Lily-Rose Depp Says She 'Definitely' Believes in Aliens While Promoting Alpha Gang at TIFF

Lily-Rose Depp says she 'definitely' believes in aliens, a view she shared while promoting her new sci-fi comedy Alpha Gang at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The 27-year-old actress plays an extraterrestrial experiencing Earth and human emotions for the first time in the film. Speaking to reporters, Depp said the sheer scale of the universe made it difficult to believe that humanity was the only intelligent life in existence.

'So I definitely believe in aliens,' she said.

Depp's comments came as Alpha Gang made its international premiere at TIFF. The film had previously debuted at the Telluride Film Festival on 5 September before screening in Toronto on 11 September as part of the festival's Special Presentations programme.

Depp joined co-stars Léa Seydoux and Kelvin Harrison Jr. at the PEOPLE/EW and Shutterstock studio on 12 September, the day after the TIFF screening.

The film's red-carpet activity continued during the festival, with cast members also appearing at a later event on 13 September. That date should therefore be distinguished from the film's TIFF premiere.

Lily-Rose Depp on Aliens and Humanity

Depp said it would be too narrow-minded to assume that Earth was the only place where life had developed. She explained that the universe was so vast that there could be many different forms of existence beyond humanity.

The actress also suggested that believing humans were alone could reflect an inflated sense of importance. Rather than ruling out the possibility of extraterrestrial life, she said she was open to the idea that other beings could exist elsewhere, with some potentially friendly and others less welcoming.

Her comments were particularly fitting given the premise of Alpha Gang, which centres on aliens visiting Earth with the intention of conquering it. The visitors initially approach humanity as an unfamiliar species, but their mission begins to change when they encounter emotions they have never experienced before.

Asked what might appear strange to an extraterrestrial visitor, Depp joked that humans could seem alien themselves. She pointed to ordinary bodily functions and routines, including eating, using the bathroom and caring for the body, as activities that might look bizarre if observed from an outside perspective.

The idea reflects one of the film's central comic themes, behaviour that feels completely normal to humans may appear absurd when viewed through the eyes of another species. In Alpha Gang, the aliens are forced to reconsider their assumptions as they observe the habits, relationships and emotional reactions of the people they encounter.

Seydoux also discussed the strangeness of being human, including the physical structure of the body. Harrison Jr. suggested Britney Spears' music as something he might show extraterrestrial visitors, while Depp mentioned childhood games such as hopscotch and tic-tac-toe.

Inside 'Alpha Gang'

Directed by David and Nathan Zellner, Alpha Gang follows a leather-clad group of alien invaders who arrive on Earth disguised as a 1950s biker gang. Their assignment is to conquer the planet, but their plans become increasingly complicated when they begin to experience human emotions.

The film's ensemble includes Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lily-Rose Depp, Bae Doona and Riley Keough. Adria Arjona is also listed among the cast.

Blanchett plays Alpha One, while the other principal performers portray members of the alien gang. The characters use numerical Alpha designations, although available festival coverage does not consistently establish the full range of those designations. Pine plays Alpha Seven, according to reviews and festival reporting.

The Zellner brothers' approach combines science-fiction, deadpan comedy and an exaggerated biker aesthetic. Rather than presenting the aliens as conventionally threatening creatures, the film places them in an unusual social environment where their confidence begins to break down.

The characters appear certain about their mission when they first arrive, but their encounters with human behaviour create confusion and emotional disruption. The contrast between their serious invasion plans and their growing fascination with ordinary life provides much of the film's humour.

Several critics at TIFF described Alpha Gang as an unusual and often gleefully odd sci-fi comedy. Reviews have highlighted the cast's willingness to commit to the film's absurd premise, while some critics singled out Pine's performance for its deadpan comic delivery.

The film also introduces a rival Beta Gang, led by Blanchett in an eye patch. Critics have commented on the broadness of her performance and its distinctive accent, adding another layer of theatricality to the film's deliberately heightened style.

Film's Distribution Status

Despite the attention generated by its festival cast and unusual premise, Alpha Gang did not have a US distributor announced as of 15 September.

mk2 Films is handling international sales, while CAA represents the film's US sales. Earlier industry material referred to CAA Media Finance's involvement in North American rights, but newer reporting identifies CAA under US sales.

A release date has not yet been announced. The film therefore remains in the festival and acquisition market, with future distribution plans expected to become clearer after its Telluride and TIFF screenings.

For Depp, the project offered an opportunity to explore humanity from an unfamiliar perspective. Her belief in extraterrestrial life also gives the film's premise a personal connection, even though Alpha Gang treats the subject through comedy rather than conventional space-horror storytelling.