Chi Lewis-Parry Stars as Alpha Zombie Samson in 28 Years Later

The 2025 film 28 Years Later, directed by Danny Boyle and co-written by Alex Garland, introduces a new terrifying variant of infected called 'Alphas,' with Samson, played by former MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry, as the leader. Samson is notable not only for his physical brutality, including ripping off human heads, but also for his enormous prosthetic penis, which has become a viral topic of discussion online; this prosthetic was used due to child labor laws restricting full nudity on set. Lewis-Parry, standing at 6-foot-8, embraced the character as the 'King of the Infected' and developed a backstory portraying Samson as a protector who sacrificed himself, giving the character depth beyond a monster archetype. The physical demands of the role caused Lewis-Parry minor injuries, such as a scar from filming intense scenes, highlighting the practical challenges of portraying such a creature. Boyle was impressed by Lewis-Parry's 'Samson bellow,' which helped secure the actor the lead Alpha role, and Lewis-Parry also voiced another Alpha in the film. The film has been praised for its fresh take on the zombie genre while sparking conversations about its bold and unusual character design choices.