With starring roles in cult classics likeAlien(1979) andGhostbusters(1984) under her belt,Sigourney Weaverhas become theunofficial Sci-Fi Queenin the entertainment industry. However, her filmography showcases a wide range of movies from various genres including comedy, drama, and horror.
Weaver currently has six films in the making,four of which are sequelsto the blockbuster 2009 movie,Avatar. Refusing to be pigeonholed into a single stereotype, Weaver has consistently shown her ability to adapt to any role. Her eccentric acting style and commanding presence on screen can be seen in the following performances.
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10Ramona - You Again
Starring alongside the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis and the late Betty White, Weaver portrays Ramona, a.k.a. Aunt Mona, in the 2009 comedy,You Again. Playing a successful businesswoman who is back in her hometown for a wedding, she crosses paths with Gail, who she was friends with in high school. The two had ended their friendship over a boy and hadn’t been on good terms for quite a while. However, this feel-good film gives her a seemingly happy ending with a rekindled friendship and a new chance at love.
9The Director - The Cabin in the Woods
Produced and co-written by Joss Whedon, the 2011 horror film,The Cabin in the Woods, surprised viewers with the appearance of Weaver near the end of the movie. Cast to play the Director, it is discovered by the unfortunate victims that she is the leader of an underground organization that plots to sacrifice a group of unsuspecting teenagers to keep an apocalyptic event at bay. This time around, her scheme doesn’t go according to plan.
8Claudia Hoffman - Snow White: A Tale of Terror
In the 1997 horror film,Snow White: A Tale of Terror, Weaver plays Claudia Hoffman. A noblewoman who marries a widower, she becomes the stepmother to Lilli, who never really likes her. In this gothic-style retelling of a classic, Claudia is a parallel to the Evil Queen character, while Lilli represents Snow White. The story goes dark quickly, and each scene grows increasingly terrifying as the plot progresses.
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7Gwen DeMarco - Galaxy Quest
Starring alongside Tim Allen and the late Alan Rickman, Weaver portrays actress Gwen DeMarco inGalaxy Quest. Cast to play Lieutenant Tawny Madison, the communications officer for the spaceship, Gwen and the rest of the crew get thrust into an intergalactic war between alien species. Although she is an actress with no real training for space adventures, Gwen does her best to help her team win the battle. According to Weaver,a sequel is underway now.
6Dana Barrett - Ghostbusters
In the 1984 cult classic,Ghostbusters, Weaver portrays Dana Barrett. A professional cellist, she has a paranormal encounter with a demon dog in her apartment and has to call on the Ghostbusters team for help. Later possessed by the demigod, Zuul, she unleashes terror on the city from her building’s rooftop. This iconic film led to a sequel, a TV series, video games, and a reboot in 2016. Weaver also reprised her role as Dana in the 2021 release ofGhostbusters: Afterlife.
5Alice Hunt - The Village
Written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan,The Villagewas a thrilling period piece with an incredible cast. Starring alongside Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, and Adrien Brody, Weaver plays Alice Hunt, who is an elder in the remote village. She is also the mother of Lucius, who is the love interest of the main character, Ivy. Alice’s goal is to keep the village safe by not going into the surrounding forest and avoiding the color red. However, she and the other elders are keeping a secret that could endanger the solitude of the community.
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4Dr. Grace Augustine - Avatar
Written, directed, and produced by James Cameron,Avatarwas one of the biggest blockbuster films (andhighest grossing movies) to debut in 2009. Cast to play Dr. Grace Augustine, Weaver delivers a strong performance as the head of the avatar program - which was designed to help solve Earth’s energy crisis. When antagonist Parker Selfridge attempts to destroy the Hometree, which is sacred to the native Na’vi, a battle ensues. Grace is shot and dies before she can be saved by the Hometree’s powers. However, she will be appearing in all four sequels, which may mean that she was revived as her avatar.
3Max Connors - Heartbreakers
In the 2001 romantic comedy,Heartbreakers, Weaver portrays a few different characters who are all fake identities for Max Connors. Fittingly for her surname, she is an experienced con artist who tricks men into marrying her in a short amount of time. Her daughter, Page (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), is then tasked with seducing the new groom so that he can be caught in the act, and Max can divorce him and take most of his money. The scheme works for quite a while until real feelings develop between Page and her latest mark.
2The Warden - Holes
Based on the popular children’s book by Louis Sachar, the 2003 comedy,Holes,was blessed with Weaver’s performance as the Warden. Armed with rattlesnake venom nail polish and a lot of attitude, the Warden is in charge of a juvenile detention camp known as Camp Green Lake. The catch is that it is a desert landscape and the young boys are forced to dig giant holes every day to build character. However detestable the Warden may be to viewers, she does have any underlying goal - which is to find a chest full of valuable items that was hidden by Kissin' Kate Barlow decades ago.
1Ellen Ripley - Alien
Weaver’s best performance by far can be seen throughout theAlienfranchise. The 1979 sci-fi horror filmAliensparked a slew of sequels and spinoffs that have kept fans interested in for years. As her first blockbuster role, Weaver plays warrant officer Ellen Ripley aboard the Nostromospacecraft.Being thrust into command after protocols are broken, Ripley battles against aggressive alien lifeforms that have infiltrated the ship. Weaver’s performance as Ripley was so good that she took home a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Role.
