10 Moments In Horror Where Actors Weren't Acting
1. Bill Paxton - Aliens
Anyone expecting the original Alien to nab the top spot were half-right.
Yes, horror enthusiasts should know the actors in Alien weren't sure what to expect while shooting the iconic chestburster sequence.
But some sci-fi veterans mightn't know the circumstances behind Aliens' knife sequence. In one of the earliest scenes, a marine called Hudson (Bill Paxton) asks an android called Bishop (Lance Henriksen) to "do the thing with the knife".
In the original script, Bishop plays Five Finger Fillet with his own hand, where he jabs between his fingers without cutting himself. However, Henriksen asked the director, James Cameron, if the scene would work better if Bishop placed his hand on top of Hudson's. Cameron agreed and discussed this change with everyone involved... except Paxton.
Though taking part would be frightening for anyone, it was extra terrifying for Paxton since he had no clue his fingers were on the chopping block until he was shooting.
Also, Paxton's fear was justified since Henriksen nicked the Twister actor's pinky for real during filming.
It's a shame Paxton had to suffer for his art but it was worth it, since it's arguably the tensest moment in the movie that doesn't involve the aliens.