Bolaji Badejo was a talented graphic designer from Lagos, Nigeria, who is best known for his iconic role as the titular alien in the 1979 science fiction-horror film Alien.
Born in 1953, Badejo grew up in a family of Yoruba descent, one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, which accounts for approximately 16% of the country's population. His father, who later became the director-general of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, played a significant role in shaping Badejo's early life.
Badejo's interest in the arts led him to pursue a career as a visual artist. He studied abroad in the United States before moving to London, England, to hone his skills as a graphic designer. Standing at an impressive 2.08 meters (6 feet and 10 inches) tall, Badejo was an unlikely candidate for the role of the alien in Ridley Scott's upcoming film.
The director's casting crew found Badejo at a Soho bar and offered him the part, despite his lack of acting experience or training. Badejo accepted the role and went on to play the creature in the film, which became a massive box-office hit, earning a worldwide gross of US$143 million by 1992 estimates.
After the film's success, Badejo returned to Nigeria in 1980 and opened his own art gallery in 1983. He remained active in the art world until his untimely death in 1992 at the age of 39 due to sickle-cell anemia, a hereditary blood disorder that affects many people of African descent.
Although Badejo is no longer with us, his iconic performance in Alien has left a lasting impact on science fiction cinema, and the film continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers and fans alike.
