Sigourney Weaver

Susan Alexandra Weaver, known professionally as Sigourney Weaver, was born on October 8, 1949, in New York City. Her father was television executive Pat Weaver, and her mother was English actress Elizabeth Inglis. Weaver adopted the name “Sigourney” at age 14, inspired by a character from ‘The Great Gatsby’. She pursued her education at Stanford University, graduating with a BA in English in 1972, and later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1974. Her early career included off-Broadway productions and a minor role in Woody Allen’s 1977 film ‘Annie Hall’.

Weaver’s breakthrough arrived with her starring role as Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s 1979 science fiction horror film ‘Alien’. This performance established her as a leading action heroine and earned her a BAFTA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. She reprised the iconic role of Ripley in subsequent successful films including ‘Aliens’ (1986), which garnered her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, ‘Alien 3’ (1992), and ‘Alien: Resurrection’ (1997). Beyond the ‘Alien’ franchise, Weaver also gained widespread recognition as Dana Barrett in the ‘Ghostbusters’ films, beginning in 1984. Her dramatic work in the late 1980s, portraying primatologist Dian Fossey in ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ and Katharine Parker in ‘Working Girl’ (both 1988), earned her two Golden Globe Awards and two simultaneous Academy Award nominations, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Weaver continued to diversify her roles, appearing in critically acclaimed films such as Ang Lee’s ‘The Ice Storm’ (1997), for which she won a BAFTA Award, and the science fiction comedy ‘Galaxy Quest’ (1999). She also lent her voice to animated hits like Pixar’s ‘WALL-E’ (2008) and became a key figure in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ franchise, starring as Dr. Grace Augustine in ‘Avatar’ (2009) and later as Kiri in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022). Her television work includes Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild-nominated performances in ‘Prayers for Bobby’ (2009) and ‘Political Animals’ (2012). Weaver has also maintained a strong presence in theater, receiving a Tony Award nomination for her role in ‘Hurlyburly’ (1984) and making her West End debut in ‘The Tempest’ (2025). Her contributions to film have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the International Goya Award, and a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival.