Sigourney Weaver

“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. Sigourney Weaver is an acclaimed American actress known for her diverse roles, particularly as strong, independent women. She gained fame for portraying Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979) and its sequels. Born into a media family—her father was the president of NBC, and her mother an actress—Weaver chose her name after a character in The Great Gatsby. After earning a degree in English from Stanford and studying drama at Yale, she began her career in theater, where she caught the attention of actor Warren Beatty, leading to her breakout role in Alien. Weaver's career skyrocketed with Alien and its sequels, where she portrayed Ripley, a role originally written for a man. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Aliens (1986) and starred in Alien 3 (1992) and Alien: Resurrection (1997). Alongside the Alien franchise, Weaver pursued a wide range of roles, excelling in dramas like The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) and the biographical Gorillas in the Mist (1988), which earned her another Oscar nomination. She also gained recognition for her comedic roles, such as in Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequels, where she played a possessed cellist. In the 1990s, she appeared in comedies like Galaxy Quest (1999) and Dave (1993), and she continued to explore complex roles in dramas like The Ice Storm (1997). In the 2000s, she worked with director James Cameron again on Avatar (2009) and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). Weaver also voiced characters in animated films like WALL·E (2008) and Finding Dory (2016), and starred in Call Jane (2022), portraying an abortion-rights activist.