3. Sigourney Weaver Almost Dropped Out... Because Of The Cat
At the beginning of the shoot, Sigourney Weaver began shooting several scenes with Jones the cat and started to break out in a horrible rash. She came to believe that she was allergic to the cat and would therefore have to leave the film; being her first on-screen role, she figured she was easier to replace than the cat, which had been specially trained. Fortunately it later transpired that Weaver was allergic not to the cat but to the glycerine being applied to the various props and special effects to give them a slimy, gooey quality. She was able to complete filming without a hitch and science fiction managed to keep what is arguably its greatest female character.