10 Most Hysterical Characters In Horror Movie History

The occupants of the Alien universe are not known for their level-headed approach to extra-terrestrial life. Honestly.

But one of the very first fools in outer space ever to tangle with a terror and totally lose their head was Alien's (1979) Lambert, the series' first and perhaps only transgender character. Played by Veronica Cartwright, Lambert is the Nostromo's navigator, and acts as a foil to Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the latter of whom becomes the archetype for the strong, stoic action heroine by the film's conclusion (and even more so with each subsequent entry in the series).

By far the most shaken member of the group, Lambert loses her composure early on, crying and seeking to abandon ship, before freezing up in the face of the xenomorph – which is the last time she'll ever do that. One has to assume the crew for such a long, deep-space mission would have been vetted to ensure mental and emotional rigour, and yet somehow Lambert slipped through the cracks.

Originally auditioning for Ripley, Cartwright was not a fan of the character's fragility, but accepted the role anyway. The crew convinced her that her emotional state was designed to reflect the audience's fears and provide an entry point for the average viewer. Hmm.