't wait for fans to watch in the weeks ahead. And the answer was surprisingly unanimous. 'I'm interested to see how [fans] respond to episode five,' said Ceesay. 'Yeah, it's exceptionally good,' added Blenkin, also noting that 'episode eight is pretty mental.' This final word certainly got me very excited to see the conclusion of the series for myself. But with episodes rolling out weekly starting August 12 on FX and Hulu (or Disney Plus in the U.K.), we've got a little while yet until we see exactly how 'mental' things get in the closing chapter.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Alien: Earth cast spill on 'sweetest vegan' cast as horror series' new Xenomorph
Alien: Earth cast lift lid on 'sweetest vegan in the world' cast as sci-fi horror's new Xenomorph The cast of the new Alien TV series, Alien: Earth, have admitted that they couldn't help but giggle at the man inside the iconic Xenomorph suit on set The cast of Alien: Earth have disclosed that the performer behind the legendary Xenomorph costume was far from menacing when the cameras stopped rolling. Crafted by acclaimed Fargo creator Noah Hawley, this fresh FX series launches this week on Disney+ across the UK, functioning as a prequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 science fiction horror masterpiece. The show's diverse ensemble features both emerging talent and established performers, including Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther and Babou Ceesay. Naturally, no instalment in the Alien saga would be complete without the spine-chilling extraterrestrial creatures, and Hawley has stressed a commitment to authentic practical effects to deliver the terror. During a preview at Alien: Earth's London premiere, the cast disclosed that performer Cameron Brown was predominantly housed within the classic dark costume that has been petrifying audiences for more than four decades, reports the Mirror. The terrifying sci-fi horror franchise returns this week (Image: FX) "It was Cameron Brown, who's a vegan," Ceesay revealed. "Dressed in an eight-foot suit. "Snarling in your face, K-Y jelly dripping out of his mouth. Yeah, scary." Nevertheless, Ceesay and his fellow cast members couldn't suppress their laughter whilst fondly recalling their experiences with Brown during filming. Lawther remarked: "It's really easy to run away scared from a Xenomorph when it's really a man who's a Xenomorph chasing you." The performers also disclosed that their alien-costumed colleague would regularly pause for snacks of carrot sticks and hummus, creating a sharp contrast to his carnivorous on-screen character. During a panel discussion at Comic-Con's Hall H, lead actress Chandler previously confessed she was "giddy" to be pursued by a Xenomorph, describing Brown as "the sweetest person in the world", according to GoldDerby. Lawther concurred at the time: "There's something hysterical about the fearsomeness of the Xenomorph, but then he takes off his head, and he's from New Zealand, and he doesn't eat meat. "If you think me and Sydney are soft-spoken, just wait till you meet the Xenomorph." Actor Cameron Brown was inside the Xenomorph for the new FX series (Image: FX) Watch Alien: Earth on Disney+ with two months free This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more From £89.90 Disney+ Get Disney+ here Product Description Sign up to Disney+'s annual Standard or Premium plan and get the equivalent of two months free. Avoid surprise price hikes by locking in your subscription costs for a year and stream hundreds of beloved films and hit shows, such as Alien: Earth from 13th August. Devoted enthusiasts of the original film by director Ridley Scott, along with its later sequels, will be delighted to learn that Hawley utilised practical effects and sets wherever possible. Expanding on the benefits of practical techniques over CGI, he said: "I think it's meaningful, both to the cast and, I think audiences know when something's real or not real. "We've gotten very good at tricking them, but, usually, what you need is some realistic element in the shot. "The thing with horror is your imagination does most of the work for you, so you don't want to see the monster for too long. You want to see the shadows, you want to see the open door. "The shot is half a second and you've got a tail on a fishing line and that's probably gonna work, you know what I mean?" Critics are claiming the Alien franchise is stronger than ever with the fresh TV prequel, but will it convince fans who believe the Xenomorphs should have remained in space? Find out soon. Alien: Earth premieres Wednesday, 13th August on Disney+. For a limited time only, witness the first stage of the life cycle of the Xenomorph up close with a thrilling new display at London's Natural History Museum. Article continues below Visitors can touch real pieces of the solar system at the Museum's blockbuster exhibition, Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?, and discover more about one of pop culture's most iconic and frightening creatures just by the entrance until Friday, 22nd August.
Los Angeles Times
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Go behind the scenes with the ‘Alien: Earth' cast at Comic-Con 2025
SAN DIEGO — Sydney Chandler has wanted to attend San Diego Comic-Con as a fan for years. So it's 'surreal' that the actor's first experience with the annual pop culture expo is to promote her upcoming FX series 'Alien: Earth.' Chandler stars in the 'Alien' prequel as Wendy, a young girl whose consciousness has been transferred to an android. 'To be able to do it in this capacity is just mind-blowing,' she tells The Times in advance of the show's Hall H premiere on Friday. 'It's emotional because we worked on this for so long and I learned so much. … I'm kind of at a loss of words.' She does have words of appreciation, though, including for what she's learned from her character. 'Her journey of finding out how to hold her own and stand on her own two feet taught me so much,' says Chandler. 'I'm an overthinker. I'm an anxious person. I would have run so fast. I would not be as brave as her, but she taught me … that it's OK to just stand on your own two feet, and that's enough. That's powerful.' Even before the show's Hall H panel, fans have gathered on the sidewalk outside of the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego to catch a glimpse of Chandler and her 'Alien: Earth' cast mates Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin and Babou Ceesay, along with creator Noah Hawley and executive producer David Zucker, on their short trek to the bus that would transport them to the convention center for the show's world premiere. On the ride over, Hawley betrays no nerves about people seeing the first episode. 'I really think, in a strange way, it plays for all ages because it is about growing up on some level,' says the showrunner. 'But it's also 'Alien,' and it is a meditation on power and corporate power. ' Huddled together on the bus with Lawther and Blenkin, Ceesay is surprised to learn that this is the first time attending San Diego Comic-Con for all three. There's plenty of good-natured ribbing as they talk about the early interviews they've completed at the event. 'I just sort of want to make jokes with you all the time,' says Lawther as he looks towards his cast mates. 'I find it quite giddy in the experience, and I had to remind myself that I'm a professional.' 'Sometimes the British sarcasm instinct just kicks in,' Blenkin adds. Their playful dynamic continues as they joke about crashing Ceesay's other panel, and also backstage at Hall H as they try to sneak up on each other in the dark. After the panel, the cast is whisked away for video interviews and signing posters at a fan meet-and-greet at a booth on the exhibit floor. ('Timothy, you're the man!' shouts a fan passing by.) Later, Hawley, Chandler and Ceesay will hit the immersive 'Alien: Earth' activation where they will explore the wreckage of a crashed ship. 'It's such a safe space for people who just enjoy cinema and enjoy film,' Chandler says of Comic-Con. 'And that's me. I'm a complete nerd for all this stuff, so just to be around that group — it reminds me of why I love film so much in the first place.'
Nahar Net
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Beijing ups diplomatic pressure on Africa as the US pulls back
by Naharnet Newsdesk 09 April 2025, 11:54 Chinese diplomats threatened to cancel a summit and called top officials in two African countries to pressure lawmakers to quit an international parliamentary group critical of China, officials from the group told The Associated Press. It's an example of how far China will go to influence politicians overseas, and how that pressure can succeed behind closed doors. In the past year, lawmakers from Malawi and Gambia withdrew from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, or IPAC, a group of hundreds of lawmakers from 38 countries concerned about how democracies approach Beijing, according to letters, messages and voice recordings obtained by The Associated Press. Founded in 2020, the group has coordinated sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and rallied support for Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island Beijing claims as its territory. African politicians and experts say it's an escalation of Chinese diplomatic pressure in Africa, where Beijing's influence is growing. Beijing has built deep ties with African leaders by developing mines and building infrastructure through state-owned construction companies, often funded by loans from state-owned banks. The pressure is also part of Beijing's longstanding effort to influence groups and lawmakers across the world, including in New York state, where a former governor's aide faces charges for acting as an agent for the Chinese government. 'Very shocking news' In January, Gambian lawmaker Abdoulie Ceesay sent a voice message to an IPAC staffer saying the Chinese government had complained to the Gambian foreign ministry about his membership. "We have very shocking news … it's a problem right now," Ceesay said in the recording, which IPAC provided to AP. "The president is not happy with us at all." Later the same month, Ceesay and fellow lawmaker Amadou Camara informed the alliance they were withdrawing. Ceesay told IPAC in a written message that his decision was "not influenced by the Chinese embassy," a position Ceesay reiterated when contacted by AP. Gambia's information minister said he was unaware of any attempt by China to influence his country's politicians. "They decided on their own behalf to opt out of IPAC after realizing it goes against the government's bilateral (relationship) with China," said the minister, Ismaila Ceesay, who is not related to Abdoulie Ceesay. The Chinese government has targeted lawmakers over the alliance before. Beijing has sanctioned some members and last year, lawmakers from at least six countries were pressured by Chinese diplomats not to attend the group's summit in Taiwan. Kenyan lawmakers cancelled their plans to attend but stayed in the alliance. The group was also targeted by Chinese state-sponsored hackers in 2021, according to a U.S. indictment. "Foreign legislators are being bullied out of a free alliance between them and other politicians," said IPAC head Luke de Pulford. "This is clearly a result of Chinese pressure." In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused IPAC of "smearing China" and said that "China has never engaged in coercive diplomacy." But a Malawian lawmaker, Ephraim Abel Kayembe, told an IPAC staffer he had been contacted by the speaker of the Malawian National Assembly shortly after he and another lawmaker joined the group at last year's Taiwan summit, according to the staffer. The staffer declined to be named for fear of damage to their relations with other politicians. The speaker told Kayembe the Chinese government had threatened to cancel the president's upcoming visit to Beijing for a regional summit and meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to IPAC head de Pulford, programs director Tom Fraser and the person who spoke directly to Kayembe. Less than two weeks after the summit, the two Malawian lawmakers said they were withdrawing. Kayembe said in a letter to IPAC that he had been tricked into joining. "I want to extend my sincere apology to the People's Republic of China," Kayembe wrote in the Aug. 7 letter. When contacted by AP, Kayembe denied being coerced by the Malawi or Chinese governments, writing in an email that he withdrew because the alliance appeared "aimed at achieving geopolitical intentions against China." Malawi's government did not respond to a request for comment. Shifting alliances For decades, Beijing has cultivated ties with African governments, seeking diplomatic partners and access to natural resources. Many African leaders have welcomed Beijing's presence since it brings much-needed capital and construction expertise that can contribute to economic growth and development. Critics say China strikes secretive, sometimes corrupt deals with African leaders that mainly benefit Chinese companies and workers brought in to build mines, bridges and railways. "China has been investing and being present in African countries when many countries were not willing to come," said Christian-Geraud Neema, Africa editor of the China Global South Project, an independent research group. Chinese leaders have repeatedly promised not to interfere in the internal affairs of African countries, saying there are "no political strings attached" to its investment. But China has pressured African governments to shun Taiwan or Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, efforts that Neema says appear to be escalating. Last October, South Africa demanded that Taipei move its unofficial embassy out of the administrative capital, Pretoria, and in January, Beijing sanctioned the head of South Africa's second-largest political party for visiting Taiwan. Moves like these mirror efforts China has made against governments elsewhere in the past. Beijing blocked exports from Lithuania, for example, after the northern European country allowed Taiwan to open a trade office. But experts say the pressure against the IPAC members is unusual. Lina Benabdallah, a professor at Wake Forest University who studies China's relations with Africa, said she has never heard of China using direct coercion against African parliamentarians before. "This is very new to me," Benabdallah said. Zimbabwe lawmaker and IPAC member Daniel Molokele said he expects to see more coercive behavior from Beijing, especially as the Trump administration pulls back from Africa. "I expect China to benefit," Molokele said. "It will definitely use this opportunity to grow its influence in Africa."
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beijing ups diplomatic pressure on Africa as the US pulls back
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese diplomats threatened to cancel a summit and called top officials in two African countries to pressure lawmakers to quit an international parliamentary group critical of China, officials from the group told The Associated Press. It's an example of how far China will go to influence politicians overseas, and how that pressure can succeed behind closed doors. In the past year, lawmakers from Malawi and Gambia withdrew from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, or IPAC, a group of hundreds of lawmakers from 38 countries concerned about how democracies approach Beijing, according to letters, messages and voice recordings obtained by The Associated Press. Founded in 2020, the group has coordinated sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and rallied support for Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island Beijing claims as its territory. African politicians and experts say it's an escalation of Chinese diplomatic pressure in Africa, where Beijing's influence is growing. Beijing has built deep ties with African leaders by developing mines and building infrastructure through state-owned construction companies, often funded by loans from state-owned banks. The pressure is also part of Beijing's longstanding effort to influence groups and lawmakers across the world, including in New York state, where a former governor's aide faces charges for acting as an agent for the Chinese government. 'Very shocking news' In January, Gambian lawmaker Abdoulie Ceesay sent a voice message to an IPAC staffer saying the Chinese government had complained to the Gambian foreign ministry about his membership. 'We have very shocking news … it's a problem right now,' Ceesay said in the recording, which IPAC provided to AP. 'The president is not happy with us at all.' Later the same month, Ceesay and fellow lawmaker Amadou Camara informed the alliance they were withdrawing. Ceesay told IPAC in a written message that his decision was 'not influenced by the Chinese embassy,' a position Ceesay reiterated when contacted by AP. Gambia's information minister said he was unaware of any attempt by China to influence his country's politicians. 'They decided on their own behalf to opt out of IPAC after realizing it goes against the government's bilateral (relationship) with China,' said the minister, Ismaila Ceesay, who is not related to Abdoulie Ceesay. The Chinese government has targeted lawmakers over the alliance before. Beijing has sanctioned some members and last year, lawmakers from at least six countries were pressured by Chinese diplomats not to attend the group's summit in Taiwan. Kenyan lawmakers cancelled their plans to attend but stayed in the alliance. The group was also targeted by Chinese state-sponsored hackers in 2021, according to a U.S. indictment. 'Foreign legislators are being bullied out of a free alliance between them and other politicians,' said IPAC head Luke de Pulford. 'This is clearly a result of Chinese pressure.' In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused IPAC of 'smearing China" and said that 'China has never engaged in coercive diplomacy." But a Malawian lawmaker, Ephraim Abel Kayembe, told an IPAC staffer he had been contacted by the speaker of the Malawian National Assembly shortly after he and another lawmaker joined the group at last year's Taiwan summit, according to the staffer. The staffer declined to be named for fear of damage to their relations with other politicians. The speaker told Kayembe the Chinese government had threatened to cancel the president's upcoming visit to Beijing for a regional summit and meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to IPAC head de Pulford, programs director Tom Fraser and the person who spoke directly to Kayembe. Less than two weeks after the summit, the two Malawian lawmakers said they were withdrawing. Kayembe said in a letter to IPAC that he had been tricked into joining. 'I want to extend my sincere apology to the People's Republic of China,' Kayembe wrote in the Aug. 7 letter. When contacted by AP, Kayembe denied being coerced by the Malawi or Chinese governments, writing in an email that he withdrew because the alliance appeared 'aimed at achieving geopolitical intentions against China.' Malawi's government did not respond to a request for comment. Shifting alliances For decades, Beijing has cultivated ties with African governments, seeking diplomatic partners and access to natural resources. Many African leaders have welcomed Beijing's presence since it brings much-needed capital and construction expertise that can contribute to economic growth and development. Critics say China strikes secretive, sometimes corrupt deals with African leaders that mainly benefit Chinese companies and workers brought in to build mines, bridges and railways. 'China has been investing and being present in African countries when many countries were not willing to come,' said Christian-Geraud Neema, Africa editor of the China Global South Project, an independent research group. Chinese leaders have repeatedly promised not to interfere in the internal affairs of African countries, saying there are 'no political strings attached' to its investment. But China has pressured African governments to shun Taiwan or Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, efforts that Neema says appear to be escalating. Last October, South Africa demanded that Taipei move its unofficial embassy out of the administrative capital, Pretoria, and in January, Beijing sanctioned the head of South Africa's second-largest political party for visiting Taiwan. Moves like these mirror efforts China has made against governments elsewhere in the past. Beijing blocked exports from Lithuania, for example, after the northern European country allowed Taiwan to open a trade office. But experts say the pressure against the IPAC members is unusual. Lina Benabdallah, a professor at Wake Forest University who studies China's relations with Africa, said she has never heard of China using direct coercion against African parliamentarians before. 'This is very new to me,' Benabdallah said. Zimbabwe lawmaker and IPAC member Daniel Molokele said he expects to see more coercive behavior from Beijing, especially as the Trump administration pulls back from Africa. 'I expect China to benefit,' Molokele said. 'It will definitely use this opportunity to grow its influence in Africa.' ___ Abdoulie John in Serrekunda, Gambia, and Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this report.
