Sigourney Weaver

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Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver2.jpg
Sigourney Weaver in September 2011
Born Susan Alexandra Weaver
(1949-10-08) October 8, 1949 (age 74)
Manhattan, New York
New York, U.S.
Alma mater Stanford University (B.A., 1972)
Yale University (M.F.A., 1974)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1976–present
Spouse(s) Jim Simpson (m. 1984)
Children 1
Parent(s) Sylvester Weaver
Elizabeth Inglis
Relatives Doodles Weaver
(uncle)

Sigourney Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver; October 8, 1949) is an American actress and film producer. Following her film debut as a minor character in Annie Hall (1977), she quickly came to prominence in 1979 with her first lead role as Ellen Ripley in Alien. She reprised the role in three sequels: Aliens (1986), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award Best Actress; Alien 3 (1992), and Alien: Resurrection (1997). She is also known for her starring roles in the box-office hits Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II (1989), and Avatar (2009).

Weaver was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the 1980 Off-Broadway play Das Lusitania Songspiel, and received a Tony Award nomination for the 1984 Broadway play Hurlyburly. A seven-time Golden Globe Award nominee, she won both Best Actress in Drama and Best Supporting Actress for her work in the 1988 films Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, becoming the first person to win two acting Golden Globes in the same year.[1] She also received Academy Award nominations for both films. For her role in the 1997 film The Ice Storm, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Additionally, she has received three Emmy Award nominations and won two Saturn Awards.

Weaver acquired the nickname of "The Sci-Fi Queen" for her numerous contributions to science-fiction film history, including minor roles in successful works such as Futurama (2002), WALL-E (2008), Paul (2011) and The Cabin in the Woods (2012).[2][3] Her other films include The Year of Living Dangerously (1983), Dave (1993), Death and the Maiden (1994), Copycat (1995), A Map of the World (1999), Galaxy Quest (1999) and Prayers for Bobby (2009). In 2013, she returned to Broadway to star in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Early life

Weaver was born in Manhattan, New York City, the daughter of Elizabeth Inglis (née Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins; 1913–2007), an actress, and the NBC television executive and television pioneer Sylvester "Pat" Weaver (1908–2002).[4][5][6] Her uncle, Doodles Weaver (1911–1983), was a comedian and actor. Her mother was English, from Colchester, Essex, and her father, who was American, had English, Scottish, and Ulster-Scots ancestry, including roots in New England.[7][8] Weaver began using the name "Sigourney Weaver" in 1963 after a minor character (Sigourney Howard) in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby.[9]

Weaver attended the Ethel Walker School, a girls' preparatory school in Simsbury, Connecticut. She also attended The Chapin School and The Brearley School. Sigourney was reportedly 5' 10½" (179 cm) tall by the age of 14, although she only grew another inch during her teens to her adult height of 5' 11½" (182 cm). In 1967, at the age of 18, Weaver visited Israel and volunteered on a kibbutz for several months.[10]

Weaver attended Sarah Lawrence College as well as Stanford University,[11] where she first began her involvement in acting, by living in Stanford's co-ed Beta Chi Community for the Performing Arts.[12] Weaver earned her Master of Fine Arts degree at the Yale University School of Drama in 1974,[13] where one of her appearances was in the chorus in a production of Stephen Sondheim's musical version of The Frogs, and another was as one of a mob of Roman soldiers alongside Meryl Streep in another production.[14] Weaver later acted in original plays by her friend and classmate Christopher Durang. She later appeared in an "Off-Broadway" production of Durang's comedy Beyond Therapy in 1981, which was directed by the up-and-coming director Jerry Zaks.

Film career

Weaver with her father Pat Weaver in 1989

Weaver's first role is often said to be in Woody Allen's 1977 comedy Annie Hall playing a minor role opposite Allen.[15] Weaver appeared two years later as Warrant Officer/Lieutenant Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's blockbuster 1979 film Alien, in a role initially designated to co-star Veronica Cartwright, until a late change in casting. She reprised the role in the three sequels of the Alien movie franchise, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe states, "One of the real pleasures of "Alien" is to watch the emergence of both Ellen Ripley as a character and Sigourney Weaver as a star."[16]

In the sequel Aliens directed by James Cameron, critic Roger Ebert wrote, "Weaver, who is onscreen almost all the time, comes through with a very strong, sympathetic performance: She's the thread that holds everything together."[17] Weaver followed the success of Alien appearing opposite Mel Gibson in The Year of Living Dangerously released to critical acclaim and as Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II.

Sigourney Weaver at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Baby Mama; she played a role in the film.

By the end of the decade, Weaver appeared in two of her most memorable and critically acclaimed performances. In 1988, she starred as Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist. The same year she appeared opposite Harrison Ford in a supporting role as Katharine Parker in the film Working Girl. Weaver won Golden Globe awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her two roles that year. She received two Academy Award nominations in 1988, for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Working Girl and Best Actress for Gorillas in the Mist, making her one of the few actors nominated for two acting awards in the same year.

She gave the birth to her daughter Charlotte Simpson (born on April 13, 1990) taking a few years break from the movie business and focusing on her family. She returned to the big screen in 1992 with Alien 3 and Ridley's Scott's 1492: Conquest of Paradise in which she played role of Queen Isabella. In the early 1990s, Weaver appeared in several films including Dave opposite Kevin Kline and Frank Langella. In 1994 she starred in Roman Polanski's drama Death and the Maiden as Paulina Escobar. She played the role of agoraphobic criminal psychologist Helen Hudson in the 1995 movie Copycat. Weaver also concentrated on smaller and supporting roles throughout the decade such as Jeffrey (1994), Ang Lee's The Ice Storm (1997), earning her another Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress and winning a BAFTA Award, followed by Galaxy Quest (1999), and A Map of the World (1999) earning her another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.

In 2001, she appeared in the comedy Heartbreakers playing the lead role of a con artist alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ray Liotta, Gene Hackman and Anne Bancroft. She appeared in several films throughout the decade including Holes (2003), the M. Night Shyamalan horror film The Village (2004), Vantage Point (2008), and Baby Mama (2008). Weaver also returned to Rwanda for the BBC special Gorillas Revisited. She was voted 20th in Channel 4's countdown of the 100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time, being one of only two women in the Top 20 (the other was Audrey Hepburn).

In 2009, Weaver starred as Mary Griffith in her first made-for-TV movie, Prayers for Bobby, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award,[18] Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award. She also guest starred in the TV show Eli Stone in the fall of 2008.[19] She reunited with Aliens director James Cameron for his 2009 film Avatar, with Weaver playing a major part as Dr. Grace Augustine, leader of the AVTR (avatar) program on the film's fictional moon Pandora.

Weaver in December 2009

Weaver has done voice work in television and film. She had a guest role in the Futurama episode "Love and Rocket" in February 2002, playing the female Planet Express Ship. In 2006, she was the narrator for the American version of the Emmy Award-winning series Planet Earth. Also in 2006, Weaver narrated "A Matter of Degrees", a short film that plays daily at The Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (The Wild Center) in Tupper Lake, New York. In 2008, Weaver was featured as the voice of the ship's computer in the Pixar and Disney release, WALL•E. She also voiced a narrating role in another computer-animated film, 2008's The Tale of Despereaux, based on the novel by Kate DiCamillo.

Weaver has hosted two episodes of the long-running NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live: once on the 12th season premiere in 1986, and again, on a season 35 episode in January 2010. In March 2010, she was cast for the lead role as Queen of the Vampires in Amy Heckerling's Vamps.[20] She was honored at the 2010 Scream Awards earning The Heroine Award which honored her work in science fiction, horror and fantasy films.

In May 2010, there were reports that Weaver had been cast for the lead role Margaret Matheson in the Spanish thriller film Red Lights.[21]

In September 2011, it was confirmed that Weaver will be returning to Avatar 2, with James Cameron stating that "no one ever dies in science fiction."[22] In 2014, he revealed that she would be featured in all three sequels.[23]

In 2014, Weaver reprised the role of Ripley for the first time in 17 years by voicing the character in the video game Alien: Isolation. Her character will appear in two DLCs set during the events of Alien, with most of the original cast voicing their respective characters.[24][25]

Weaver appeared in the 2014 film Exodus: Gods and Kings playing Tuya, directed by Ridley Scott, alongside Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, and Ben Kingsley.[26] In 2015, she co-starred in Neil Blomkamp's science-fiction film Chappie, and stated that she would agree to appear in an Alien sequel, provided that Blomkamp directs.[27] On February 18, 2015, it was officially announced that an Alien sequel will be made, with Blomkamp slated to direct.[28] On February 25, 2015, Weaver confirmed that she would reprise her role as Ellen Ripley in the new Alien film.[29]

Personal life

Weaver has been married to the stage director Jim Simpson since October 1, 1984.[30] They have one daughter, Charlotte Simpson, who was born on April 13, 1990.[31]

After making Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey, she became a supporter of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and is now its honorary chairwoman.[32] She was honored by the Explorers Club for this work. Weaver is considered to be an environmentalist.[33] In October 2006, she drew international attention through a news conference at the start of a United Nations General Assembly policy deliberation. She outlined the widespread threat to ocean habitats posed by deep-sea trawling, an industrial method for harvesting fish.

On April 8, 2008, she hosted the annual gala of the Trickle Up Program, a non-profit organization focusing on those in extreme poverty, mainly women and the disabled, in the Rainbow Room.[34]

She is a longtime friend of Jamie Lee Curtis. In their 2015 interview together, Curtis admitted to Weaver she never saw Alien entirely, because she was too scared.[15]

She's fluent in French.[35]

Accolades

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Weaver has been nominated three times for an Academy Award, three BAFTAs (one win) and seven Golden Globes (two wins). She has also earned Tony and Drama Desk nominations for her work on the stage.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director Notes
1977 Annie Hall Alvy's Date Outside Theatre Woody Allen
1979 Alien Ripley Ridley Scott
1981 Eyewitness Tony Sokolow Peter Yates
1982 The Year of Living Dangerously Jilly Bryant Peter Weir
1983 Deal of the Century Catherine DeVoto William Friedkin
1984 Ghostbusters Dana Barrett Ivan Reitman
1985 Une Femme ou Deux Jessica Fitzgerald Daniel Vigne English translation: One Woman or Two; almost entirely French-language production
1986 Half Moon Street Dr. Lauren Slaughter Bob Swaim
1986 Aliens Ellen Ripley James Cameron
1988 Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey Dian Fossey Michael Apted
1988 Working Girl Katharine Parker Mike Nichols
1989 Ghostbusters II Dana Barrett Ivan Reitman
1992 The Snow Queen The Narrator (voice) Short film
1992 Alien 3 Ellen Ripley David Fincher Also co-producer
1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Queen Isabella Ridley Scott
1993 Rabbit Ears: Peachboy The Narrator Short film
Voice role
1993 Dave Ellen Mitchell Ivan Reitman
1994 The Wild Swans The Narrator (voice) Short film
Voice role
1994 Death and the Maiden Paulina Escobar Roman Polanski
1995 Copycat Helen Hudson Jon Amiel
1995 Jeffrey Debra Moorhouse Christopher Ashley
1997 The Ice Storm Janey Carver Ang Lee
1997 Alien: Resurrection Ellen Ripley Jean-Pierre Jeunet Also co-producer
1999 A Map of the World Alice Goodwin Scott Eliott
1999 Galaxy Quest Gwen DeMarco/Lieutenant Tawny Madison Dean Parisot
2000 Company Man Daisy Quimp Peter Askin & Douglas McGarth
2001 Heartbreakers Angela Nardino / Max Conners / Olga Ivanova David Mirkin
2001 Big Bad Love Betti DeLoreo Arliss Howard Voice role
2002 Tadpole Eve Grubman Gary Winick
2002 The Guys Joan Jim Simpsons
2003 Holes Warden Walker Andrew Davis
2004 Imaginary Heroes Sandy Travis Dan Harris
2004 The Village Alice Hunt M. Night Shyamalan
2006 Snow Cake Linda Freeman Marc Evans
2006 The TV Set Lenny Jake Kasdan
2006 Infamous Babe Paley Douglas McGarth
2007 Happily N'Ever After Frieda Paul J. Bolger Voice role
2007 The Girl in the Park Julia Sandburg David Auburn
2008 Vantage Point Rex Brooks Pete Travis
2008 Be Kind Rewind Ms. Lawson Michel Gondry
2008 Baby Mama Chaffee Bicknell Michael McCullers
2008 WALL•E Computer Andrew Stanton Voice role
2008 The Tale of Despereaux The Narrator Sam Fell & Robert Stevenhagen Voice role
2009 Avatar Dr. Grace Augustine James Cameron
2010 Crazy on the Outside Vicky Zelda Tim Allen
2010 You Again Ramona Clark Andy Fickman
2011 Cedar Rapids Marcy Vanderhei Miguel Arteta
2011 Paul "The Big Guy" Greg Mottola
2011 Abduction Dr. Geraldine "Geri" Bennett John Singleton
2011 Rampart Joan Confrey Oren Moverman
2012 The Cabin in the Woods The Director Drew Goddard
2012 Red Lights Margaret Matheson Rodrigo Cortés
2012 The Cold Light of Day Jean Carrack Mabrouk El Mechri
2012 Vamps Cisserus Amy Heckerling
2014 Exodus: Gods and Kings Tuya Ridley Scott
2015 Chappie Michelle Bradley Neil Blomkamp
2016 A Monster Calls Grandma Juan Antonio Bayona In post-production
2016 Ghostbusters Paul Feig In post-production[36]
2017 Tomboy, a Revenger's Tale Walter Hill Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Somerset Avis Ryan
1977 The Best of Families Laura Wheeler Miniseries
1979 3 by Cheever: The Sorrows of Gin Marcia Lawton Miniseries; episodes 1 & 2
1986 Saturday Night Live Host Original Air Date: October 11, 1986 (Season 12, Episode 1); Herself - Host / Various / Zuul / Ripley
1997 Snow White: A Tale of Terror Lady Claudia Hoffman This film was originally slated for theatrical release but wound up debuting on Showtime in the U.S.
2002 Futurama The Female Planet Express Ship Episode: "Love and Rocket"; voice role
2008 Eli Stone Therapist Episode: "The Path"
2009 Prayers for Bobby Mary Griffith TV movie
2010 Saturday Night Live Host Original Air Date: January 16, 2010 (Season 35, Episode 12); Herself - Host / Ripley / Grace / Various
2012 Political Animals Elaine Barrish Miniseries (6 episodes)
2012 My Depression Elaine Barrish TV animation movie based on Elizabeth Swados's book "My Depression: A Picture Book"; voice role
2015 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Lady Starblaster Episode: "Lady Starblaster"; voice role
2015 Doc Martin Beth Traywick Episode: "Facta Non Verba"; cameo

Documentaries

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge Herself
1999 Why Dogs Smile & Chimpanzees Cry The Narrator – Herself Voice only
2001 The Roman Empire In The First Century The Narrator Voice only
2003 National Geographic Specials: The Lost Film of Dian Fossey The Narrator Voice only
2003 Search for the Afghan Girl The Narrator Voice only
2006 Planet Earth The Narrator Voice only
Gorillas Revisited Herself BBC production
2009 ACID TEST: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification The Narrator Voice and image
2015 Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Herself

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2009 James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Dr. Grace Augustine Xbox 360/PS3/Wii version
2014 Alien: Isolation Ellen Ripley Voice role; lead role in "Crew Expendable" and "Last Survivor" DLCs
2015 Lego Dimensions Dana Barrett Archive sound

Audio books

Year Title Author Publisher
1992 The Snow Queen - Lightyear Entertainment, L.P
1994 Peachboy - Rabbit Ears
2007 Little Bear Else Holmelund Minarik HarperFestival

Stage credits

Soundtrack discography

Year Title Track
1993 Dave "Tomorrow"
2001 Heartbreakers "Back in the U.S.S.R."
2006 Snow Cake "Deep in the Heart of Texas"
2007 The Girl in the Park "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be"

References

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  4. He is related to Matthew Laflin who was an American Manufacturer of Gunpowder, Businessman, Philanthropist, and an early pioneer of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
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  7. Interview by Sigourney Weaver, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, 8/25/08
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  11. Bio, TVGuide
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  16. Burr, Ty October 29, 2003 The Boston Globe 'Alien' director's cut oozes gore and greatness Boston.com Retrieved on September 21, 2010
  17. Ebert, Roger July 18, 1986 Sun Times Aliens review The Sun online Retrieved on September 21, 2010.
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  35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSlg1FwUPao
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  50. [1] Archived July 20, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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  53. The New York Times, January 13, 1978. Gussow, Mel. "A Flea in Hartford's Ear"
  54. The New York Times, February 16, 1979. Gussow, Mel. "An Evening in New Jerusalem; On the Trail of Kef"
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  61. [2] Archived May 24, 2015 at the Wayback Machine
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  67. [3] Archived July 20, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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External links

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