This week, the excitement surrounding the Alien: Earth series encountered an unexpected hiccup when its leading star, Sydney Chandler, was removed from Variety’s magazine cover just days before the show’s premiere.
Sydney, the daughter of Friday Night Lights actor and Emmy Award winner Kyle Chandler, secured the lead role in this innovative sci-fi spin on the Alien franchise. Fans had anticipated her being prominently featured in all promotional activities.
As reported by Variety, tensions arose when Chandler expressed reluctance to participate in a group filmed Q&A segment titled ‘How Well Do They Know Each Other’, with “two older men”, namely her co-star Timothy Olyphant, 57, and showrunner Noah Hawley, 58.
The magazine reportedly attempted to resolve the situation by sending Chandler’s team the proposed questions in advance and inviting her to suggest any topics that would make her more comfortable. However, the alternative suggestions from her representatives did not align with Variety’s plans.
After a series of emails and texts exchanged between FX, Variety, and Sydney’s team, no resolution was reached. According to the New York Post, the Editor-in-Chief, Ramin Setoodeh, ultimately decided to exclude her from the cover entirely.
There were even attempts to reschedule the photo shoot for the following day, but Chandler ultimately withdrew again, with her publicist informing the magazine that she was “very sick” and unable to participate. Consequently, the final cover featured only Olyphant and Hawley.
Variety’s article included comments from showrunner Hawley, who candidly expressed his thoughts on the situation: “The show is built around Sydney’s character, and her professional work was outstanding,” he stated.
“It’s disappointing that my female-centric show, based on a female-focused franchise, does not feature my lead actress on the cover. It felt awkward to be there with Tim [Olyphant] without her.”
Chandler herself also commented, telling Variety that she’s “just a private person” and “new to press”, adding, “It’s somewhat outside my comfort zone. I was more than willing to discuss anything and everything about the show; that’s what I’m here to promote.”
Online discussions have yielded mixed opinions, with some believing Chandler was simply setting boundaries as she adjusted to the realities of high-profile promotion, while others argue that pulling out so last-minute might not present the best image.
Whatever your thoughts, many people are still eager to see what Chandler brings to this iconic franchise when all eyes are focused on the screen rather than the magazine stand.
Lead image: Getty / Variety
