15 Best Supporting Characters In Sci-Fi Movies

Just a handful of Sci-Fi's finest, from Androids to Zoological Eco-Terrorists.

By Niall Gray /

Sci-Fi has a been a staple of the big screen since the early days of cinema, and over the years, it has amassed a wealth of incredible stories, each with their own cast of uniquely interesting individuals.

Advertisement

Whether you're a fan of apocalyptic narratives, sleek and shiny spaceships or terrifying otherworldly beings, we can all agree that what makes a great story is the characters that drive it, and science fiction gives those characters a great big universe in which to manoeuvre.

And, as much as we all love our protagonists, with their heroic deeds and noble intentions, sometimes the people who stand beside, behind or against them are equally (or, in some cases, more) interesting.

After all, would Dutch have survived the Predator without his squad? Would Kirk have stopped Nero if Pike hadn't talked him into joining Starfleet? Who would have stopped the Great Evil if there was no Leeloo?

There's a great big universe of sci-fi out there, but here are 15 of the best supporting characters from the furthest reaches of the universe.

15. David 8 - Prometheus

First appearing in 2012's Prometheus, David 8 is an android working as a butler and maintenance man aboard the Prometheus.

Advertisement

He serves as a non-human voice among the ship's human crew, providing an interesting perspective on the events of the Alien prequel.

David drives much of the plot in his role of surrogate son to the aging Peter Weyland as well as linguistics expert, and Fassbender delivers an excellent performance as the decidedly creepy android.

One of only two crew members to survive the events of Prometheus, David proves to be more cunning that one would expect from an android, giving him yet another subtly human trait that drives viewers' curiosity.

Fassbender claims to have based his performance on T.E. Lawrence, the real life Lawrence of Arabia, as well as drawing inspiration from the replicants of Blade Runner and David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Fassbender reprised the role in 2017's Alien: Covenant.

Advertisement