15 Hottest Aliens in Movies and TV Shows

Many of the most beloved characters in movies and TV come from alien worlds. Their unique designs, richly imagined backgrounds, and powerful performances have captivated audiences and become iconic. Whether they’re blue, cat-like fighters or green-skinned assassins, these characters have shaped the look and feel of science fiction, often becoming central to entire series.

This collection highlights memorable aliens from film and TV, detailing their characters, the actors who played them, and the shows or movies they were in. It also includes information on their first appearance and the studio or network responsible for bringing them to the screen.

Neytiri from ‘Avatar’

In the movie ‘Avatar’, Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri, a Na’vi princess from the Omaticaya clan. She helps Jake Sully understand the culture and environment of Pandora, and her scenes are filled with the detailed language and customs that James Cameron and his team created for the Na’vi.

The movie launched worldwide in theaters, with 20th Century Fox supporting its innovative 3D effects. Filming took place both on real sets in Los Angeles and New Zealand, and digitally using Weta’s technology to create the glowing world of Neytiri.

Gamora from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

In ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ Zoe Saldana plays Gamora, a character with a tragic past who was raised and trained by Thanos. The filmmakers used practical makeup to create her distinctive green look and relied on impressive stunts throughout the film. Gamora quickly becomes a vital part of the Guardians team, fighting alongside Star-Lord, Rocket, Groot, and Drax.

Walt Disney Studios released the movie as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most of the filming happened at Shepperton and Longcross Studios in the UK, where they constructed full-size sets for the locations Kyln and Knowhere.

T’Pol from ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’

Jolene Blalock plays T’Pol, the Vulcan science officer aboard the NX-01 in ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’. Throughout the series, which focuses on the beginnings of human space exploration and initial encounters with alien species, T’Pol explains Vulcan culture and their approach to logical thinking.

The show originally broadcast each week on UPN, filming at Paramount Studios using permanent sets built to resemble the ship’s bridge, engine room, and living areas. The makeup team updated the traditional Vulcan prosthetics, giving them a sleeker design to match the show’s earlier setting.

Leeloo from ‘The Fifth Element’

In ‘The Fifth Element’, Milla Jovovich plays Leeloo, a powerful being who arrives on Earth. The movie features a unique language invented just for her character. The story centers around Leeloo’s escape through a futuristic New York City and her alliance with cab driver Korben Dallas.

Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony, released the film in cinemas. Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier designed all the costumes – including Leeloo’s famous bandage dress and bright orange hairstyle – which became a key part of the movie’s style.

Sil from ‘Species’

In the movie ‘Species’, Natasha Henstridge stars as Sil, a unique being who is part human and part alien. The film follows a secret government experiment that doesn’t go as planned, and Sil quickly grows into adulthood while searching for a partner. The creature design was brought to life using a combination of practical effects and animatronics.

The movie was released in theaters through MGM, and its unique look was created by artist H.R. Giger, with help from special effects companies who built life-sized costumes. Filming took place in Los Angeles, using sets to represent labs and city streets for action sequences.

Aeryn Sun from ‘Farscape’

I’m a huge fan of Aeryn Sun from ‘Farscape’! She starts out as this really tough, by-the-book Peacekeeper, played brilliantly by Claudia Black, but she ends up leaving all that behind and becoming part of the Moya crew. What I love about her story is watching her learn to trust others and become part of this weird, wonderful found family. It’s amazing to see how she goes from being totally focused on duty to building connections with people – and aliens! – as they explore the unknown parts of the universe.

The show aired on the Sci Fi Channel and was filmed at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop created the puppets and animatronic effects used to bring Aeryn’s companions – D’Argo, Rygel, and Pilot – to life alongside the actors.

Mantis from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’

Mantis, played by Pom Klementieff in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’, is an alien with the power to feel and change others’ emotions. The character’s unique look is created using special antennae and colored contact lenses. This ability plays a key role in several important scenes throughout the movie.

Walt Disney Studios released the movie globally as one of the films in Marvel’s third major series. Filming happened in Atlanta at Pinewood Studios, using both real sets and computer-generated environments to create the planet Ego.

Jaylah from ‘Star Trek Beyond’

In ‘Star Trek Beyond’, Sofia Boutella plays Jaylah, a resourceful alien who has managed to survive on her own. She teams up with the crew of the Enterprise and shares a powerful new holographic technology that helps them battle Krall.

To celebrate the franchise’s 50th anniversary, Paramount Pictures released the movie in theaters. Filming took place in Vancouver and at Mammoth Studios, allowing for big action scenes – including motorcycle stunts and elaborate sets designed to be destroyed during the Yorktown sequence.

Aayla Secura from ‘Star Wars Attack of the Clones’

Aayla Secura is a Jedi Knight from the planet Ryloth, featured in the ‘Star Wars’ films ‘Attack of the Clones’ and ‘Revenge of the Sith’. Actress Amy Allen played her, and special effects were used to create Aayla’s blue skin and distinctive head-tails, known as lekku, in line with the look of other characters from her species.

The earlier films were released in theaters by 20th Century Fox, who managed their worldwide distribution. Filming took place at Fox Studios Australia and used digital sets created by Industrial Light and Magic to depict the planets Geonosis and Felucia.

Oola from ‘Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi’

As a huge ‘Star Wars’ fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the details of Jabba’s palace. Femi Taylor really brought the character of Oola, Jabba’s Twi’lek dancer, to life in ‘Return of the Jedi’. It wasn’t just the elaborate headpiece and dance moves – the whole scene really helped build out the exotic, alien world Jabba inhabited, with its unique music, costumes, and incredible creature designs. It’s those details that make that part of the film so memorable!

The movie was originally distributed by 20th Century Fox and shown in many countries. Filming took place at Elstree Studios for indoor scenes, and the desert planet Tatooine was brought to life using locations in Yuma, Arizona.

Serleena from ‘Men in Black II’

In ‘Men in Black II’, Lara Flynn Boyle plays Serleena, an alien from Kyloth who can change her appearance. The character’s true form includes vine-like tentacles, fitting with the movie’s collection of unusual alien creatures, and her disguise is created using clever costumes and special effects.

The second movie was released by Columbia Pictures, which is owned by Sony. Most of the filming took place in and around New York City, and the alien creatures were brought to life using practical effects and interacted directly with the actors.

Dejah Thoris from ‘John Carter’

In the movie ‘John Carter’, Lynn Collins plays Dejah Thoris, the princess of Helium, a city on Mars (known as Barsoom in the story). The film is based on the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs and features Martian cities, flying ships, and the advanced science that Dejah embodies.

Walt Disney Studios released the film globally. Filming took place in the deserts of Utah and on soundstages in the UK. The visual effects company Double Negative brought the Tharks and white apes to life, creating the creatures that appear alongside Dejah in the movie.

Ilia from ‘Star Trek The Motion Picture’

In ‘Star Trek The Motion Picture’, Ilia is a navigator from the planet Delta, portrayed by Persis Khambatta. A notable aspect of her character is her species’ commitment to celibacy. The story revolves around her mysterious link to V’Ger, an entity that creates a copy of her to interact with the crew of the Enterprise.

Paramount Pictures released the film during the holidays. The filmmakers cleverly reused and improved sets originally built for a canceled television series, and Douglas Trumbull’s team created impressive visual effects using a large-screen format to showcase the enormous size of V’Ger.

Ronal from ‘Avatar The Way of Water’

In ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, Ronal is a leader of the Metkayina clan, alongside Tonowari, and is brought to life by Kate Winslet using advanced underwater performance capture. Her character showcases the unique traditions of the reef Na’vi, their ability to thrive in the ocean, and their special connection with the tulkun – large, intelligent marine creatures.

The movie was released worldwide by 20th Century Studios, which is now part of Disney. To film underwater scenes, the actors trained to hold their breath for a long time, and the filmmakers used advanced technology to track their movements and create realistic digital effects.

Alita from ‘Alita Battle Angel’

In ‘Alita Battle Angel,’ Rosa Salazar plays Alita, a cyborg who remembers a powerful Martian martial art. The movie follows her journey as she’s rebuilt by Dr. Ido, learns the fighting style known as Panzer Kunst, and competes in the fast-paced sport of Motorball.

Before becoming 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Fox distributed the movie. Lightstorm and Weta Digital collaborated on creating the characters, and the main filming took place in Austin at Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios.

Tell us your top picks in the comments – and let us know if we left any out! That way, everyone can share ideas and build an even better list to watch next.

2025-10-07 08:46