Alan Tudyk appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday, using a pair of stilts as a nod to sci-fi physicality, to talk about his experiences in the role of Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle on Resident Alien, a key subject in this Alan Tudyk Resident Alien interview. The conversation covered Tudyk’s work on the popular SYFY and USA Network show, revelations from season four, and his long-standing reputation for bringing robotic characters to life on screen.
Discussing Memorable Scenes With Edi Patterson
During his appearance, Tudyk took time to highlight the unique relationship between Harry and Heather, played by Edi Patterson, who recently returned as his avian girlfriend in Resident Alien’s fourth season. Their on-screen chemistry reached new heights as the show unveiled that the pair had become parents to a brood of hybrid offspring. Tudyk praised Patterson’s comedic skills, saying,
“She is one of the funniest people on the planet,”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor. Sharing details about their famous improvised dinner scene from Season 3, he joked about their comfort working together, stating,
“When you’re in acting school and they [do trust falls], she’s somebody I would trust [to catch me]. I trust her implicitly,”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor.
The actor described a particularly unconventional kissing scene, which was written as awkward because both characters are aliens in human form. Patterson’s character, while in the midst of eating sunflower seeds, ends up spitting them all over Sara Tomko (Asta) and Alice Wetterlund (D’arcy) during the dinner, creating an unpredictable moment on set. Tudyk recounted how he and Patterson escalated the comedic aspect of the scene:
“We had a kissing scene and in the script it said, ‘They kiss, it’s weird,’ because she’s a bird alien and I’m a different kind of alien. We’re in human form and she’s eating sunflower seeds and just spitting them all over the actresses, Sara Tomko [Asta] and Alice Wetterlund [D’arcy]. They’re tinging off of glasses and going crazy. [Edi] said, ‘What do you think for the kiss?’ I said, ‘Could you chew up the seeds and regurgitate them into my mouth during one of the takes?’ It’s serious comedy,”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor.
Tudyk’s Ongoing Run As Sci-Fi’s Favorite Robot
Beyond Resident Alien, Tudyk is well-known for playing mechanical beings across major franchises. His history of robotic roles started with 2004’s I, Robot and then moved on to voicing K-2SO, the memorable Imperial droid in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, in which he starred opposite Diego Luna. Tudyk will continue this tradition as he’s set to appear as a talking machine in an upcoming reboot of Superman, directed by James Gunn. He humorously reflected on his approach, stating,
“Some people bring humanity to their roles,”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor.
“I sort of bring a mechanized detachment. A cold, calculating, sterile quality,”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor.
Where and When To Catch Resident Alien
New episodes of Resident Alien Season 4 air Fridays at 11/10c on SYFY and USA Network. Fans who miss the live broadcast can stream episodes a week later on Peacock, which offers both Premium and Premium Plus subscription plans. The platform even provides a heavily discounted student price for one year.
Alan Tudyk’s Resident Alien interview reinforced just how inventive and boundary-pushing his work is, particularly in collaboration with stars like Edi Patterson, Alice Wetterlund, and Sara Tomko. As Resident Alien continues to mix outrageous comedy with heartfelt moments and as Tudyk prepares for his new sci-fi role, viewers can expect more unpredictable, entertaining performances in the evolving world of science fiction television.
