Carrie Henn: From "Aliens" child star to beloved teacher

A new part of the iconic movie series "Alien" has just hit the big screens. Cinema enthusiasts surely remember its second instalment, which starred the then 10-year-old Carrie Henn. What’s up with the actress who played Newt today?

The careers of child stars from movies and TV series develop in various directions. Some continue the professional path chosen in their early years, others unsuccessfully struggle to extend their "five minutes" of fame, and the rest treat it as an adventure of a lifetime, focusing on developing entirely different professions. Without questioning their debuts on the silver or small screen, in many cases, it works to their advantage.

The world of Hollywood has brutally shaped the artistic plans of many promising young actors. Carrie Henn, who ended up on the set of a major production in the mid-80s as a mere 10-year-old, experienced this firsthand. At that time, James Cameron directed the second series of the well-received film Alien. The movie, awarded two Oscars, opened the doors to great fame for her.

Carrie Henn did not grow up in a home where artistic values dominated. Her mother worked as a nurse in a hospital, while her father was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. His professional commitments forced the whole family to leave their former life and move to England. If it weren’t for this, the 10-year-old, fascinated by the world of cinema, would never have participated in the casting for one of the main roles in the science-fiction movie "Aliens."

The idea to persuade her parents to send an application turned out to be spot on. The American, who excelled in front of the cameras, beat out a few thousand competitors. She played the character of Newt, an orphaned girl who was the only one in her family to survive the Xenomorph attack and ultimately ended up under the care of astronaut Ellen Ripley, brilliantly portrayed by Sigourney Weaver.

Few people know that Carrie Henn's parents had double the reason to be proud. The creators of "Aliens" also decided to involve her older brother, Christopher, in the production. However, scenes with the teenager only appeared in the film's special edition. It was his sister who grew up to be a real star. Carrie’s stirring performance resulted in her receiving the Saturn Award in 1987 for "Best Performance by a Younger Actor."

The excellent reviews from critics, who highlighted her performance against many other adult screen partners, and such a huge distinction in the form of a statuette, seemed to fulfill the girl’s dreams. Unfortunately, shortly after leaving the set, her father received another assignment at one of the air bases in California, which meant a return to their home country. Carrie didn’t even attend the ceremonial premiere of the second part of "Alien," watching the film for the first time at a small, local cinema.

Due to the death of her character, Carrie Henn didn’t have the chance to participate in the continuation of the series. The disheartened girl abandoned her earlier plans and devoted herself entirely to education. In 1994, she graduated from Atwater High School, and 6 years later, she earned a bachelor's degree in library science. She also studied pedagogy.

The 48-year-old woman now enjoys a well-ordered family life. Next year, she will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her marriage to Nathan Kutcher, whom she met during her studies and who is currently a police officer. Meanwhile, Henn dedicated herself to teaching children and has worked at Shaffer Elementary School in Atwater, California, for many years.

The former actress still fondly remembers her experiences from participating in "Aliens," maintaining regular contact with Sigourney Weaver to this day, publicly wishing her a Happy Mother's Day last year. Although she consciously withdrew from on-camera performances, in 2020, Carrie guest-starred as a voice actress in the animated miniseries "Thunder Island."