Sigourney Weaver is an American actress who began her career in the early 1970s by appearing in plays. Throughout her career, she has acted in nearly 40 stage productions. She made her film debut with a minor role in Woody Allen's comedy-drama Annie Hall (1977), but her breakthrough came when she portrayed Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's science fiction film Alien (1979). She reprised the role in Aliens (1986), this time helmed by director James Cameron. Her performance netted her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She returned to the role in two more sequels: Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997), neither of which were as well received. Although originally written as a male role, Ripley is now regarded as one of the most significant female protagonists in cinema history, and consequently, Weaver is considered to be a pioneer of action heroines in science fiction films.

Although best known for her role in the Alien franchise, Weaver has fostered a prolific filmography, appearing in more than 60 films. In 1981, she starred alongside William Hurt in the neo-noir Eyewitness. Her next role was opposite Mel Gibson in the Peter Weir–directed The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). She played Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters (1984), later returning to the franchise in Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters (2016), and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). In 1986, Weaver starred opposite Michael Caine in the erotic thriller Half Moon Street. Her next role was primatologist Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist (1988), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. That same year, she also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her performance alongside Harrison Ford in Working Girl. Weaver was the first actor to have two acting wins at the Golden Globes in the same year. She also received an Academy Award nomination for both films.

In 1992, Weaver collaborated with Ridley Scott again, portraying Queen Isabella in 1492: Conquest of Paradise. Two years later, she appeared in the Roman Polanski–directed Death and the Maiden, in a major role opposite Ben Kingsley. Her performance in the Ang Lee–directed The Ice Storm (1997) garnered her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She next appeared in the science-fiction comedy Galaxy Quest (1999) alongside Tim Allen and Alan Rickman. She then portrayed socialite Babe Paley alongside an ensemble cast in Infamous (2006). In 2009, Weaver reteamed with James Cameron on Avatar, which remained the highest-grossing film of all time for a decade, portraying Dr. Grace Augustine. She will return for multiple Avatar sequels, which are scheduled to be released throughout the 2020s, portraying the Na'vi Kiri, while reprising her original role as Augustine in a cameo in Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). She worked with Tim Allen again on the comedy Crazy on the Outside (2010). In 2014, she collaborated with Scott for a third time on Exodus: Gods and Kings, in which she played Tuya.

Weaver has done extensive voiceover work and has had multiple roles in animated films, including The Tale of Despereaux (2008) and Pixar films WALL-E (2008) and Finding Dory (2016). She has narrated or appeared in 14 documentaries, such as the BBC series Planet Earth (2006) and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (2016). Weaver has also lent her voice to three audio-books, four film soundtracks, and two video games: James Cameron's Avatar: The Game (2009) and Alien: Isolation (2014). Weaver has also voice acted on the television shows Futurama, Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero, and SpongeBob SquarePants, among others.

Filmography Film

+ Year Title Role Notes 1977 Annie Hall Alvy's date outside theater1978 Madman Gale 1979 Alien 1981 Eyewitness 1982 1983 Deal of the Century 1984 Ghostbusters 1985 French-language role1986 Half Moon Street Aliens 1988 Gorillas in the Mist Working Girl 1989 Ghostbusters II 1992 Alien 3 Also co-producer 1993 Dave 1994 Narrator Voice; Short film Death and the Maiden 1995 Copycat Jeffrey 1997 Alien Resurrection Ripley Clone 7 / Ripley Clone 8 Also co-producer1999 Galaxy Quest 2000 Company Man 2001 Heartbreakers 2002 Tadpole 2002 Joan2003 Holes 2004 Imaginary Heroes 2006 Snow Cake Lenny Infamous 2007 Happily N'Ever After Frieda Voice 2008 Vantage Point Be Kind Rewind Baby Mama WALL•E Axiom Computer Voice Narrator2009 Avatar 2010 Crazy on the Outside You Again 2011 Cedar Rapids Paul Abduction Rampart 2012 Red Lights Vamps Cisserus2014My Depression (The Up and Down and Up of It) Swados Voice; Short film Exodus: Gods and Kings Tuya2015 Chappie 2016 Finding Dory Herself Voice Ghostbusters Cameo Grandma O'Malley 2017 Herself Cameo Rakka Jasper Short film2020 My Salinger Year Margaret 2021 Ghostbusters: AfterlifeMid-credits cameo 2022 Call Jane Virginia ‘Call Jane’: Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Mara & Rupert Friend Set For Women’s Rights Drama From ‘Carol’ Scribe & ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ Producer — AFM Master GardenerMrs. Norma Haverhill Avatar: The Way of Water Kiri / Dr. Grace Augustine 2025 The Gorge Bartholomew Dust Bunny Laverne Avatar: Fire and Ash Kiri / Dr. Grace Augustine 2026 The Mandalorian and Grogu Ward

Television + Year Title Role Notes 1963-1982 The Doctors Unknown episodes NBC1976 Somerset 1 episode1986, 2010 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) 2 episodes1997 Snow White: A Tale of Terror Television film2002 Futurama Voice; Episode: "Love and Rocket"2008 Eli Stone Therapist Episode: "The Path"2009 Prayers for Bobby Television film2012 Political Animals 6 episodes2015 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Lady Starblaster Voice; Episode: "Lady Starblaster"2015, 2017 Doc Martin 2 episodes2017 6 episodes2019Full Frontal with Samantha BeeRipleyEpisode: "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner 2019"SpongeBob SquarePants HerselfEpisode: "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout" The Myth Speaker Voice; Episode: "End. Begin. All the Same."2020 Call My Agent! Episode: "Sigourney"2023 The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart June Hart 7 episodes; Also executive producer TBATomb Raider Evelyn Wallis Main role; Filming

Theatre + Year Title Role Location 1971Better Dead Than SorryJennyYale Repertory Theatre1972Story TheatreUnknownWilliamstown Theatre FestivalSarah B. Divine!Anita, The Eternal MaidDockdaisyOnce in a LifetimeUnknownYale Repertory Theatre1973–74Watergate Classics1974Rise and Fall of the City of MahagonnyYale University TheatreEleanorDirect TheatreChorus MemberYale Repertory Theatre1975Shubert Theatre 1976Titanic Lidia / Annabella / HarrietDirect TheatreDas Lusitania SongspielUnknownVan Dam Theatre; Also co-authored the play with Christopher DurangGeminiPlaywrights Horizons 1978Marco Polo Sings a SoloFreydisPublic/Newman Theatre1978Conjuring an EventAnnabellaAmerican Place TheatreUnknownHartford StageThe New York Times, January 13, 1978. Gussow, Mel. "A Flea in Hartford's Ear"1979New JerusalemPublic TheaterThe New York Times, February 16, 1979. Gussow, Mel. "An Evening in New Jerusalem; On the Trail of Kef"1980Das Lusitania SongspielWestside Theatre1981Beyond Therapy PrudencePhoenix Theatre1982Animal Kingdom Berkshire Festival1983Old TimesAnnaWilliamstown Theatre Festival1984–85Hurlyburly DarleneEthel Barrymore Theatre1986Williamstown Theatre Festival1986–87PortiaClassic Stage Company1988ClaraWilliamstown Theatre Festival1996Sex and LongingLuluCort Theatre2001–02Joan2002Acorn Theatre2004Mrs. Farnsworth2007Crazy Mary LydiaPlaywrights HorizonsLove Letters (Single benefit)2008Love LettersThe Detroit Film Theatre (Single benefit)2012–13Vanya and Sonia and Masha and SpikeMashaMitzi E. Newhouse Theater2019The Investigation: A Crime in Ten ActsHerselfRiverside Church 2024Vanya and Sonia and Masha and SpikeMashaMitzi E. Newhouse Theatre (One Night Only) 2024–25The TempestProsperoTheatre Royal, Drury Lane, West End debut

Voice roles Documentaries

+ Year Title Role Notes 1988 Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge Herself1999 Get Bruce Why Dogs Smile & Chimpanzees Cry Narrator2001 The Roman Empire in the First Century2003 Search for the Afghan Girl2006 Planet Earth Gorillas Revisited Herself 2009 ACID TEST: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification Narrator Voice and image2015 Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Herself2016 2017 Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist Voice role2018 Dream the Future Narrator2019 Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters Herself 2021 Secrets of the Whales Narrator

Video games + Year Title Voice role Notes 2009 James Cameron's Avatar: The Game PS3/Xbox 360/Microsoft Windows, Wii/PSP versions2014 Alien: Isolation Cameo in main game; lead role in "Crew Expendable" and "Last Survivor" DLCs

Audio books + Year Title Author Publisher 1992 Lightyear Entertainment1994 Peachboy Rabbit Ears2007 Little Bear Harper Children's Audio

Soundtrack discography + Year Film Track 1993 Dave "Tomorrow"2001 Heartbreakers "Back in the U.S.S.R."2006 Snow Cake "Deep in the Heart of Texas"2007 "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Be"

See also List of awards and nominations received by Sigourney Weaver

Notes

References

External links Sigourney Weaver filmography on IMDb Sigourney Weaver at the Rotten Tomatoes Sigourney Weaver on TV Guide