Bolaji Badejo
Bolaji Badejo (23 August 1953 – 22 December 1992) was a Nigerian visual artist and actor who became known as one of Hollywood's most unlikely on-screen performers in the role of the Alien in Ridley Scott's 1979 film "Alien", his only film role. Career. Born in Lagos, Badejo was of Yoruba descent and was the son of the director general of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. He first studied in Nigeria, then in the United States before finally moving to London to specialize in graphic design. He was eventually discovered in a Soho pub by a member  of Scott's casting team. Standing 6 ft 10 in tall, he was chosen to play the part of the Alien due to his height and "very long legs". Badejo never returned for the "Alien" sequels, which incorporated more puppetry and later animation alongside suit performers; the original was his only film credit. His family revealed that he returned to Nigeria in 1980 and began running his own art gallery in 1983. He died from sickle cell anaemia at the age of 39.