Alan Tudyk directs and stars in Resident Alien season 4, returning to Syfy and USA on June 6. This season not only puts him squarely in front of the camera as alien doctor Harry Vanderspeigle, but also places him behind it, as Tudyk takes on directing duties for the first two episodes—a significant challenge for the experienced actor.
A versatile career leads to a new frontier
Although Tudyk’s face might not be instantly recognizable, his voice and characters are ever-present in Hollywood. After breakout performances in Firefly and Serenity, he switched gears to lend his vocal talents to a range of characters, such as K-2SO in Rogue One and more recently in Andor. He has also voiced robots, like his role opposite Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State, and continues his long association with DC Comics through projects like Harley Quinn, Creature Commandos, and Young Justice. Disney fans will also recall him as Heihei in Moana and King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph.
Despite these successes, Tudyk has found steady live-action recognition since 2021 with Resident Alien, which spotlights him as the quirky, out-of-place extraterrestrial-turned-small-town doctor in Patience, Colorado. The show’s combination of science fiction and comedic drama has made it a standout on Syfy and Peacock.
Directing Resident Alien: Stepping behind the camera
Tudyk’s dual role as actor and director in season 4 grew from discussions with Chris Sheridan, the series creator and showrunner, dating back to the third season. He agreed to direct the first two episodes, but the reality proved far more complex than expected. Shooting two episodes at once meant Tudyk had to coordinate with the entire cast and crew while balancing his own demanding performances as Harry.
Season 4 opens in turmoil, as Harry is imprisoned on a gray-alien moon base, while a shapeshifting mantis alien—also portrayed by Tudyk and voiced by Clancy Brown—takes over his life in Patience. This complicated setup only added to the difficulty of blending directorial oversight with the physicality and humor required for his roles.
Cast experiences with Tudyk’s direction
Tudyk didn’t shy away from poking fun at the demands he placed on himself and the show’s creator.
“[Chris and I] still haven’t healed,”
Tudyk joked in a Polygon video interview.
“Our relationship is still in shambles, in tatters.”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor/Director
His first time directing the ensemble cast was made easier by their support and understanding of their characters.
“It was a very generous thing, to let me take the reins for a short time,”
Tudyk said.
“The cast was so nice to me. I saw moments — I’d be giving them some direction, and I’d see the look of an actor going, ‘OK, I’ll humor you. I think I understand what you’re saying at this moment. Let me just give you what I know you want.’ They know their characters well enough.”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor/Director
Elizabeth Bowen, who stars alongside Tudyk, welcomed his guidance.
“I told him before we started, I love notes like ‘Have you tried this thing?’ I won’t be sensitive about it,”
she said during the junket.
“I was very excited to play.”
—Elizabeth Bowen, Co-star
The demands of acting and directing simultaneously
Despite his humor, Tudyk made it clear that directing oneself is no easy task.
“I don’t recommend it. I mean I’ll do it again, but when you’re acting and directing simultaneously, there are moments when you’re watching your fellow actors as a director when you should just be acting. You have to train your brain not to think about the result.”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor/Director
Corey Reynolds, another member of the ensemble, acknowledged the challenge Tudyk faced.
“When you add in all of the factors that had to come into play in those first two episodes, where he’s not only directing, but starring in the episodes, playing an alien pretending to be [a different] alien pretending to be a human — I thought he did a great job,”
Reynolds told Polygon. —Corey Reynolds, Co-star
Newfound respect for the Resident Alien team
Although Alan Tudyk previously juggled writing, directing, and acting in his web series Con Man, he expressed admiration for the Resident Alien crew after seeing the show’s complexity up close.
“It’s exciting to work with so many different artists that have been working on this show for so long that I don’t get to communicate with typically because I’m just off in my world acting,”
Tudyk said.
“Just watching everybody put this together and see how much they care about their jobs and how much it means to them was a gift.”
—Alan Tudyk, Actor/Director
What’s ahead for Resident Alien and Alan Tudyk
Resident Alien season 4 arrives on Syfy and USA at 11 p.m. ET on Friday, June 6, with episodes streaming on Peacock a week later. As Alan Tudyk takes on even more demanding roles on both sides of the camera, the combination of quirky science fiction and heartfelt performances promises to keep fans invested in the series.
The new season not only highlights Tudyk’s evolving skills as an actor and director but reinforces the collaborative strength of the cast and production team—including Chris Sheridan, Elizabeth Bowen, and Corey Reynolds—working together in Patience, Colorado, to bring these characters and their stories to life. Audiences and critics alike will be watching to see how these creative risks pay off, both for Tudyk and the show’s future seasons.
