At 14, Susan Alexandra Weaver chose a name that sounded like something out of a novel. She was inspired by Sigourney Howard, a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's “The Great Gatsby“. Today, this name is associated with one of the most recognizable heroines in cinema – Ellen Ripley from “Alien“.
Sigourney Weaver was born on October 8, 1949 in New York City. Her father, Sylvester “Pat“ Weaver, was the president of NBC, and her mother, Elizabeth Inglis, was an English actress. Instead of directly following her parents' path, Weaver first graduated from Stanford University and then from the Yale School of Drama.
Ripley changes the image of the heroine
Her first film appearance was a small role in Woody Allen's “Annie Hall“ in 1977. Just two years later, she landed the role of Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's “Alien“. The film made Weaver a star, and her character established herself as one of the strongest female characters in science fiction.
Weaver returned to the role in James Cameron's “Aliens“, “Alien 3“ and “Alien: Resurrection“. For her performance in the second film, she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress - a rare accolade for an actress in a science fiction or horror film.
In 1988, Weaver received two more Oscar nominations - for her portrayal of primatologist Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist and for her role as an overbearing boss in Working Girl. She also won a Golden Globe for both films. She later won a BAFTA for her role in The Ice Storm.
From Pandora to Star Wars“
There is also room for comedy in her career - She appeared in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2, and in 2008, she voiced the computer in the animated film Wall-E.
She reunited with James Cameron in Avatar in 2009, where she played Dr. Grace Augustine. In subsequent films, Weaver played the role of Kiri - a teenage Na'vi woman. She also appeared in Avatar: Fire and Ashes, which was released in December 2025.
Her most recent big screen appearance was in The Mandalorian and Grogu, which was released in May 2026. Weaver plays Colonel Ward - a New Republic official who assigns a mission to the Mandalorian and his little companion Grogu.
“I hope they get made, because they are two incredible stories“, Weaver says of the planned fourth and fifth films in the “Avatar“ series.The actress is married to director Jim Simpson. They have a daughter, Charlotte. At 77, Sigourney Weaver continues to choose roles in large fantasy universes, but her career remains marked mostly by one decision from almost five decades ago - to make Ellen Ripley a hero who doesn't wait for someone else to save her.
Sources: biography.com, theguardian.com, gamesradar.com