By Lynn Elber, Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Alan Tudyk owes his teachers more than a few measly apples.
In school, he received sound career guidance from those who recognized his nascent talent. The result: The world lost an aspiring hotel manager and gained a versatile supporting actor, now reborn as a leading man in "Resident Alien."
Tudyk shines in the unlikely showcase role of an emotionally conflicted alien invader on the science-fiction dramady, back at 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday for the latter half of its second season on the Syfy channel. (It will also stream on Peacock.)
His impressively varied, 100-plus film and TV credits range from the Western drama "3:10 to Yuma" to the satire "Arrested Development" to genre fare including "Firefly" and "Harley Quinn." That's not to slight his voiceover body of work, which boasts "Encanto" and "Wreck-It Ralph" among many other kid favorites.
In "Resident Alien," Tudyk's character is tasked with destroying all Earthlings. He takes the life and identity of Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle to appear human, if oh so awkwardly, as he pursues his mission. While he's begun to value his intended victims, it's an open question if that's enough to grant a reprieve.
Tudyk's performance is reminiscent of silent film great Buster Keaton, he of the deadpan-yet-revealing expression, inventive body language and exquisite timing. Tudyk employs that comic trifecta to make Harry both jarringly bizarre and improbably endearing — with his choppy version of human speech a bonus.
As a youngster, Tudyk admired Sean Penn and Marlon Brando for their acting craft and used them as a benchmark for his own growth. But Tudyk's heart belongs to comedy and practitioners like Keaton — "one of the greatest clowns ever, he was just incredible" — and Robin Williams.
The affable, low-key Tudyk responds modestly to a Keaton comparison: "If there's anything that echoes his work, it's probably just that I love the discipline of clowning."
"Resident Alien" creator Chris Sheridan sings Tudyk's praises as Harry.
"I thought I knew what the character was until Alan did his thing. Then I realized I was wrong because what Alan was doing was so clearly better than what I had imagined," Sheridan said in an email exchange. "Not only was he hysterically funny, but he also brought so much humanity to the role" and made Harry someone to root for.
In a recent interview, Tudyk discussed his path to acting, rhapsodized about clowning and assessed the baby alien on his show vs. another high-profile baby alien. Quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
Q: How and when did you get the acting bug?
Tudyk: My mother enrolled me in the Plano, Texas, community theater when I was in fifth grade going into sixth grade, so 10, 11 years old. I played the Jive Rabbit in 'The Fabulous Fable Factory,' this fast-talking rabbit from the city. I definitely loved it. Then at 16, you could take a speech class, and I did a piece from the play. The teacher said, 'You don't belong in this class. Here's the name of the drama teacher.' That was really it. I was just so in love with it. But I never thought I'd do it as a career.
Q: Why did you resist the pull?
Tudyk: This sounds awful — I didn't want to be poor. I worked at a fast food restaurant and I thought, 'I'm really good at this, I think I'm going to be a hotel manager.' I was very serious about pursuing that until my high school speech and drama teacher said, 'I heard you're going to be a hotel manager. You don't want to be an actor?' I said, 'Oh, I don't think I can make it.' She told me, 'You can do it. If you want it, you can have it.' From that moment on, I was 100% committed to do it.
Q: You've said that you left The Juilliard School because the emphasis was firmly on drama and you also wanted to study comedy. Was that the case?
Tudyk: Yes. I have an affinity for clowns and clowning. They're magic. I think if I had more integrity, I would have become a clown. Before this second season (of 'Resident Alien') I took a clowning class with the guy who taught me clowning at Juilliard. I wanted to get back into it. The way Christopher Bayes describes it, a clown is as if you have a child that's never told no. They're very curious. They give themselves permission to do whatever, they're mischievous.
Q: You were at Comic-Con recently. Did fans question putting a baby alien on 'Resident Alien' when 'The Mandalorian' already has Grogu, aka Baby Yoda?
Tudyk: No. But I offered up to them that in a bare-knuckle, head-to-head match, our alien could take Grogu any day of the week. Name a time, name a place. They weren't too receptive, but I'm calling them out — bring it.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More