Inside the FX Series Alien: Earth with Moe Bar‑El
Moe Bar‑El’s work speaks for itself. From stage to screen, he brings a sense of focus that feels grounded and intentional—no theatrics, no overplaying. And that clarity shows up across everything he’s taken on so far.
After earning acclaim for his role in the French political thriller The Bureau, Bar‑El made his mark onstage with productions like Welcome to Iran, You Bury Me, and Every Day I Make Greatness Happen, which earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. In recent years, he’s also appeared in major films like Dune: Part Two, The Return, and the upcoming Words of War—each one adding to a body of work shaped by intention
Now, he steps into his highest-profile role yet: Alien: Earth, Noah Hawley’s upcoming FX/Hulu series set two years before the original 1979 Alien. Bar‑El plays Rashidi, a human soldier caught in the aftermath of the USCSS Maginot crash in Prodigy City. With its mix of sci-fi horror and corporate power plays, the series builds on the franchise’s core themes of fear and survival—this time through a more human lens.
As Alien: Earth reopens one of the most iconic universes in genre history, Bar‑El brings a reliable steadiness to the ongoing sci-fi chaos. Ahead of the series’ release, we had the opportunity to speak with the versatile actor about joining the franchise, how theatre continues to inform his work, and the kinds of stories he’s drawn to.
Photographer and Groomer: Stefan Bertin | Stylist: Koulla Sergi
The Alien franchise has a long legacy. Did you grow up watching the films? And if so, was there something about the films that resonated with you?
Moe Bar-El: I actually didn’t grow up watching any of the original movies, but I do remember seeing scenes from it quite vividly. The Chest-buster is one that gets burned into your imagination, no matter how young or old you are when you first see it. Or Arnold holding that grenade launcher in Predator. I actually think I had a poster of that in my bedroom when I was a little kid. However, I did sit down and watch the first Alien movie after I was cast in the show, and immediately had one of those ‘why the hell did I wait so long to watch this masterpiece’ moments.
Photographer and Groomer: Stefan Bertin | Stylist: Koulla Sergi
What specifically drew you to Alien: Earth, and what was your first reaction when you got the role?
Moe Bar-El: When Noah Hawley, Ridley Scott, and a massive franchise like Alien all come knocking, it’s almost impossible to not throw yourself at the opportunity. Soon as my agent broke the news to me, I didn’t know if I wanted to cry, smile, or do roly polys on my living room floor. I can’t remember if I ended up doing a combination of all three, but it was a very, very big pinch-me moment.
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about your character’s place in this story?
Moe Bar-El: Rashidi and his team are amongst the first to enter the Yutani spaceship that crashes onto Earth. As far as they are concerned, they have been summoned to go on a search and rescue mission. Little do they know there are five different types of species that have been collected from outer space and are about to give them a very warm and scary welcome.
What surprised you most about working on a project of this scale?
Moe Bar-El: I think the sheer size of the crew and the production was something that really took me by surprise. You normally read the credits at the end of a movie and think to yourself, ‘Whoa, look how many people worked on this project,’ but to actually witness it in person was something new and fascinating to me. The set designs were also incredible and made our jobs as actors so much easier. The attention to detail on the spaceship truly blew my mind.
Photographer and Groomer: Stefan Bertin | Stylist: Koulla Sergi
What’s something about Alien: Earth that feels unique to the Alien franchise?
Moe Bar-El: It’s got to be the fact that we’re on Earth this time around. It’s the first time we’re going to be seeing the Xenomorph and other creatures on our planet, which I think the fans are going to love. It raises the question that we’ve all wondered: what if Aliens were real and they came to our planet? Well, I think this show will definitely give some context into how that could play out.
Your theatre background is incredibly rich—how has that training shaped the way you approach screen roles?
Moe Bar-El: I see theatre as going to the gym for your acting muscles. The keyword here is repetition. If you go to the gym for three months and just do bicep curls, your bicep has no choice but to grow. It’s the same thing doing a play. You’re mentally having to take your imagination to a place where it wouldn’t normally go to, doing eight shows a week for three months. There’s a beauty in the repetition of that, that it just makes you grow as an actor and be a lot more confident in the choices that you make, which I can then use to bring to screen.
You’ve balanced very grounded, character-driven work with huge sci-fi like Dune and now Alien. What’s your favorite thing about being involved in properties that have such a strong following?
Moe Bar-El: It’s very exciting to know that you’re stepping into a universe that has such a big fan base, but that also comes with some pressure and nerves, because you want to do the project and the fans proud, but you never know how the show or your character will be perceived when it comes out. All I can do is do as much homework as possible and throw myself deep into the role. As far as my favorite thing about being involved in a project like Alien: Earth is being face-to-face with the Xenomorph and thinking about all the other legendary actors that have been in that position before me. It’s a very surreal feeling.
FX’s Alien: Earth premieres internationally on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 13
