Bolaji Badejo

Bolaji Badejo was a Nigerian graphic designer from Lagos. He is primarily remembered for his single acting role, playing the titular predatory alien in the science fiction horror film "Alien" (1979). The film was a box office hit, having earned a worldwide gross of 143 million dollars by 1992 estimates. In 1953, Badejo was born in Lagos, Colonial Nigeria. At the time, Nigeria was a British colony. Badejo's family were of Yoruba descent, an ethnic group estimated to represent about 16% of the Nigerian population. Badejo's father would later serve as the director-general of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, a state-owned radio broadcasting organization. Badejo decided to follow a career as a visual artist. He studied abroad in the United States, before moving to London, England to gain specialized training as a graphic designer. Bodejo was unusually tall, standing at a height of 2,08 meters (6 feet and 10 inches). Director Ridley Scott's casting crew was seeking a tall actor to play the alien in his upcoming film. They found Badejo drinking at a Soho bar, and offered him the role. He accepted the offer, though he had no acting experience or training. In 1980, Badejo moved back to Nigeria. In 1983, Badejo opened his own art gallery. He remained active until 1992, when he died from sickle cell anemia. It is a hereditary blood disorder, very common in Africa. About 80% of sickle cell disease cases recorded worldwide have occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. Badejo was 39-years old at the time of his death. Badejo is long gone, but is still fondly remembered for his only acting role. "Alien" has had several sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, and the influence of the original film in modern science fiction is quite large.