Sigourney Weaver - Biography - IMDb Sigourney Weaver Biography Showing all 84 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (5) | Trivia (42) | Personal Quotes (24) | Salary (7) Overview (4) 5' 11" (1.8 m) Mini Bio (1) Sigourney Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver in Leroy Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. Her father, TV producer Sylvester L. Weaver Jr. , originally wanted to name her Flavia, because of his passion for Roman history (he had already named her elder brother Trajan). Her mother, Elizabeth Inglis (née Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins), was an English actress who had sacrificed her career for a family. Sigourney grew up in a virtual bubble of guiltless bliss, being taken care of by nannies and maids. By 1959, the Weavers had resided in 30 different households. In 1961, Sigourney began attending the Brearley Girls Academy, but her mother moved her to another New York private school, Chapin.

Sigourney was quite a bit taller than most of her other classmates (at the age of 13, she was already 5' 10"), resulting in her constantly being laughed at and picked on; in order to gain their acceptance, she took on the role of class clown. In 1962, her family moved to San Francisco briefly, an unpleasant experience for her. Later, they moved back east to Connecticut, where she became a student at the Ethel Walker School, facing the same problems as before. In 1963, she changed her name to "Sigourney", after the character "Sigourney Howard" in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's "The Great Gatsby" (her own birth name, Susan, was in honor of her mother's best friend, explorer Susan Pretzlik). Sigourney had already starred in a school drama production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and, in 1965, she worked during the summer with a stock troupe, performing in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "You Can't Take It With You" (she didn't star in the latter because she was taller than the lead actor!).

After graduating from school in 1967, she spent some months in a kibbutz in Israel. At that time, she became engaged to reporter Aaron Latham , but they soon broke up. In 1969, Sigourney enrolled in Stanford University, majoring in English Literature. She also participated in school plays, especially Japanese Noh plays. By that time she was living in a tree house, alongside a male friend, dressed in elf-like clothes! After completing her studies in 1971, she applied for the Yale School of Drama in New Haven. Despite appearing at the audition reading a Bertolt Brecht speech and wearing a rope-like belt, she was accepted by the school but her professors rejected her, because of her height, and kept typecasting her as prostitutes and old women (whereas classmate Meryl Streep was treated almost reverently). However, in 1973, while making her theatrical debut with "Watergate Classics", she met up with a team of playwrights and actors and began hanging around with them, resulting in long-term friendships with Christopher Durang , Kate McGregor-Stewart and Albert Innaurato .

In 1974, she starred in such plays as Aristophanes ' "Frogs" and Durang's "The Nature and Purpose of the Universe" and "Daryl and Carol and Kenny and Jenny", as "Jenny". After finishing her studies that year, she began seriously pursuing a stage career, but her height kept being a hindrance. However, she continued working on stage with Durang (in "Titanic" [1975]) and Innaurato (in "Gemini" [1976]). Other 1970s stage works included "Marco Polo Sing a Song", "The Animal Kingdom", "A Flea in Her Ear", "The Constant Husband", "Conjuring an Event" and others. However, the one that really got her noticed was "Das Lusitania Songspiel", a play she co-wrote with Durang and in which she starred for two seasons, from 1979 to 1981. She was also up for a Drama Desk Award for it. During the mid-70s, she appeared in several TV spots and even starred as "Avis Ryan" in the soap opera Somerset (1970).

In 1977, she was cast in the role Shelley Duvall finally played in Annie Hall (1977), after rejecting the part due to prior stage commitments. In the end, however, Woody Allen offered her a part in the film that, while short (she was on-screen for six seconds), made many people sit up and take notice. She later appeared in Madman (1978) and, of course, Alien (1979). The role of the tough, uncompromising "Ripley" made Sigourney an "overnight" star and brought her a British Award Nomination. She next appeared in Eyewitness (1981) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), the latter being a great success in Australia that won an Oscar and brought Sigourney and co-star Mel Gibson to Cannes in 1983. The same year she delivered an honorary Emmy award to her father, a few months before her uncle, actor Doodles Weaver , committed suicide. That year also brought her a romance with Jim Simpson , her first since having broken up two years previously with James M. McClure .

She and Simpson were married on 1 October 1984. Sigourney had, meanwhile, played in the poorly received Deal of the Century (1983) and the mega-hit Ghostbusters (1984). She was also nominated for a Tony Award for her tour-de-force performance in the play "Hurly Burly". Then followed One Woman or Two (1985), Half Moon Street (1986) and Aliens (1986). The latter was a huge success, and Sigourney was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Oscar. She then entered her most productive career period and snatched Academy Award nominations, in both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, for her intense portrayal of Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist (1988) and her delicious performance as a double-crossing, power-hungry corporate executive in Working Girl (1988). She ended up losing in both, but made up for it to a degree by winning both Golden Globes.

After appearing in a documentary about fashion photographer Helmut Newton , Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge (1989), and reprising her role in the sequel Ghostbusters II (1989), she discovered she was pregnant and retired from public life for a while. She gave birth to her daughter, Charlotte Simpson , on 13 April 1990, and returned to the movies as a (now skinhead) Ripley in Alien 3 (1992) and a gorgeous "Queen Isabella of Spain" in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), her second film with director Ridley Scott . She starred in the political comedy Dave (1993) alongside Kevin Kline , and then a Roman Polanski thriller, Death and the Maiden (1994). In 1995, she was seen in Jeffrey (1995) and Copycat (1995). The next year, she "trod the boards" in "Sex and Longing", yet another Durang play.

She hadn't performed in the theater in many years before that play, her last stage performances occurring in the 1980s in "As You Like It" (1981), "Beyond Therapy" (1981), "The Marriage of 'Bette and Boo'" (1985) and "The Merchant of Venice" (1986). In 1997, she was the protagonist in Grimm's Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997), The Ice Storm (1997) and Alien: Resurrection (1997). Her performance in The Ice Storm (1997) got her a BAFTA prize and another Golden Globe nod. She also gave excellent performances in A Map of the World (1999) and the sci-fi spoof Galaxy Quest (1999). Her next comedy, Company Man (2000), wasn't quite so warmly welcomed critically and financially, however. She next played a sexy con artist in Heartbreakers (2001) and had a voice role in Big Bad Love (2001). Her father died at the age of 93.

Sigourney herself has recently starred in Tadpole (2000) and is planning a cinematic version of The Guys (2002), the enthralling September 11th one-act drama she played on stage on late 2001. At age 60, she played a crucial role in Avatar (2009), which became the top box-office hit of all time. The film reunited her with her Aliens (1986) director James Cameron . Her beauty, talent, and hard-work keeps the ageless actress going, and she has continued to win respect from her fans and directors. - IMDb Mini Biography By: morphtzikas@netscape.net Spouse (1) ( 1 October 1984 - present) (1 child) Trade Mark (5) Often plays women of enormous strength and stature Often plays fiercely independent, driven characters Deep husky yet smooth voice Delicate high cheekbones Statuesque, model-like figure Trivia (42) Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#81) (1995).

Attended the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Conneticut. Her father Sylvester L. Weaver Jr. ("Pat" Weaver), NBC-TV president (1953-55), pioneered the desk-and-couch talk show format that still survives on two programs he created - NBC's shows Today (1952) and Tonight! (1953) (aka "The Tonight Show"). Ranked #71 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] Changed her name after reading "The Great Gatsby". Made her debut in Woody Allen 's Annie Hall (1977), duration: 6 seconds. Family: Daughter of NBC-TV executive Sylvester L. Weaver Jr. ("Pat" Weaver) and actress Elizabeth Inglis , older brother, Trajan Weaver. Uncle, actor Doodles Weaver . Afraid to travel in elevators. Ranked #13 of Sci-Fi's Sexy 50, by Femme Fatales magazine (1997). Speaks French and German fluently. Received her Bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University (1972).

Received her Master's degree in Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama (1974). Gave birth to her only child at age 40, a daughter Charlotte Simpson on April 13, 1990. Child's father is her husband Jim Simpson . Along with Fay Bainter , Teresa Wright , Barry Fitzgerald , Jessica Lange , Al Pacino , Holly Hunter , Emma Thompson , Julianne Moore , Jamie Foxx and Cate Blanchett , she is one of only eleven actors to receive Academy Award nominations in two acting categories in the same year. She was nominated for Best Actress for Gorillas in the Mist (1988) and Best Supporting Actress for Working Girl (1988) at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989. Her salary for Alien: Resurrection (1997) was more than the entire cost of Alien (1979). Suffered nightmares for two weeks after reading the script for The Village (2004). Was nominated for Broadway's 1985 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for David Rabe 's "Hurlyburly", but lost to a co-star, Judith Ivey .

Before working together on You Again (2010) she has co-starred with nine actors who have also co-starred with Jamie Lee Curtis : Ray Liotta , Dan Aykroyd , Kevin Kline , Tim Allen , J.E. Freeman , Mel Gibson , Elijah Wood , Philip Bosco and Bill Paxton . Both have co-starred with Michelle Williams . They have also both worked with composer John Ottman and director James Cameron . In many of her roles, her character has had to deal with artificially intelligent spaceships. In the "Alien" movies, she battles them. In Galaxy Quest (1999), much to her character's chagrin, she repeated whatever the spaceship said. In addition, on an episode of Futurama (1999), and in the film WALL·E (2008), she had the chance to voice a spaceship. Was a member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. Received her Master's degree in Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1974. Remains in contact with her former Aliens (1986) co-star Carrie Henn .

In Alien: Resurrection (1997), Sigourney actually managed to sink the basketball into the hoop backwards on the first take, even though she was not supposed to or intended to. The shot was almost ruined because Ron Perlman broke character because he was so amazed. Her performance as Ellen Ripley in Aliens (1986) is ranked #58 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). Her performance as Ellen Ripley in the "Alien" quadrilogy is ranked #8 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Injured her knee during the shooting of Snow Cake (2006) and has been forced to stop exercising for a year. Friends with Selina Cadell . Ranked #20 on E4's 100 Greatest Movie Stars. She was the second highest female on the list behind #13 Audrey Hepburn .

Along with Sissy Spacek , Piper Laurie , Janet Leigh , Jodie Foster , Glenn Close , Kathy Bates , Eileen Heckart , Ruth Gordon , Patty McCormack , Nancy Kelly , Toni Collette , Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair , she is one of the few actresses to have been nominated for an Oscar for a performance in a horror movie. Singer/songwriter Mike Garrigan wrote a song entitled "Sigourney Weaver" that pays tribute to the actress. Dana Barrett, her character in the Ghostbusters films, is the only character among the leads who did not appear in the animated adaptation, The Real Ghostbusters (1986). Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#74) (2007). Studied acting with Michael Howard in New York City. Resides in New York City and Santa Barbara, California. Her character, Ellen Ripley, from the Alien series inspired the "Metroid" video game heroine, Samus Aran. Although she never worked with Alfred Hitchcock , she has worked with many other actresses who, like her, have family members who did.

Her mother, Elizabeth Inglis appeared in The 39 Steps (1935), and her uncle, Doodles Weaver , appeared in The Birds (1963). Also appearing in that film were Veronica Cartwright , with whom Sigourney would later appear in Alien (1979), and Tippi Hedren , whose daughter Melanie Griffith appeared in Working Girl (1988). In You Again (2010), she appears with Jamie Lee Curtis , whose mother Janet Leigh appeared in Psycho (1960). She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on December 16, 1999. Her first job was as understudy in Sir John Gielgud 's production of "The Constant Wife" starring Ingrid Bergman . Her American father had English, as well as Dutch and Scottish, ancestry. Her mother was English. As of 2014, has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Annie Hall (1977), Working Girl (1988) and Avatar (2009). Annie Hall (1977) won in the category.

As of the 6th edition of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (edited by Steven Jay Schneider), Sigourney Weaver appears in seven films, Annie Hall (1977), Alien (1979), Ghostbusters (1984), Aliens (1986), The Ice Storm (1997), Avatar (2009) and The Cabin in the Woods (2012). Personal Quotes (24) I'd rather have a small part in a movie I love than a bigger part in one I don't care about. Well, I've always admired Margaret Rutherford . Like her, I'd like to play Miss Marple when I'm eighty. I'm having a wonderful time producing. There are good producers and bad producers. I've learned the hard way what not to do. The ultimate aim is to produce things I'm not actually in. I'm not looking for vehicles for myself. It's not a vanity company. Some of the most intense affairs are between actors and characters. There's a fire in the human heart and we jump into it with the same obsession as we have with our lovers.

I'd rather work with a first-time director who's passionate about the material. I've done enough movies with old and jaded people who are just like "Let's get this over with.". I've always regretted having such a serious career because I'm really more of an idiot. In Hollywood, if you are a man and speak your mind openly, you're considered a man in full. But, if you are a woman and do the same, you're nothing but an annoying bitch. Usually, all Hollywood wants you to do is what you just did. After The Ice Storm (1997), I was offered a thousand "Ice Storms" and so on. You always get offered the same thing again and again, if you're not very careful. It's up to you to swing back and forth. I think I get sent the roles Meryl's [ Meryl Streep ] not doing. These deep sea trawlers are operating beyond the reach of the law. It's up to all of us to change that. Most people think somebody, somewhere is looking out for the deep oceans, but they aren't. I've lost a lot of roles because of my height. I'm 6 feet 3 inches in heels.

Producers are short and I was never their sexual fantasy. As for actors, if I enter a room and an actor stands up then immediately gets self-conscious and sits back down, I hear myself saying, "This job isn't for me." I once offered to paint my shoes on my bare feet to get one part because it made me appear shorter. I don't have ambitions, I believe in taking what comes. I have that philosophy about life in general. I go in and try to transform it into the best it can be. It took me a while to let my hair down in the business because I was kind of a shy person. I was from New York and never really felt at ease in Hollywood. I don't really now either but I don't care, it's not important that I do. Filmmakers find me or I find them. [1992: on the possibility of performing in a fourth Alien movie] I am sure there will eventually be an Alien 4, it just won't have me in it.

[1992: working on Alien 3 (1992)] Okay, the crew have not enjoyed being here until ten o'clock at night, but, you know, that's the way it is. [1992: on Alien 3 (1992)] Fincher is very dry. He is the only director I can think of who can come up with so many jokes, considering the pressure he has been under. [on hoping to do another Alien movie] I could definitely kick that alien's ass again. And while I can't speak for them, I think Fox, once you're 60, you're not going to be starring in an action movie. I think it's too bad that that's the case. I would have liked to do one last story where we go back to the planet, where Ripley's history is resolved. But I do feel like her story is unfinished. [on The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)] It was a happy experience. Mel Gibson was quite happy for me to wear four-inch heels if I wanted and Peter Weir gave me a sense of film I hadn't had before.

[on her role as a student activist] Napalm was invented at Stanford University, so one of the reasons we were protesting was to make sure that didn't continue. I think we stopped the university and we helped stop that war. [on her television series Political Animals (2012)] I was offered this show just as I was realizing that TV was a cool place to work. A series can really take the time to build and layer and tell a different kind of story. It's delicious. It's like a stew instead of a little vegan meal. [on Political Animals (2012)] When I finally got to this material, to my great surprise, I felt I had been eating salad for a number of years and was finally offered a big, juicy hamburger. Because it's so different from what's going on in movies, which are dominated by effects and action and comic-book characters. To sink my teeth into these relationships has been just fantastic. I changed my name when I was twelve because I didn't like being called Sue or Susie. I felt I needed a longer name because I was so tall. So what happened? Now everyone calls me Sig or Siggy.

I had such great teachers in high school who made me feel like I could do anything. Then to go to Yale, where these drama teachers made me feel like shit--if I had any advice for young people, it would be "Don't listen to teachers who say, 'You're really not good enough'." Just teach me. Don't tell me if you think I'm good enough or not. I didn't ask you. Teachers who do that should be fired. Salary (7) Alien (1979) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC After a space merchant vessel perceives an unknown transmission as distress call, their landing on the source moon finds one of the crew attacked by a mysterious lifeform. Continuing their journey back to Earth with the attacked crew having recovered and the critter deceased, they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.

Director: a list of 30 titles created 06 Feb 2012 a list of 29 titles created 24 Aug 2013 a list of 23 images created 24 Jan 2014 a list of 36 titles created 16 Apr 2014 a list of 47 titles created 28 May 2015 Search for " Alien " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 1 Oscar. Another 16 wins & 19 nominations. See more awards » Videos The moon from Alien (1979) has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, but will it be enough? Director: James Cameron After her last encounter, Ripley crash-lands on Fiorina Fury 161, a maximum security prison. When a series of strange and deadly events occur shortly after her arrival, Ripley realizes that she brought along an unwelcome visitor.

Director: David Fincher Two centuries after her death, Ellen Ripley is revived as a powerful human/alien hybrid clone who must continue her war against the aliens. Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced cyborg. Director: James Cameron 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X A seemingly indestructible humanoid cyborg is sent from 2029 to 1984 to assassinate a waitress, whose unborn son will lead humanity in a war against the machines, while a soldier from that war is sent to protect her at all costs. Director: James Cameron A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future. Director: Stanley Kubrick Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.

Director: Robert Zemeckis Archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis. Director: Steven Spielberg During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok. Director: Steven Spielberg A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle-station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader. Director: George Lucas After rescuing Han Solo from the palace of Jabba the Hutt, the rebels attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to make Vader return from the dark side of the Force. Director: Richard Marquand Edit Storyline A commercial crew aboard the deep space towing vessel, Nostromo is on its way home when they pick up an SOS warning from a distant moon.

What they don't know is that the SOS warning is not like any other ordinary warning call. Picking up the signal, the crew realize that they are not alone on the spaceship when an alien stowaway is on the cargo ship. Written by blazesnakes9 In space no one can hear you scream. See more » Genres: Rated R for sci-fi violence/gore and language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 22 June 1979 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Alien: The Director's Cut See more » Filming Locations: £208,081 (UK) (31 October 2003) Gross: 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby (as Dolby Stereo) Color: Did You Know? Trivia Many of the interior features of the Nostromo were inspired by images from airplane graveyards. See more » Goofs When the chestburster erupts out of Kane, Lambert is shown with a terrified/disgusted expression and can be heard saying, "Oh God," when she is by the blood spatter but her lips don't move.

See more » Quotes Brett : This is the worst shit I've ever seen, man. Parker : What you say? You got any biscuits over there? Ripley : Here's some cornbread. Kane : Oh, I feel dead. Parker : Anybody ever tell you you look dead, man? Alien.....the one that started it all........ 17 April 2009 | by shortround8391 (United States) – See all my reviews Alien....the creature......the film.....the legend. The one that started it all, the one that led to one of the greatest sequels ever made, one that got a comic book mini-series and 2 cross-over films with "Predator". This is THE film. And without a doubt, the greatest horror film ever created, and this totally makes "Halloween" look like "Chicken Little". You can forget about all those rubbish "Friday the 13th" or "Nightmare on Elm Street" movies, 'cause "Alien" just takes horror up to so many levels! In "Alien", we find ourselves in the distant future with a crew just coming back from a haul of 20 million tons of ore back to Earth.

But while the crew members are in stasis, their ship picks up an "SOS" from a nearby planet, and once the crew is awakened, they are forced by the "Company" regulations to follow that signal. And then when they land on the planet and it turns out that something terrifying is in store for them, when a hostile organism attaches itself to one of the crew members. And later on, it becomes clear that the crew member was being impregnated and then dies a horrible, violent death from a deadly breed of an other-worldly life-form. And now the rest of the crew must fight off the creature. As other classic films should always have, "Alien" does great on the characters. And of course, the most recognizable one is the lead woman, Ellen Ripley who is played then-unknown Sigourney Weaver. She provides a very human face and you're gonna feel like you're actually watching a real-life woman in here, and it could be because of her accent, or her mannerisms. But as the film progresses, she develops into a more mentally tougher woman while combating the Alien.

There are times when she totally keeps it cool, times when she's afraid, times when she's angry, and times when its just Ripley being Ripley. And thanks to Weavers acting talents, she can really dish out one hell of a character. The rest of the supporting cast are nothing short of spectacular, Parker and Brett are the selfish, sarcastic men who only want to make a profit. And through most of the film, you can feel the tension that Ripley and Parker have. Lambert, who one of my favorites from here is the second woman who happens to be the opposite of Ripley, a total coward. Dallas, who the viewer might get the vibe that HE is the main character in the 1st 15 minutes or so, is pretty much the leader here. Kane, is the tired, dead-looking guy who is the one that carries the alien species inside of him. And finally, Ash is the one with the sinister purpose and you start to suspect that he's up to no good at some point. And movie characters need to have their own personalities and that's what "Alien" has. And as for the Alien itself, well what can i say?

It is the most horrifying creature in the history of cinema, period. I mean, how could you stop it? It has acid for blood, and is very lethal to fight face-to-face. And the special effects were over 20 years ahead of its time. The face-hugger on Kane looked so freaking real, that you're gonna be scared just by looking at it, even it doesn't do anything except breathe most of the time. And the sets couldn't have been better, very futuristic, yet there's always something ominous and dark about them. The suspense is impossible to resist as the sequences deliver the chills at times when you least expect it, and when you do expect something to happen, nothing happens. And "Alien" is one of the very few horror films that understands that you can't scare people by raking up the bodies and the blood, but you have to build up the suspense to do it. And director Ridley Scott is such a genius, and he shows that here, he absolutely knows how to make any kind of film, ones that can scare (Alien), one that can sadden (Thelma and Louise), and one that can excite/thrill (Gladiator).

And Ridley really keeps up the dark atmosphere, especially in the beginning when there's no talking for the 1st 5 minutes or so, we get the feeling that something's not right all the time. Some parts are very quiet and very depressing and we feel exactly what we see. This is the legend that I'm talking about here, folks. Don't miss the chance to see this, because it will scare the living daylights outta you more than any other movie you're gonna see in your life. Take my word for it....I'm practically a movie buff, so I know what I'm talking about.... 21 of 27 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Sigourney Weaver | Horror Film Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share Sigourney Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver; October 8, 1949) is an American actress. She was born in New York, Manhattan, to a show business backgroundt. Weaver began using the name "Sigourney Weaver" in 1963 after a minor character (Sigourney Howard) in F. Scott Fitzgerald´s novel The Great Gatsby.

She is known especially for the lead role of Ellen Ripley in the Alien movie franchise Alien , Aliens , Alien³ and Alien Resurrection . She is also well known for her roles in the Ghostbusters films, Gorillas in the Mists Working Girl and Avatar. After private high school in Connecticut, Weaver attended California's Stanford University. It was there, that she realised her true dream was to become an actress. After graduating from Stanford with a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature in 1971, Weaver moved back east to Connecticut to attend Yale Drama School. She finished the program in 1974, one year before another actress and new friend, Meryl Streep. She first appeared in the TV series Somerset (1976) and later she achieved the breakthrough in Hollywood through the movie Alien (1979) . Her 1986 Academy Award nomination for Aliens is considered as a landmark in the recognition of science fiction, action and horror genres, as well as a major step in challenging the gender role in cinema.

Weaver progressively received fame for her numerous contributions to the science fiction film history (including minor roles in successful works such as Futurama, WALL-E, Paul and the Cabin in the Woods) and gained the nickname of "The Sci-Fi Queen". She also played the lead role as Secretary of State Elaine Barrish on USA Network´s Political Animals miniseries. Weaver has been nominated for three Academy Awards:Best Actress for Aliens and Gorillas in the Mist, The Story of Diane Fossey, and Best Supproting Actress for Working Girl. She also won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Ice Storm and Saturn Awards for Aliens and Avatar. She also earned Emmy Award, Dram Desk Award and Tony Award nominations. She has been nominated for seven Global Award nominations and won both Best Actressin Drama and Best Supporting Actress in 1988 for Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, becoming the first person ever to have won two acting Golden Globe Awards in the same year. Sigourney Weaver | Abduction Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Signature {{{Signature}}} Sigourney Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver; October 8, 1949) is an American actress.

She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition (she was also co-producer in the latter two films). Other notable roles include Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters and its sequel Ghostbusters II, Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey, Working Girl, Death and the Maiden, The Ice Storm, Snow Cake, Prayers for Bobby and Avatar (as well as the prequel video game). Weaver has received three Academy Award nominations and six Golden Globe Award nominations, winning two in 1988 (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress) for Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, becoming the first person ever to have won two acting Golden Globe Awards in the same year. Her 1986 Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Aliens are considered as landmarks in the recognition of science fiction, action, and horror genres, as well as a major step in challenging the gender role in cinema.

Weaver progressively received notoriety for her numerous contributions to the science fiction film history (including minor roles in successful films such as WALL•E and Paul) and gained the nickname of "The Sci-Fi Queen". Contents Edit Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver in Manhattan, New York City, the daughter of Elizabeth Inglis (née Desiree Mary Lucy Hawkins; 1913–2007), an English actress, and the NBC television executive and television pioneer Sylvester "Pat" Weaver (1908–2002). Her uncle, Doodles Weaver(1913-1983) was a comedian and actor. She began using the name "Sigourney Weaver" in 1963 after a minor character (Sigourney Howard) in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. {C Weaver attended the Ethel Walker School, a prep school in Simsbury, Connecticut, where she was regularly teased for being a nerd and for her height. She also attended The Chapin 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). Weaver graduated from Stanford University, with a bachelor of arts degree in English in 1972, but she had already begun her involvement in acting, by living in Stanford's co-ed Beta Chi Community for the Performing Arts. Weaver earned her Master of Fine Arts degree at the Yale University School of Drama in 1974, 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. 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 Edit Weaver's first role was in Woody Allen's 1977 comedy Annie Hall playing a minor role opposite Allen.

Weaver appeared two years later as Warrant Officer/Lieutenant Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's blockbuster 1979 film Alien. 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." In the sequel Aliens directed by James Cameron critic Roger Ebert exclaims, "Weaver, who is onscreen almost all the time, comes through with a very strong, sympathetic performance: She's the thread that holds everything together." She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in Aliens, one of the very few actresses honored for a role in a science fiction film. 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. y the end of the decade Weaver appeared in two of her most memorable and critically acclaimed performances in 1988 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. By the early 1990s Weaver appeared in several films including Ang Lee's The Ice Storm earning her another Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress and winning a BAFTA Award, followed by Dave opposite Kevin Kline and Frank Langella. 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), 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, Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. She also guest starred in the TV show Eli Stone in the fall of 2008. 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. The film has the distinction of being the highest grossing film of all time. 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 also expressed interest in starring in a fifth Alien film.

Ivan Reitman has confirmed that Weaver will reprise her role as Dana Barrett in the rumored third Ghostbusters movie due for release in 2012. 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. 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. 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." Personal Life Edit Weaver was previously engaged to reporter Aaron Latham in 1967.

She has been married to the filmmaker Jim Simpson since October 1, 1984.[citation needed] They are the parents of one daughter, Charlotte Simpson, who was born on April 13, 1990. After making Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey, she became a supporter of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and is now the DFGFI's honorary chairperson. Weaver is an environmentalist. 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.

Sigourney Weaver Speculates on a Possible ‘Alien 5′ Sigourney Weaver Speculates on a Possible ‘Alien 5′ Share Comment Lieutenant Ellen Ripley – as depicted by Sigourney Weaver throughout the Alien franchise – is widely regarded as one of the most iconic heroes to ever grace the big screen. In four films, Weaver brought the character to memorable life, facing off with various iterations of the acid-spewing creatures originally conceived by the late H.R. Giger . For years following the 1997 release of Alien: Resurrection, rumors persisted that a fifth film could be in the works. However, when director Ridley Scott returned to the Alien universe with the prequel/reboot Prometheus instead of recruiting Weaver for another reprisal of her most famous role, it looked like audiences had seen the last of Ripley. Now Weaver herself has spoken out about her thoughts on a potential return to the franchise that made her a star. According to the Los Angeles Times , the subject of Alien 5 came up at the Hero Complex Film Festival in Hollywood, where both the 1979 original film and its 1986 sequel were screened. Weaver particularly mentioned her belief that Ripley’s internal struggle and hero’s journey remain unresolved.

“Had we done a fifth one, I don’t doubt that her humanity would have prevailed … I do feel like there is more story to tell.” Weaver described Ripley as an “existential hero” and credited the franchise’s longevity to the fact that its depiction of morally questionable corporations very much applies today. “A lot of corporations are still characterized by the same kind of greed [as the film’s Weyland-Yutani]. It’s an idea that’s, unfortunately, very alive in our world.” Should a fifth Alien film come together, Weaver doesn’t believe that it could take place on Earth, but she definitely thinks there is more to explore with Ripley. “I feel a longing from fans for the story to be finished. I could imagine a situation where we finish telling the story.” The Terminator series is already bringing back star Arnold Schwarzenegger , despite the fact that he first played the title character 30 years ago. What, then, would Fox from finding a way to bring Weaver back as Ripley? The Alien franchise is just as well-remembered, and if Alien: Resurrection proved one thing, it’s that death can’t keep Ripley down for long (as its title suggests).

After all, Fox just unified its X-Men franchise to much critical acclaim (and box office dollars ), and there’s no good reason that – should the studio find the right story – Scott couldn’t pull a Days of Future Past and bring the Prometheus and Alien worlds together in a way that didn’t quite gel the first time around . Perhaps in the planned Prometheus 2 ? Given the shared science fiction universe the films are set in, virtually anything is possible. Would you like to see Weaver back as Ripley, and if so, how would you want the character to return? Sound off in the comments section below. __________________________________________________ Stay tuned to Screen Rant for the latest news on the Alien franchise and the upcoming Prometheus sequel. Sigourney Weaver On Ellen Ripley From The ALIEN Films - YouTube Sigourney Weaver On Ellen Ripley From The ALIEN Films Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Aug 24, 2009 Sigourney Weaver talks about what drew her to the character of Ellen Ripley in the ALIEN films. CONNECT WITH AFI:

Question: What was the name of Sigourney Weaver’s character in the ‘Alien’ films?
Answer: Ellen RIPLEY