‘Alien: Covenant’ Made Star Katherine Waterston Nauseous: ‘My Hands Were Shaking’

As Alien: Covenant nears its theatrical debut, the Ridley Scott film is already receiving mixed reviews that are leaving loyal Alien fans wondering whether the sci-fi film is worth the trip to the movie theater. While some might already be considering a wait for the DVD and Blu-ray release, one of the Alien: Covenant stars is speaking up, gushing over the Scott-directed installment in the franchise and sharing how Ridley’s unique eye for creating frightening scenes affected her at a recent screening.

Katherine Waterston Doesn’t Hold Back About the Thrills of Alien: Covenant

Katherine Waterston is no stranger to strange new worlds, as her previous role in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them proves, but Hollywood reports that the actress was still unsettled by Alien: Covenant. The actress didn’t experience the full effect of the Ridley Scott film, until she had the opportunity to see the finished project. It was then, viewing a promotional screening, that Waterston was able to fully appreciate the nightmarish vision of the film’s director.

“I scare very easily,” said Katherine. “I felt nauseous after watching a preview clip of Alien: Covenant. My hands were shaking. (Director) Ridley (Scott) really enjoys terrifying people.”

The authentic feel of Alien: Covenant might have been one reason Waterston was left feeling so unnerved and, for that, she only has herself to blame. Katherine admits to being the adventurous type and took an interest in performing most of her own stunts. In fact, the Alien: Covenant actress says she had so much fun performing those high-risk scenes that, at one point, Ridley stepped in and compelled her to let the stunt professionals do their jobs.

“Letting someone else (like a stuntwoman) tell your character’s story seemed insane to me,” said Waterston. “I’m also a middle child so I’m wired to feel as though I’m always missing out.”

Talk of the Alien franchise almost always leads to discussions of Sigourney Weaver and her iconic Ellen Ripley character, but Katherine says she didn’t let Weaver’s previous success influence her. She says comparing her Alien: Covenant character to past performances is the path to self-loathing and that was something that could end up sabotaging her performance. Instead, Ms. Waterston focused on the thrill invoked by realizing she had gotten the Alien: Covenant part.

“I can’t let those thoughts (of pressure) in when I’m working or I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning,” said Waterston.

Ridley Scott Confirms an Alien: Covenant Sequel is Already in the Works

There’s still more than a week before Alien: Covenant hits theaters, but, as Collider shares, director and franchise creator Ridley Scott is already setting plans in motion for a sequel. Previously, it has been revealed that Alien: Covenant is only the first in a series of planned films that will connect Prometheus (2012) to the events of 1979’s Alien.

Now, it seems Scott has already put the second interconnecting film into pre-production with a screenplay that has already been started. It seems Ridley is wasting no time. He also announced plans to head into production on the Alien: Covenant sequel early in 2018.

“We’re writing [a sequel] now, as we speak. I’ll be filming that within 14 months,” said the Alien: Covenant director.

Mr. Scott also addressed the scrapped plans of the Neill Blomkamp directed Alien sequel, which Ridley now indicates never received his blessing. Instead, the Alien: Covenant director suggests that Blomkamp’s project would have been redundant, given Scott’s own plans for the franchise.

“It seems like shooting your big toe off – it doesn’t make sense,” Ridley Scott commented on the studio’s decision to back both Alien projects. “But they didn’t go forward with it, Fox, so I just kind of kept out of it.”

Alien: Covenant hits theaters on May 19.

[Featured Image by Twentieth Century Fox]