FX ‘Alien’ Prequel Series Adds Timothy Olyphant & David Rysdahl to Cast

Meaghan Darwish November 28, 2023, 12:38 pm

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Timothy Olyphant and David Rysdahl join Noah Hawley's 'Alien' prequel series — Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

The cast for Noah Hawley‘s highly anticipated Alien prequel series is taking shape at FX as the showrunner reteams with Fargo stars Timothy Olyphant and David Rydahl.

According to Deadline, the actors will both play series regular roles in the series which is set to be led by Sydney Chandler as the meta-human Wendy. While details on both Olyphant and Rysdahl’s characters are being kept under wraps, the outlet teased that Olyphant may be playing a character named Kirsh who is a synth that acts as a mentor toward Chandler’s Wendy.

No name or speculative details about Rysdahl’s secretive character have been unveiled at this time. Together, these stars join previously announced cast members Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav, and Kit Young.

The Alien series is executive produced by filmmaker Ridley Scott and is set in a time before the story of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley unfolds. Set about 70 years in the future, the show will be the first chapter of the Alien franchise to be set on Earth. Production for the series began in July, just days after the SAG-AFTRA strike began.

Production lasted for roughly a month as performers working under the British trade union Equity continued. All scripts were completed before the WGA strike began in May. Work on the series is expected to resume in Bangkok as soon as January 2024.

'Fargo' Director Noah Hawley Says His 'Alien' Series Is 'Not A Ripley Story'

This casting news marks a reunion between Hawley, Olyphant, and Rysdahl as both actors collaborated with the creative for Years 4 and 5 of Fargo, with Olyphant playing United States Marshal Dick “Deafy” Wickware and Rysdahl currently portraying car salesman Wayne Lyon who is married to Juno Temple’s Dot.

Stay tuned for more news on the Alien series as work on the prequel for FX continues. And let us know what you think of the casting news in the comments section, below.