Alien: Earthtouched down on August 17, 2025, and instantly made a seismic impact on audiences and critics. The unanimously praised FX series, created byNoah Hawley, pays faithful homage to theAlienfranchise while pushing the mythos forward by exploring the efficacy of AI. In addition to introducing new concepts, the series also marks the first time Hawley has appeared on-screen, as he makes a semi-secret cameo in Episode 2, “Mr. October.”
Not only does Noah Hawley appear in a key flashback sequence, but his son, Lev Hawley, also makes a cameo in the show. Although they are blink-and-miss moments that can go unnoticed, Hawley has revealed why he decided to appear on the show and the importance of making his son comfortable.
2Noah Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’ Cameo
Alien: Earthintroduces Marcy Hermit as a young girl with terminal cancer. To save her life, the Prodigy Corporation implants her mind into an android who wakes up and is given the name Wendy. In trying to make sense of her transferred consciousness, Wendy experiences several dream-like memories through hazy flashbacks. Many of these visions relate to Marcy’s younger brother, Joe Hermit, who goes missing after theMaginotreaches Earth.
In Episode 2, “Mr. October,” Wendy has a nostalgic vision of her father sitting at a breakfast table in the golden hour of morning.Wendy’s father is played by none other than Noah Hawley, the series creator who co-wrote and directed all eight episodes. Despitecreating multiple TV shows, includingFargoandLegion, Alien: Earthmarks the first time Hawley has appeared in one of his projects. Factually, it’s his only acting credit to date.
Even more special than making his first on-screen cameo,Noah Hawley’s son, Lev Hawley, plays the younger version of Hermit in various flashbacks. It’s also the first time that Lev has appeared on-screen, making for quite the father-son bonding moment. For viewers, it’s a cool behind-the-scenes tidbit that makes the flashbacks even more resonant.
1What Went into Noah & Lev Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’ Cameo
When asked why he decided to make his first cameo inAlien: Earth, Noah Hawley was quick to divert the attention to his son, Lev.Speaking withTV Insider, Hawley admitted that his cameo intheAlienfranchisewas something “I’ve never done before,” adding:
“It was not my goal…I always talk about trying to combine maximum creativity with maximum efficiency. And my son had asked if there was a role for him.
“I wasn’t going to write scenes for it because I just wanted the emotional feeling of it. And so I thought, ‘Okay, well, he could play [Hermit] at a young age, but then what am I going to do? I’m going to cast some day players to come in, and he’s never acted before?.. And I was like, it’s just easier if I do it, if I sit down on the floor with him and improvise, and I can make him relax.”
For a scene in which Wendy looks back fondly on her childhood memories of her father, there’s something extra special about Noah and Lev Hawley working together for the first time in their lives. As Hawley concludes:
“In some ways, it felt like the best way to direct him was to just be there with him. But there was something nice, metaphorical about being my lead actor’s parent.”
Alien: Earth
