When Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (AVPR) dropped in 2007, the buzz wasn’t just about the Predalien. It was about the shift in tone. Unlike its predecessor, which felt a bit like a PG-13 adventure, Requiem went dark. Literally. It’s so dark you sometimes need a flashlight to see the screen, but the alien versus predator requiem cast brought a level of grounded, blue-collar grit that actually made the carnage feel personal.
Honestly, looking back, the casting was pretty inspired for a creature feature. You didn't have A-list superstars chewing the scenery. Instead, you had a group of seasoned TV actors and character performers who treated the "small town under siege" trope with a surprising amount of sincerity. Let’s break down the ensemble that survived (or, well, mostly didn't survive) the Gunnison massacre.
The Human Faces of Gunnison
The movie centers on a small town in Colorado, and the cast reflects that "everyman" vibe. There’s no Schwarzenegger here to save the day with a minigun. Just people trying to get out of a hospital before it gets nuked.
Steven Pasquale as Dallas Howard
You might know Steven Pasquale from Rescue Me or his later turn as Mark Fuhrman in The People v. O. J. Simpson. In Requiem, he plays Dallas, a guy just out of prison returning to a town that doesn't exactly want him back. Pasquale brings a quiet, weary energy to the role. He isn't a "hero" by choice; he’s just a guy who knows how to handle a weapon and wants to protect his younger brother. It’s a classic redemption arc buried under layers of Xenomorph slime.
Reiko Aylesworth as Kelly O'Brien
If you’re a fan of the show 24, you recognized Reiko Aylesworth immediately. She played Michelle Dessler, so she’s no stranger to high-stakes chaos. In AVPR, she plays an Army pilot returning home from overseas. Her character provides the tactical backbone for the survivors. It’s a nice nod to the "strong female lead" tradition started by Sigourney Weaver, though Kelly’s story is much more grounded in her role as a mother trying to save her daughter, Molly (played by Ariel Gade).
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John Ortiz as Sheriff Eddie Morales
John Ortiz is one of those "hey, it's that guy" actors who is actually brilliant in everything. Since Requiem, he’s been in Fast & Furious, Silver Linings Playbook, and Kong: Skull Island. Here, he plays the overwhelmed Sheriff Morales. His performance is great because he captures that specific type of panic—the guy who wants to follow protocol even when the world is literally ending. He plays the foil to Dallas, and his insistence on staying in the center of town is one of the film's more tragic "I told you so" moments.
The Heavy Hitters: Who Was Under the Mask?
In a movie called Alien vs. Predator, the cast isn't just the people with lines. The physical performers are arguably the most important part of the alien versus predator requiem cast.
Ian Whyte as "Wolf" (The Predator)
Standing at a massive 7'1", Ian Whyte is a legend in the creature-suit world. Before he was a White Walker in Game of Thrones, he was the "cleaner" Predator known as Wolf. Whyte gave the character a distinct personality—this wasn't a young hunter looking for sport; it was a professional doing a job. The way he moves, using gadgets to dissolve evidence and stalking through the rain, makes Wolf the standout character of the entire film.
Tom Woodruff Jr. as the Predalien (and Xenomorphs)
Tom Woodruff Jr. didn't just play the creatures; he and Alec Gillis (Amalgamated Dynamics) designed them. Woodruff has been in the suits since Aliens (1986). In Requiem, he took on the role of the "Chet" (the nickname the crew gave the Predalien). It’s a brutal, grotesque performance that required immense physical stamina.
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Supporting Players and Surprising Cameos
The cast is rounded out by several actors who have since become familiar faces in the "Peak TV" era.
- Johnny Lewis as Ricky Howard: Playing Dallas’s younger brother, Lewis brought a teenage angst that made the early scenes feel like a dark coming-of-age movie. Lewis was later a series regular on Sons of Anarchy.
- Kristen Hager as Jesse: Every slasher movie needs a "girl next door," and Hager played Jesse with a vulnerability that made her sudden, shocking exit in the third act one of the most talked-about moments for fans.
- Robert Joy as Colonel Stevens: He’s the cold, calculated military presence at the end of the film. You’ve seen him in CSI: NY and Land of the Dead.
- David Hornsby as Drew: Yes, the guy who plays "Rickety Cricket" in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is in this movie! He plays one of the more obnoxious residents of Gunnison, and his fate is... well, it’s what you’d expect from an Alien movie.
The Miss Yutani Connection
At the very end of the film, we see a mysterious woman receiving the Predator’s plasma caster. That’s Françoise Yip as Ms. Yutani. It was a massive lore drop at the time, finally linking the "Yutani" half of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation into the cinematic universe.
Why the Casting Worked (And Where it Didn't)
Critically, the film got a lot of flak. Critics hated the lighting, and the script was... thin. But the alien versus predator requiem cast did something most B-movie casts fail to do: they stayed serious.
There’s no winking at the camera. When John Ortiz is screaming into a radio for help, you believe he’s terrified. When Reiko Aylesworth is sprinting through a hospital with a child on her back, she looks exhausted. This commitment to the "grounded" feel is what makes the movie a cult favorite today, especially for those who prefer the horror-focused roots of the franchise over the more stylized sequels.
The main limitation wasn't the acting; it was the "meat-grinder" nature of the story. With a body count this high, you don't get much time for deep character development. You barely get to know someone before they’re being used as an incubator. But for a movie meant to show the chaos of a Xenomorph outbreak in suburbia, the cast did exactly what they needed to do.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re revisiting the film or checking it out for the first time, keep an eye on the background. The directors, the Strause brothers, packed the movie with nods to the original films, and the cast's reactions to the practical effects are often genuine—they were working with real suits and slime on set.
- Watch the "Unrated" version: It doesn't fix the lighting, but it gives the cast more "impactful" moments (mostly in the form of gore).
- Check out Steven Pasquale's stage work: It’s a wild contrast to see the "Dallas" actor as a powerhouse Broadway singer.
- Look for the "Sunny" connection: Rewatch David Hornsby’s scenes; it’s hard to unsee Cricket once you know it’s him.
The alien versus predator requiem cast remains a fascinating snapshot of mid-2000s TV talent meeting legendary creature designers. It’s a gritty, mean-spirited little movie that wouldn't work half as well without the sincerity of the people in front of (and inside) the suits.