Sigourney Weaver pays surprise visit to New Jersey stage production of her sci-fi classic Alien

Fox News reports that High school students in New Jersey holding an encore of their stage production of the sci-fi classic Alien were paid a surprise visit from the original film’s star, none other than Sigourney Weaver.

Weaver, who played Ellen Ripley in the 1979 franchise-creating film, left students speechless at North Bergen High School on Friday evening when she attended the encore performance of Alien: The Play.

“How exciting is it to be here tonight?” Weaver reportedly told the audience, according to the North Jersey Record, which noted some 800 people attended the production.

The production drew widespread praise after videos and images of the performances at the school were posted online. Weaver taped a YouTube video earlier this year, calling the production “incredible.”

The play, which was staged on a budget of only $3,500, was also praised by director Ridley Scott, who applauded the students’ creativity when it came to the show’s elaborate sets and special effects. Scott’s production company also provided $5,000 so the school could put on Friday’s encore performance.

According to The North Jersey Record, the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is awarding scholarships to both the production’s cast and crew.

Check out a video from Twitter that has gone viral since it was published Friday.