What was the name of David Bowie's character in the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth?

David Bowie’s character in the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth was named Thomas Jerome Newton. Newton is an extraterrestrial who comes to Earth seeking a way to transport water back to his drought-stricken home planet.

Directed by Nicolas Roeg, the British science-fiction drama was adapted from Walter Tevis’s 1963 novel. Bowie made his first starring film appearance as Newton, an otherworldly figure whose unusual appearance and detached manner gradually attract human attention. The role drew on Bowie’s ability to create enigmatic, alien personas, but Newton is a character distinct from his music identities.

In the story, Newton uses advanced alien knowledge to build a powerful business and develop technology for space travel. His plans are undermined by human greed, bureaucracy, alcohol and other forms of corruption. The film’s surreal imagery and themes of isolation, exploitation and cultural dislocation helped it develop a lasting cult following.

Jareth is Bowie’s character in the later fantasy film Labyrinth, while Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane are musical personas rather than characters from The Man Who Fell to Earth. Those associations make them plausible distractors, but Thomas Jerome Newton is the film’s canonical name.