CNN  — 

The high school cast of a stage version of “Alien” got plenty attention when its elaborate play went viral last month.

On Friday night, the young actors got another surprise when the star of the original movie, Sigourney Weaver, dropped by New Jersey’s North Bergen High School to congratulate them.

“I am representing all of the ‘Alien’ fans, all over the universe who think what you’re doing is so cool,” she told the teens in video shared on Twitter.

The sci-fi/horror classic opened almost 40 years ago on May 25, 1979.

Fans on Twitter were celebrating #AlienDay on Friday, April 26. Key events in the movie take place on a planet called LV-426.

Weaver played Ripley, sole survivor of a commercial ship decimated by the violent title creature. She returned for three sequels.

The students made their own costumes for “Alien: The Play” from recycled materials.

“I just want to say, it looked incredible. You put so much heart and soul into that,” the actress said in a social media post, according to affiliate WCBS.

“You’re my childhood hero,” one of the students says to Weaver in a video clip as she goes in for a hug. “I can’t believe you’re here right now.”