We Can't Stop Talking About Sydney Chandler, Sci-Fi's Newest Heroine

Since Ridley Scott's Alien first landed in theaters in 1979, the sci-fi horror film has seen a series of movie sequels, crossovers, and spin-offs, resulting in an expansive universe (pun intended) with intricate lore and a deeply dedicated fan base. Strangely, in its 46-year history, never had an Alien TV series been attempted—until Noah Hawley, the writer and director behind such prestige, off-kilter series as Fargo and Legion, took a leap of faith and created one of the best shows of the year, Alien: Earth. In doing so, he gave us Sydney Chandler, the series' spectacular breakout lead.

You might recognize Chandler from her roles in the FX series Pistol and Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling, but by all accounts, the 29-year-old is still new to this whole acting world. We suspect that won't be the case for long, though, after the runaway success of Alien: Earth. Still, there's a nervous energy to Chandler when we first meet on the set of her Who What Wear shoot. Chandler is not your typical assured Hollywood star. She's reserved, introverted, and quite shy. Despite her acting pedigree—her father is Kyle Chandler—she wasn't the kid who grew up wanting to be like dad. She spent most of her life away from the hustle and bustle of the industry on her family's farm outside of Austin, Texas, an idyllic, grounded youth that birthed her love of the great outdoors and her active lifestyle. (Her happy place is being covered in sweat while biking on a trail.) She'd rather have her head in a book than watch TV, and for a long time, she considered herself more of a solo person.

"I was absolutely terrified about the idea of being in front of people ever," Chandler says over Zoom. Understandably, acting was never the plan. Instead, Chandler went to school for creative writing and poetry, which, looking back on now, she admits wasn't the most financially sound choice. Her parents were always encouraging of her artistic exploration. At the time, she was working on a screenplay about people trying to act, which inadvertently, or maybe subconsciously, was a way of getting herself into an acting class.

It was a turning point. "I had this scene with this poor girl, and I was screaming at her," she says. "It was a very angry scene, and halfway through the monologue, I realized, 'This is the first time I've ever raised my voice in my life.' I'm in my early 20s at this point. I had never raised my voice before, and it felt incredible. It felt empowering, and it felt really interesting to be in a safe, collaborative space to explore those emotions."

The experience was as thrilling as it was terrifying for Chandler. She was hooked.

"There's that moment where you fall into the work regardless of what you're doing, and it's the most clear-headed, peaceful, meditative space," she says. "I think that's our drug as actors. It's finding that moment." You could say Chandler found that moment early on with Alien: Earth.

Taking place two years before the events of Scott's Alien, the FX series is set in 2120 when Earth is ruled by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. Cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) live alongside humans. In the race for immortality, Prodigy Corporation's wunderkind founder unlocks a new type of being—hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human, specifically children's, consciousness)—creating the first hybrid prototype named Wendy. But when a spaceship carrying deadly alien specimens crashes into Earth, Wendy and the other hybrids must fight to save the planet.

Nevermind the fact that sci-fi has been Chandler's true love since she was a little girl and she watched the original Alien film way too young, the actress immediately connected with the curious and astute Wendy. It was a feeling Chandler hadn't experienced while reading a part before. She felt viscerally connected to Wendy and says something was "gut-punching" her to fly herself to Calgary on her own accord to meet with creator Hawley. "I've never felt so understanding of a character regardless of the fact that this is a 12-year-old child in a synthetic body," Chandler shares.

The in-person meeting left a lasting impression; Hawley found his Wendy in Chandler. "I think the younger me thinking that I would hop on a plane to go talk to a director about being the lead in a sci-fi TV show would laugh her ass off and go, 'What are you talking about?'" the actress says, chuckling.

Watching Chandler's skillful performance, it's clear the actress was a perfect choice for the role. Wendy is the show's key emotional anchor, a complex character torn between her duty to Prodigy Corp and her real human instincts to protect her brother. Chandler's wide-eyed presence and ability to capture Wendy's childlike wonder while also showing strength and composure are fantastic. "One thing with kids is they're very honest. They believe in anything that comes out of their mouths," she says. "So every single line throughout the entirety of the shoot, I would play as complete truth. She believes everything she's saying, even if it's a very strange question about sperm and eggs or whatever it may be. She's pretty steadfast, and she knows her stuff. Everything is important to her. That was a joy, too, 'cause it's really just playing as authentically as you can, which is a great acting lesson on top of it all."

If the show receives a second-season order, which feels almost certain at this stage, Chandler is ready to jump back in. I ask if Hawley has shared any big-picture plans with her about where he wants to take the story. "He has not shared anything, so I have no idea. That is my honest response," she says. The season 1 ending came as such a shock to Chandler that she believes it can really go anywhere at this point.

For now, though, she's happy to just take a big exhale and appreciate what she, the rest of the cast, and the filmmakers accomplished. The show is a bona fide hit, debuting to 9.2 million views globally in its first week of streaming. "Noah created something wholly new and still honoring the feeling of the original film, so it's nice to have something that people are coming together to watch," she says. When we catch up, Chandler is back home in Austin after a whirlwind stretch of press that included a Comic-Con panel and a London premiere. She's settling into her new reality of being a lead actress on a major TV show, and it's taking some time to get used to.

Have there been any major learnings yet? "Gosh," she replies. "I think knowing what makes you comfortable, what boundaries you're willing to set, and where you're comfortable stepping out of your comfort zone." The press cycle, with its red carpet appearances and gamified interviews, can be overwhelming, especially for someone who finds it daunting to be in front of a lot of people. "I think a lot of us actors enjoy acting because we don't have to be us," Chandler says. But she's taking it all in stride, trying to find the humor in it, and staying as grounded as possible. It helps, too, when you have a great cast to go through it all with.

Chandler is enjoying a much-needed break, spending her off time biking, swimming, and hanging with her two cats. But the next job is never far from her mind. Soon, she's heading back to New York to finish a film, which she's excited about. Shooting a movie, she tells me, requires a different level of intensity and quickness from an actor. As for beyond that, she'd love to do a good horror film—she just watched Weapons for the second time ("I loved it. Dream director, dream story right there.")—and an action or physical role of some kind is also on the bucket list. "I can't sit down and stay still. It's nice to be on the move," she says. With her star-making turn in Alien: Earth, Chandler can count on a busy future.

Stream all episodes of Alien: Earth on Hulu now.

Photographer: Julien Sage
Stylist: Lauren Eggertsen
Hairstylist: Bridget Brager
Makeup Artist: Kate Lee
Manicurist: Queenie Nguyen
Set Designer: Isaac Aaron
Creative Director: Amy Armani
Producer: Lindsay Ferro