Paxton plays the loudest member of the squad in Aliens, a performance built on bravado collapsing into genuine terror. The character is comic relief until he is not, and the film's tonal control depends on him: his fear is the audience's, and it makes the professionals around him seem more frightening rather than less.
He worked in art department roles before acting and came up through low budget American cinema in the nineteen eighties, becoming closely associated with one director across several films. He later directed, and he worked steadily in television, including a long running lead role in a drama about a polygamous family.
Recurring subjects: bravado covering fear, working class Americans out of their depth, and comedy delivered at speed under pressure. He improvised extensively, and several of his most quoted lines were his own. He played decency well without ever making it dull.
He holds the unusual distinction of having been killed on screen by three of cinema's most famous monsters, a piece of trivia that reflects how central he was to the genre cinema of his era. His television lead drew major awards attention, and his death was widely mourned across the industry.
For viewers who want a performer who makes an ensemble feel real. Suited to anyone working through nineteen eighties genre cinema, and to those who know the quotations without knowing the source.
