Bill Paxton: Colonial Marine, Predator Prey and Hollywood Legend Dies At 61
Saying goodbye to the only man tough enough to face off against the Alien Xenomorph and the Predator…
“Game over man, game over” Private William Hudson: Aliens
The loss of a cinematic icon is always a tragic circumstance, especially when they have played so many incredible supporting characters adored by millions of fans around the world. Bill Paxton has been a Hollywood staple for more than forty years appearing in movies like Weird Science, Twister, The Terminator, Titanic and Apollo 13, an incredible resume to be sure but his best loved roles have found him facing down some of most fearsome monsters in movie history.
In the James Cameron classic sequel to Ridley Scott’s original Alien, Paxton portrayed his most iconic role as colonial marine Private William Hudson. The character was designed as a wise cracking, over confident and ultimate badass which suited the legendary actor perfectly and he received worldwide acclaim for his portrayal. Even now, some thirty-one years later…the character is still widely accepted as one of the many highlights of what is regarded as the pinnacle of the Alien franchise.
Demonstrating his unfaltering popularity, I was fortunate enough to be in attendance of a 30th anniversary screening of Aliens last year at the Prince Charles Cinema in London’s iconic West End and the crowd rejoiced when Paxton arrived upon the screen. The jovial patrons cheered every time the character uttered one of his iconic wise cracks which have stood the test of time and incite feelings of nostalgia every time they are heard. It was a memorable experience, notably for the popularity the character still holds.
Hot on the heels of this incredible character, Paxton would go on to square off against another of 20th Century Fox’s tent pole monsters, The Predator. Taking the role of police officer Jerry Lambert, Paxton would go where no man has gone before and face off against the City Hunter in Predator 2, and in doing so became the only man besides Lance Henriksen to encounter both iconic monsters on the silver screen.
Other roles followed in blockbusters like Titanic and Apollo 13 but they could not replicate the fan power of Aliens or Predator 2, a fandom that afforded him cult status on the convention circuit.
Therefore, it is with great sadness that today, a day where Oscar winners are decided we hear the tragic news of the iconic actor’s death. The Golden Globe nominee suffered complications following surgery and passed away at the age of sixty-one leaving behind a wife and two children.
Today where cinematic icons are dropping like flies, it is easy to become desensitized to yet another Hollywood death, but actors like Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher and Bill Paxton deserved to be mourned as the cinematic phenomena they truly were. My early memories of Aliens and Predator 2 will always inspire feelings of romantic nostalgia within me, many of them because of Bill Paxton.
With his passing, a small piece of my childhood will fade with him but his legacy will never diminish. Every time I press play on the Aliens or Predator 2 Blu Ray discs, I will revert to a time when the illustrious Bill Paxton was blasting Xenomorph’s with his pulse rifle and throwing golf balls at the Predator.
Thank you for the memories Bill Paxton, Hollywood is a darker place without you…
Now it truly is “Game over man, game over!”
Gone but never forgotten.
Thank you.
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