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Fede Álvarez has said Ian Holm’s family gave him permission to use the late actor’s likeness in Alien: Romulus.
The director, 46, used generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology to resurrect the Lord of the Rings star – who died in 2020 – for a cameo in the sci-fi prequel as a robot called Rook, who looks and sounds almost identical to Holm’s original Alien character, Ash.
Álvarez’ decision to artificially cast the late actor in his latest project has been slammed by critics as an aesthetic failure and has been accused of being a disrespect to his memory.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Álvarez addressed the controversy and claimed Holm’s widow, Sophie de Stempel, had given him her blessing to include her late husband in Romulus.
“In …