In Predator: Badlands, Elle Fanning steps into uncharted territory with a dual performance as TESSA and TH1A (pronounced “Thea”). Two synths who embody both the mechanical precision and emotional complexity of humanity’s creations. The 20th Century Studios film pushes the Predator saga further into the future than ever before, allowing Fanning to craft androids that feel more evolved, expressive, and distinctly alive. In an interview with Black Girl Nerds, Elle Fanning discusses the development of her role as a synth.
“TESSA and TH1A are synths that really stand out,” Fanning explains. “This film is set the furthest into the future of the Alien and Predator world that we’ve seen before, so my synths could be more advanced.” That advancement informed her performance, particularly with TH1A. “She’s more humanistic personality. Her emotions are big, empathetic, and warm. I wanted the audience to be drawn in by her openness. She didn’t have to be so robotic.”
However, her other half, TESSA, leans into the darker legacy of Weyland-Yutani, the morally ambiguous corporation that has haunted the franchise for decades. “There’s always a slight darkness when you’re working for the company,” Fanning says. “We amped that up in TESSA. She’s more mission-driven, loyal to a fault, and maybe a little cold. More in line with Michael Fassbender’s Prometheus android. I was inspired by all of the androids that have come before.”
While Fassbender’s David represented the eerie perfection of artificial intelligence, Fanning wanted her synths to feel fractured and alive. “We wanted to create something unique,” she says. “TH1A, especially, is broken. She’s been alone for so long, tucked away in a nest, that when DEK (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) arrives, she just won’t stop talking. She’s this lonely chatterbox trying to feel connected again.”
With Predator: Badlands, Fanning delivers two distinct performances that merge heart and hardware, honoring the Alien universe’s legacy while redefining what it means to be human in a world built by machines.
For more of our interview with Elle Fanning and the team behind Predator: Badlands check out the video below:
Predator: Badlands premieres in theaters this November 7th
