Bill Nighy & Jimmi Simpson Interview: The Man Who Fell To Earth

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The Man Who Fell To Earth, which premieres on Showtime April 24, is simultaneously an adaptation and continuation of Walter Tevis' watershed sci-fi novel. The original story, made into a film starring the iconic David Bowie several decades ago, follows an alien named Thomas Newton who arrives on Earth in search of water for his home planet. His story did not have the traditional happily-ever-after ending, and now a new alien named Faraday (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness) has fallen to Earth to try and carry out Newton's plan.

Part of Faraday's mission is finding Justin Falls (Naomie Harris, No Time to Die), a scientist whose previous work may be the key to saving his home. Bill Nighy (Emma) has the honor of taking over Bowie's role, now an older and more hardened Newton whose role in Faraday's life is sure to be significant. Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko) plays Agent Spencer Clay, a man whose obsession with discovering the alien's identity blinds him to nearly everything else.

Related: 10 Sci-Fi Movies Where The Aliens Win

Nighy and Simpson share their own experiences with Nicolas Roeg's classic 1976 film, the weight of following in David Bowie's legacy, and the mysterious motivations of their characters.

Walter Tevis' novel is a cornerstone of sci-fi literature, but the Nicolas Roeg film with David Bowie is a cult classic as well. What was your engagement with the story in either medium prior to this series?

Bill Nighy: Yeah, I was around and a young man when the film first came out. It was a big deal in the so-called United Kingdom. I saw it maybe twice, maybe more, and I've seen it since over the years. I was a big fan of Nicolas Roeg and a big fan of David Bowie, so it was a must-see movie.

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