When it comes to creating a truly terrifying movie monster, Fede Alvarez, the director of ‘Alien: Romulus,’ knew he had to think outside the box. In a franchise that has seen its fair share of horrifying creatures, introducing something fresh and fearsome was no easy feat.
The Offspring, a Xenomorph-human hybrid not only shocked audiences but also sparked plenty of debate. But while the creature itself has drawn mixed reactions, there’s no denying the buzz surrounding the actor behind it — Robert Bobroczkyi, a former basketball player standing at an astonishing 7-foot-7.
Who Is Robert Bobroczkyi?
Born in 2000 in Romania, Robert Bobroczkyi was practically destined to tower over others. His father, Zsigmond Bobroczkyi, was an international basketball player. While his mother, Brunhilde, excelled in volleyball and handball.
Growing up, it was clear that Robert had inherited the best of both worlds, quickly shooting up to over 7 feet tall by his teens. In 2014, he joined the Italian amateur basketball team A.S. Stella Azzurra, and two years later, he made the move to Ohio’s SPIRE Institute and Academy, where he debuted on the court in 2017.
Robert’s basketball journey, however, faced an unexpected hurdle when the coronavirus pandemic hit. After committing to Rochester University in 2020, his progress was halted, leading him back to Romania. But as fate would have it, a different path was awaiting him – one that would lead straight to Hollywood.
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Bringing ‘The Offspring’ To Life In ‘Alien: Romulus’
Director Fede Alvarez, known for his creative vision, was on the lookout for someone “really tall and skinny” to play the part of The Offspring. Robert fit the bill perfectly, and despite having no prior acting experience, he delivered a performance that left everyone in awe.
The Offspring is the result of Kay (played by Isabela Merced) injecting herself with black goo while pregnant. That transformed her unborn baby into a hybridised Engineer-type Xenomorph.
“He did an amazing performance for someone that has never done that before,” Alvarez shared in an interview with USA Today. “Being tall is one thing – next to Cailee [Spaeny], who is 5 feet tall, that’s magic. But he really brought a talent that blew us all away. He goes toe-to-toe with Isabela in a face-to-face, and he’s fantastic.”
The visual effects team was equally impressed. Daniel Macarin, the film’s visual effects supervisor, recalled the moment he first saw Robert in costume. “The first time I saw the plates, and this 7-foot actor in there, in his costume. It was terrifying,” Macarin told Variety.
“They did such an amazing job with the look and the feel of that character that we knew that everything that we could bring to it was just going to help.”
‘Alien: Romulus‘ is out now in cinemas.
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