I believe in aliens: Emma Stone confesses at Venice film festival

The actor Emma Stone has declared that she believes in the existence of aliens, saying she agrees with the astronomer Carl Sagan.

- Nadia Khomami

In her new film Bugonia, Stone plays a chief executive of a major company who is kidnapped by a pair of conspiracy theorists who believe she is an alien intent on destroying the planet.

Given the themes, it was inevitable she would be asked about her views on "ultimate intelligence looking down on us" during a press conference at the Venice film festival - to which she made her confession.

"I don't know about looking down on us, but one of my favourite people who has ever lived is Carl Sagan and I fell madly in love with his philosophy and science and how brilliant he is," the Oscar winner said.

"He very deeply believed [that] the idea that we're alone in this vast expansive universe - not that we're being watched - is a pretty narcissistic thing. So yes I'm coming out and saying it: I believe in aliens."