I'm Tom Woodruff Jr., known as the Alien in the Alien and Alien vs. Predator films and many other monster roles like Pumpkinhead, the Gill Man from Monster Squad, and Goro from Mortal Kombat. AMA!

Did Wolfman really have nards, or was it just a lucky shot? I've been asking this since childhood.

I see real pain in that face when he crumples so, yeah, Wolfman's got nards!

How closely did you work with Gieger on the Xenomorph? It is such an iconic monster I’d love to know more about the process of bringing the artwork to life.

The studio was distancing itself from Giger on Alien3, for reasons I don't know. I would be on the phone when Giger called and invited Alec and I to his studio in Zurich and instructed by the studio to turn him down. Huge regrets. Should have sneaked over for a milestone event but under contract and all, hands were tied so no real working with the genius behind it all!

Your work on the 2011 The Thing prequel looks incredible but it got pasted over in post. What's it like being a physical effects maestro in this era?

Also, what movie that you haven't worked on do you really rate, effects wise?

The Thing (prequel) was a disappointment to me as much as to the fans. Luckily the studioADI YouTube channel comes on as strong as it does because these kinds of films today are tough to hold onto. There is a lot of re-introducing producer levels to what can be done in-camera and how great things look when we can combine practical and visual effects together!

What was your best memory from The Terminator and do you own any Terminator or AVP Predator movie props or memorabilia?

Best Terminator memory was doing MU on Arnold while he dozed in the make-up chair. It was like climbing a mountain to get to the peak and trying to paint it without waking up the giant! I still have the insert puppet head I made for the eye surgery scene.

Hi, Tom! Thanks for doing this. What did you do in It?

Designed Pennywise MU, following the design of director Andy Muschietti and created all the prosthetics including dead kids, wounds, etc.

How involved did you and ADI get with Neill Blomkamp's Alien 5? He mentioned he would be using your studio so I was curious as to how much discussion was had over the film's creature design direction? Thanks!

Just an exchange of Neil's artwork and story ideas and a maquette that he requested, detials of which he asked us to hold back,,,

Hey Tom, when in production did the team start referring to the Alien as xenomorph and why do you think this was misinterpreted by fans to be the actual name of the alien?

Te "Xenomorph" name came from the fans. As far as I know it wasn't a conscious decision that came from inside any of the productions.

Hello Tom , Who is the best actor/Actress you have worked with?

Sigourney.

Hi Tom! What of your work are you most proud of?

Goro and the Alien Queen from AVP were the two most challenging technical successes but favorite monster character is Pumpkinhead.

are you a comic fan? if so what do you read?

Limited comic fan - everything I have is 60's and early 70's Batman and Marvel Monsters. Never caught up with current stuff after Dark Knight and The Killing Joke, which were both epic!

My son's middle name is Winston, named after Stan Winston. What was your best memories of Stan? And your best memories working with Schwarzenegger?

Can't say enough good about Stan Winston and the impact he had on me as an artist but also a person. Remember in Son of Frankenstein when Dr. Frankenstein finds "Maker of Monsters" written onto his father's tomb and he scratches it out so that it reads, "Maker of Men"? That was my relationship with Stan.

If you could play any current or upcoming monster roles, what would it be?

Creature From the Black Lagoon would be amazing after having started as the character in Monster Squad but it looks like Doug Jones nailed it! There is still a Frankenstein I've designed that is under wraps that I'd like to jump into before long.

Would love to have a take at Creature From the Black Lagoon but looks like Doug Jones has nailed it. There is still a version of Frankenstein that hasn't ben done yet that would be amazing to jump into.

What is your creative experience while making Terminator?

Totally in awe - I think it jacked up my creative experience working with Stan Winston because he was so willing to trust us (the guys in the shop) to jump in and get involved.

Happy Halloween Tom!

What does your pumpkin look like this year and what candy do you have for trick or treaters?

Left my pumpkin full and intact this year, hanging out with some other gourds on the front porch. Don't get any trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood anymore.

Tremors is coming back as a TV series. Will you be involved? There's also a NEW Terminator film in the works. Would you like to return to the Terminator universe if they asked you?

Not involved in the new Tremors series. And the Terminator series has become so huge I don't think there's anything new I could bring to it.

Hi Tom,

when is the new Alien stuff for sale at the ADI store?

Not trying to be provacative but will have an announcement to make soon, tied to dates in our contract... It will blow your mind! THAT was provacative.

Hey Tom! How do you feel about Mark Rolston doing an AMA at the same time as you?

Wait, he what??????!!!!!!!!! I gotta' go! Mark Ralston - cool guy and has played some creepy characters (Shawshank Redemption - yikes!) Ask him if he remembered us taking a lifecast and him giggling while we had to tear the alginate out of his chest hairs.

Hey Tom, how are you doing?

If you could go back in time to any past project you've worked on, would you change anything? What would you do differently?

Every project could do with some tweaking given what I know now and the materials and techiniques developed over the years. Nothing specific comes to mind - I could probably do a whole Reddit as a Monday morning quarterback.

What is your favorite action movie?

Right off the top of me head, Die Hard.

If you could go back in time and change one thing you did (career-wise), what would it be?

This is tricky... I think I would have focused more on the traditional fundamentals of drawing and sculpting. I think that could have helped my confidence.

How long did it take to become Goro?

Physically, the studio had me working out with a great MA instructor, Pat Johnson for 4 months before we shot. Daily, it took about 45 minutes to climb into the suit pieces and have it all assembled around me to be ready for shooting.

Hey Tom! What gives you the most inspiration when designing new creatures and effects?

Real life suits me best for general look and some detail specifics. I believe if there are some elements of familiar animals and creatures we've seen online or in TV documentaries it helps sell the concept as real to the brain, maybe even just the subconscious, to help keep it grounded.

If you could steal a smooch from any monster in Hollywood who would it be?

There are so many real Hollywood monsters in the news right now. I pass.

How big will be special effects in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? And can you tell us anything about the movie in general?

Um, it's about these dinosaurs... Special Effects are happening on location in the UK so our involvement was limited to some non-moving props - BIG, but non-moving.

What happened to the Monster Squad Gillman costume? Any chance it has been preserved?

I don't believe it lasted. The Stan Winston guys has a urethane copy in their trophy room but it has since been passed onto private collector's hands.

Hello Tom, happy Halloween! Big fan of ADI from the Netherlands. What was your best experiance while working on Starship Troopers?

Alec and I were split on projects at the time so he was on location while I was in the studio starting Alien Resurrection. But I remember as all the parts came out for all the giant bugs we built and the first tests of the Warrior Bugs picking up a stunt man and throwing him around. Should have some of that footage up on YouTube soon.

Huge fan of the Xenomorphs! What was the most challenging aspect with these creatures?

Hiding the man shape inside the suit.

What's one classic film (recent or vintage) that you wanted to work on?

Karloff Frankenstein!

What’s the one character you feel was your pièce de résistance?

I believe the Gill Man in Monster Squad was the most complete and on-target creature I've played. Very little screen time but when he was on, he completely in context of the character and the story.

Over the past 35 years, do you think you had more fun acting, directing, or producing, and why?

Directing was great. It's like art directing in the studio has become, working with accomplished artists and in many cases experts at what they do, only now it covers an entire cross-section of the arts and techniques of filmmaking.

How do you remember working with Stan Winston? Do you have any funny/interesting story with him?

Stan was a great mix of artist and chief and monster fan. Early days with Stan was a lot of working side-by-side in the shop and he was always the first to break silence with something inane and stupid and hilarious.

Do you know Karel Zeman's movies?

Loved those movies! Had a great look and technique, cheap but effective! Ahead of his time.

Hi Tom, HaPpY HaLlOwEeN, have you ever never made it to the toilet / had an accident when performing in a monster suit?

Have never not ever made it.

Hi Tom, I'm a fan of alot of your work!! and it's defiantly been an inspiration to me and a lot of FX artist's. How do you feel about CGI? do you think its pushing out the prosthetic and animatronic world, or adding to it?

It's been a rough climb but there has been a resurgence in the use and trust of practical effects, especially if we can count on an approach that lets us combine our talents with VFX talents and capture the best of both. They're both tools and we've certainly been lead down a road for quite some time without any reliance on the real-world aspects of practical effects. Not commenting on the huge and successful work in the new Planet of the Apes films or Peter Jackson's work, but those are the very high end cost alternatives that most projects can't adopt.

How do you feel about the computerization that has taken place in the practical effects industry? It seems that 3D printing and sculpting has largely taken over the art of clay sculpting and scratchbuilding, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

I keep it all in the perspective of the right tool for the job. We do a lot of digital sculpting and digital printing but there are many times, like recent desigs for the new Godzilla film in which we jump back into puching clay around with an artist's fingers.

Hello Tom! What is your favorite breakfast composed of? p.s. Johnny Cage doesn't fight fair!

Anchovy Creampie.

What kind of music do you like listening to while you do your creations? Who are some of your favorite bands?

Vintage Monster Movie soundtracks, Sinatra, jazz, '60s pop (love vintage surf music).

Hi Tom! I’m a huge fan of the Tremors films, I met you and Alec at the 25th anniversary release meet up in 2015. I came from Australia to go to that and was easily the best night of my life.

My question is, do you still have any of the Tremors props? If so, which ones?

There are a few that have survived, mostly the main graboid creature with surprisingly long-lasting foam rubber skin!

What is your method when figuring out how the creatures think and move? How early in advance are you involved with the process/creation of the creatures you play before the production begins shooting?

I like to get into the movement and performance of the creature from the very beginnig. Once we determine that the character is right for a person in a suit, we try to figure out how to hid a human body form but still give it plenty of flexibility to develop the movements.

Hey Tom, huge fan. I was wondering what are some tips that you would have for anyone interested in going into your profession?

Stay active and stay in physical shape.

Happy Halloween Tom! I've always been a big fan of the Tremors films, so thanks for many fond childhood memories. Love ADI's effects work. How did you design the A**blasters from the third film? I remember you had a big "biology" of the Shriekers worked out before, so how did you feel about that change in direction?

The design of the A**blasters came from Alec. He really took the lead also on Tremors 2 with a lot of sketches and clay maquettes. After the third one we were "excused" from the series and it went to KNB for the fourth and for the TV series. The new TV reboot is being handled by Legacy Effects.

Hi there! I would love to know what your favorite material is to work with and why?

Favorite material - a good story. Lots of material choices out there and no favorites - I like to use a mix of what works.

Did Goro have an extra set of testicles, ya know, to make that Johnny Cage nut punch extra painful?

My head canon takes it a bit further but I'll be satisfied if you answer this alone.

Ha - Johnny (I don't pull my punched for anybody) Cage would have destroyed any extra testicals had we made them so we just went with mine. Thanks for asking!

Happy Halloween Tom!

What are your five favorite monster designs in cinema, not counting movies you were involved with?

Karloff Frankenstein and Creature From the Black Lagoon are always fighting it out for top spot on my list. And just when you think we have a winner, anything from Ray Harryhausen's hands upsets the scale!

Hi Tom, Happy Halloween and big fan! I almost attended school for SPFX but decided on a degree in Culinary so I can still create and work with my hands. Outside of Special Effects makeup is there any other hobby or activity that you like to do that is or isn't related to SPFX?

Yeah, I have my "other life", but the truth is, it can almost all be traced back to a connection. My whole life has been movie monsters and I don't see it changing this time around...

Happy Halloween Tom! Given your impressive resume of costumed characters, What is your Halloween costume this year?

I was just complaining that I should have done something for Halloween this year. I've spent a couple of dry Halloweens waiting for kids to show up so I can scare them at the door but they never came. Cool thing is there are a few people dressed up at the studio today!

What's your take on found footage films? Horror fans seem to either love or hate them, what say you?

I got to say, I loved Blair Witch Project when it was new and very visceral. I think it's a tricky sub-genre to pull off without it looking like a cheap imitation because the successful look has to be very "un-produced" for it to work and there have been so many versions over the years...

Skyline was quite a controversial movie, people either loved it or hated it. I for one loved it and not only because of the great special effects. Why do you think it had such mixed reactions?

Dunno - I thought it was well-done and had good pace. A little hard to believe that the Effects Guy character in the movie is the cool one. But maybe I know too many effects guys...

If you could star in any remakes of older movies, what would they be?

Would be great to have been able to raid the Universal monster properties but with the direction they've taken, I don't think they're going to have that Universal feel which, honestly, may be the best thing for audiences today...

I read somewhere that the Goro animatronic was a technical nightmare! With years of hindsight and incredible advances in technology, do you ever look back on any of your creations and think how you would apply the experience you have now to some projects?

Yeah, tough times bringing Goro to life. Part of the challenge was a budget and timeline set by the producer that had us scramble to invent new technology and the other challenge was very little time on set to really deliver a performance that could have gone a little deeper. Today we have options that we would want to choose and essentially have a full-animatronic version from the waist-up that was focused on only one thing - fighting.

Hey Tom! I've been appreciative of ADI's work for many years, they always do great practical work.

I'm wondering, how much leeway do you and your team have when it comes to designing the different creatures? Is it largely just following what the director or producer tells you, or are you given freedom to explore the designs yourself? In short, who should I blame if the thing on the screen looks silly? ;)

As an aside, are you familiar with this site? https://monsterlegacy.net/ An old friend of mine runs it, your work has been featured numerous times.

It's always different depending on the director and the producers. At best, we have their trust and their confidence and we take the lead. Sometimes filmmakers come in with very definite ideas and want them to be realized. That's not a bad thing particularly when it's someone like James Cameron! Have not seen the site yet but thanks for the link!

Hey Tom, big fan, I'm sure it's really hard on set but you have my dream job.

Could you clarify something about the queen, I've read somewhere that the queen in Alien Res was the one from Aliens, and you had done a massive work to restore it? And that the same happened for avp?

I went to Lyon in France where there is this cinema props museum. And the AVP queen is displayed there, so is this the true and only queen ever made?

Also what do you think of Alien Res retrospectively? regarding the movie itself, its design, the work ADI achieved. There is lot of hate for this episode on the web, do you think it is deserved, and why do you think it is probably the less loved one?

We did borrow the Aliens Queen head and neck from Monster Kid, Bob Burns and repainted it for Resurrection, then refurbished it back to the colors of the original paint job. But by this time, the original vibrant colors that were used to make it stand out in the dark had faded so we had to make another pass to revise it to how it looked as a permanent part of Bob's Basement. On AVP, we borrowed the head again, sculpted new points and horns and molded that. And yes, only one Queen was made for AVP. I don't know for sure why Resurrection was the least favored of them all.

Are you doing anymore stop motion? Loved Steel In Love, so much.

Cool! Yes, a private project in the works but taking sooooo long to get the creature set for animation.

Have you ever fallen in love whilst in character? If so, did u feel creepy?

Wow, the old clock on the wall says it's about time to go...

In your opinion, Who would win in a fight? A Predator or a Terminator?

Predator would have to be stripped of his weapons, especially the wrist bomb. Terminator would be able to outlast him since no fatigue factor.

What is your favorite horror movie ?

I know I should say "It", but it's Karloff Frankenstein. (by the way, go see "It" in theatres now)

What is the prevailing view of practical effects in hollywood right now? Are they viewed as expensive but necessary for convincing effects in blockbusters? Are they viewed as appealing to nostalgia?

They are considered expensive but, even with the costs of puppeteers and performers, much less than quality VFX. There has been a lot of note taken of the value of something real on-set and in-camera, especially when it can guide the use of VFX to supplement rather it rather than replace it. The hardest thing to return to is a production schedule that allows practical effects the time for design and build and testing before the film starts into production.

What's your favorite Godzilla movie?

The original was always a favorite and the one that still holds the most interest for me.

What upcoming conventions do you have on your schedule? Your the last Monster I am missing a signature for on my Original Theatrical Poster for Monster Squad.

Hope to be able to sign up and fill-in your Monster Squad poster. As of now, no dates are set for future appearance...

Do you remember anything notable about English life or culture whilst working there for Alien 3?

So much, much more than I can relay here. But it made me very thankful to have been there for 10 months on Aliens and for another 10 months during Alien3 and be able to just start to understand the culture from being there.

Can I borrow $25?

Yes. Please contact Alec Gillis.

What was it like working with Lance Henrikson on Pumpkinhead? Was he nice or was did he stay in character anything like that?

I've worked with lance now on nearly a dozen projects. He's a good friend and a solid go-to for his acting skills and commitment. My favorite story is from Pumpkinhead when he and I were alone during lunch and he told me he was so impressed how I was able to submerge myself into that uncomfortable costume and keep my mind focused on the character without complaining. It set the bar for me for every other creature suit I would ever do,

You aiming for that next aliens movie?

Always hopeful but Ridley Scott has chosen a direction and with shooting in the UK where tax incentives support the work locally, I think we're pushed out for good.

Hey maybe late to the party but could you share any behind the scenes/set photos you may have?

We tend to use imgur.com here

We have a tone of video on our studioADI channel on YouTube, both behind the scenes and on-camera.

Hi Tom,

Did you ever meet H.R Gieger? And if you did what was he like?

See earlier, above.

Hi, Tom! Thanks for doing this AMA.

Back when you were doing Alien, did you have any idea that the alien would be something that would still give people nightmares almost 40 years after its initial release?

It's been a pleasure. The original Alien was such a stand out film and the creature so new and unique, I expected it was not the last we would see when I saw the film on it's first run before I was in the effects business. Never dreamed I would be at work on the next one or actually playing the creature in the following installments.

Does it feel cool knowing you're part of the Mortal Kombat franchise, and that your character is still a fan favorite?

I'm very happy with what we were able to invent and put onscreen for Mortal Kombat. I think Goro is one of our stand-out creations, both in art and technology and glad to know the fans appreciated what we did.

What movies coming down the line get you excited for the practical effects? Anyone working on anything you can talk about?

Nothing we can talk about yet but a huge and healthy make-up show for Bright coming out in December and next year's Jurassic World and The Predator.

Thank you for participating in one of my favourite films of all times. You helped create something I absolutely love and always will.

This is something I've always wondered, how did the jazz hand scene happen?

Piano and sax.

I have seen terrible practical effects and amazing practical effects (The Thing original being the most outstanding). What is the key to lifelike props/animatronics?

Having the support of the director and producers to follow through with the plan during shooting and post to make the most of what practical (and practical with VFX enhancements) can do.

Hey Tom! I am a finalist in a competition to win $50,000 funding to shoot a web series. It's about Lumberjacks Vs Werewolves. What advice can you give us for creating a really great werewolf transformation scene? Would we be able to interview you/Alec over skype about practical effects?

Much more than I can get into here but clearly, you'll need to be as clever with what you don't show as with what you do.

As you see technology change are you happy or sad most things now have become CGI?

Am much happier to see a new interest in the hybrid approach of starting with practical and counting on VFX to enhance what is captured on-camera.

Are there any chances that you will be involved in the next Terminator?

Can you explain the editing process in the first Terminator; I mean, most of the effects were excellent, yet there were a couple of scenes where some very jerky and unnatural stop motion was used. Why weren't these scenes simply cut out, as the story would be sufficiently clear and attractive even without them? Or why weren't they filmed in an alternative way that wouldn't use stop motion?.

Have not been involved in the Terminator series since the original with Stan Winston. I know what you mean about the stop-motion but keep in mind, in the context of when the film was made prior to anything digital, it served a purpose in telling the story and in showing the full T-800 in a way we could not have pulled off.

First off, I loved your work in Pumpkinhead. You're absolute legend.

Now, who wins in a fight: the Bull from Michael or the Lion from Jumanji?

Can't we all just get along?