Sigourney Weaver

Highest Rated: 99% Aliens (1986)

Lowest Rated: 4% Abduction (2011)

Birthday: Oct 8, 1949

Birthplace: New York City, New York

Though she is a classically trained dramatic actress and has played a variety of roles, Sigourney Weaver is still best known for her portrayal of the steel-jawed, alien-butt-kicking space crusader Ellen Ripley from the four Alien movies. The formidably beautiful, 5'11'' actress was born Susan Weaver to NBC president Pat Weaver and actress Elizabeth Inglis. Her father had a passion for Roman history and originally wanted to name her Flavia, but after reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby at the age of 14, Weaver renamed herself Sigourney, after one of the book's minor characters. After being schooled in her native New York City, Weaver attended Stanford University and then obtained her master's at the Yale School of Drama where, along with classmate Meryl Streep, she appeared in classical Greek plays. After earning her degree, Weaver was only able to find work in experimental plays produced well away from Broadway, as more conventional producers found her too tall to perform in mainstream works. After getting her first real break in the soap opera Somerset (1970-1976), she made her film debut with a bit part in Woody Allen's Annie Hall in 1977. Weaver had her first major role in Madman which was released just prior to Alien in 1979. Though the role of Ripley was originally designed for Veronica Cartwright (who ultimately played the doomed Lambert), scouts for director Ridley Scott saw Weaver working off-Broadway and felt she would be perfect for the part. The actress' take on the character was laced with a subtlety that made her a new kind of female action hero: Intelligent, resourceful, and unconsciously sexy, Weaver's Ripley was a woman with the guts to master her fear in order to take on a terrifying unknown enemy. Alien proved to be one of the year's biggest hits and put Weaver on Hollywood's A-list, though she would not reprise her character for another seven years. In between, she worked to prove her versatility, playing solid dramatic roles in Eyewitness (1981) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), while letting a more playful side show as a cellist who channels a fearsome demon in Ghostbusters (1984). In 1986, Aliens burst into the theater, even gorier and more rip-roaring than its predecessor. This time, Weaver focused more on the maternal side of her character, which only served to make her tougher than ever. Her unforgettable performance was honored with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, and was followed up by Weaver's similarly haunting portrayal of doomed naturalist/animal rights activist Diane Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist (1988). The role won Weaver her second Best Actress Oscar nomination, and that same year, she received yet another Oscar nomination -- this time for Best Supporting Actress -- for her deliciously poisonous portrayal of Melanie Griffith's boss in Working Girl. After 1992's Alien 3, Weaver had her next big hit playing President Kevin Kline's lonely wife in the bittersweet romantic comedy Dave (1993). She then gave a gripping performance as a rape/torture victim who faces down the man who may or may not have been her tormentor in Roman Polanski's moody thriller Death and the Maiden (1994). During the latter half of the decade, Weaver appeared in Alien Resurrection -- perhaps the most poorly received installment of the series -- but increasingly surfaced in offbeat roles such as the coolly fragile Janey in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm and the psychotic, wicked Queen in the adult-oriented HBO production The Grimm Brothers' Snow White (both 1997). In 1999, she starred in the sci-fi spoof Galaxy Quest, making fun of her image as a sci-fi goddess while continuing to prove her remarkable versatility.Weaver's first high-profile project of the new millenium saw her swindling Ray Liotta and Gene Hackman as a sexy con-woman teamed up with Jennifer Love Hewitt. Already into her fifties, Weaver proved she still possessed plenty of sex-appeal even alongside a substantially younger starlet like Hewitt.

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Highest Rated Movies

Aliens
99%
Ingrid Bergman in Her Own Words (Jag är Ingrid)
98%
Ghostbusters (1984 Original)
97%
Alien
97%

Filmography

MOVIES

RATING	TITLE	CREDIT	BOX OFFICE	YEAR
No Score Yet	Avatar 5	Actor	—	2025
No Score Yet	Avatar 4	Actor	—	2024
No Score Yet	Avatar 2	Actor	—	2020
No Score Yet	Avatar 3	Actor	—	2018
32%	The Assignment	Dr. Rachel Kay	—	2017
86%	A Monster Calls	Grandma	$3.8M	2017
No Score Yet	Rakka	Actor	—	2017
74%	Ghostbusters	Rebecca Gorin	$128.4M	2016
94%	Finding Dory	as Herself	$486.3M	2016
No Score Yet	Ghostheads	Actor	—	2016
98%	Ingrid Bergman in Her Own Words (Jag är Ingrid)	Actor	$0.2M	2015
32%	Chappie	Michelle Bradley	—	2015
29%	Exodus: Gods and Kings	Tuya	—	2014
No Score Yet	All You Need Is Love	Actor	—	2014
No Score Yet	My Depression	Actor	—	2014
53%	Vamps	Cisserus	$3.2k	2012
5%	The Cold Light of Day	Carrack	$3.8M	2012
29%	Red Lights	Dr. Margaret Matheson	$49.8k	2012
74%	Rampart	Joan Confrey	$1M	2012
4%	Abduction	Dr. Bennett	$27.6M	2011
71%	Paul	The Big Guy	$37.4M	2011
86%	Cedar Rapids	Macy Vanderhei	$6.8M	2011
17%	You Again	Ramona	$25.7M	2010
8%	Crazy on the Outside	Viki	$64.9k	2010
83%	Avatar	Dr. Grace Augustine	$749.8M	2009
No Score Yet	Prayers for Bobby	Mary Griffith	—	2009
No Score Yet	Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood	Actor	—	2009
56%	The Tale of Despereaux	The NarratorNarrator	$50.9M	2008
71%	The Girl in the Park	Julia Sandburg	—	2008
96%	WALL-E	Ship's Computer	$223.8M	2008
64%	Baby Mama	Chaffee Bicknell	$60.3M	2008
65%	Be Kind Rewind	Ms. Lawson	$11.2M	2008
35%	Vantage Point	Rex Brooks	$72.3M	2008
No Score Yet	His Highness Hollywood	Actor	—	2008
65%	The TV Set	Lenny	$35k	2007
No Score Yet	Alien Resurrection (Special Edition)	Actor	—	2007
No Score Yet	Alien3 (Special Edition)	Actor	—	2007
No Score Yet	Movies 101	Actor	—	2007
No Score Yet	DNA: Secret of Photo 51	Actor	—	2007
4%	Happily N'ever After	Frieda	$151.9M	2006
73%	Infamous	Babe Paley	$1.1M	2006
65%	Snow Cake	Linda Freeman	—	2006
No Score Yet	Movies 101	Actor	—	2005
35%	Imaginary Heroes	Sandy Travis	—	2005
44%	The Village	Alice Hunt	$114.2M	2004
73%	The Guys	Joan	—	2003
77%	Holes	Louise Walker	$67.4M	2003
No Score Yet	The Snow Queen & The Wild Swans	Actor	—	2003
94%	Alien: The Director's Cut	Ripley	—	2003
78%	Tadpole	Eve	$2.9M	2002
No Score Yet	The 'Alien' Saga	Actor	—	2002
41%	Big Bad Love	Betti Deloreo	$0.2M	2001
53%	Heartbreakers	Max	—	2001
14%	Company Man	Daisy Quimp	—	2001
90%	Galaxy Quest	Gwen DeMarco/Lt. Tawny Madison	—	1999
65%	A Map of the World	Alice Goodwin	—	1999
71%	Get Bruce	Actor	—	1999
No Score Yet	Why Dogs Smile and Chimpanzees Cry	Narrator	—	1999
84%	The Ice Storm	Jane Carver	—	1997
60%	Snow White: A Tale of Terror	Claudia Alvise Hoffman	—	1997
No Score Yet	The Universal Story	Actor	—	1996
76%	Copycat	Helen Hudson	—	1995
68%	Jeffrey	Debra Moorhouse	—	1995
84%	Death and the Maiden	Paulina Escobar	—	1995
95%	Dave	Ellen Mitchell	—	1993
33%	1492: Conquest of Paradise	Queen Isabel	—	1992
43%	Alien3	Producer Ellen Ripley	—	1992
No Score Yet	Peachboy	Narrator	—	1991
53%	Ghostbusters 2	Dana Barrett	—	1989
No Score Yet	Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge	Actor	—	1989
85%	Working Girl	Katharine Parker	—	1988
83%	Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey	Dian Fossey	—	1988
No Score Yet	One Woman or Two	Jessica Fitzgerald	—	1987
99%	Aliens	Ripley	—	1986
50%	Half Moon Street	Lauren Slaughter	—	1986
No Score Yet	Aliens (Special Edition)	Actor Director	—	1986
97%	Ghostbusters (1984 Original)	Dana Barrett	—	1984
13%	Deal of the Century	Catherine DeVoto	—	1983
90%	The Year of Living Dangerously	Jill Bryant	—	1983
No Score Yet	Stories to Remember	Narrator	—	1982
82%	Eyewitness	Tony Sokolow	—	1981
97%	Alien	Ripley	—	1979
No Score Yet	Madman	Actor	—	1979
No Score Yet	Sorrows of Gin	Actor	—	1979
No Score Yet	Alien Legacy	Actor	—	1979
97%	Annie Hall	Alvy's Date outside Theater	—	1977

TV

RATING	TITLE	CREDIT	YEAR
No Score Yet	The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2003	Guest	2018
77%	Marvel's The Defenders 2017	Actor	2017
No Score Yet	Today 2017	Guest Actor	2017
No Score Yet	The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 2015	Guest	2017 2016
No Score Yet	Doc Martin	Tourist	2016
No Score Yet	The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2014	Guest	2015 2014
No Score Yet	Colbert Report 2005-2014	Guest	2013
No Score Yet	The Talk 2010	Guest	2013
No Score Yet	The View 1997	Guest	2013 2012
62%	Political Animals 2012	Elaine Barrish Hammond	2012
No Score Yet	The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 1999-2015	Guest	2012 2010 2009
No Score Yet	The Graham Norton Show 2007	Guest	2011 2007
No Score Yet	Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 2009-2014	Guest Actor	2010 2009
No Score Yet	Saturday Night Live 1975	Guest Host	2010 1986
60%	Eli Stone 2008-2009	Therapist	2008
No Score Yet	Pioneers of Television 2008-2014	Appearing	2008
100%	Planet Earth 2007	Narrator	2007
No Score Yet	Independent Lens 1999	Narrator	2003
No Score Yet	NOVA 1974	Voice Narrator	2003
93%	Futurama 1999	Voice	2002
No Score Yet	The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1992-2014	Guest	2001

Quotes from Sigourney Weaver's Characters

Grace:	They're just pissing on us without even giving us the courtesy of calling it rain
Grace:	They're just pissing on us without even giving us the courtesy of calling it rain.

Ship's Computer:	(Cheerful) Ten seconds to self-destruct.
Ship's Computer:	Ten seconds to self-destruct.

Ellen Ripley:

Show me everything.

Mary Griffith:	[Crying] There was nothing wrong with him.
Mary Griffith:	There was nothing wrong with him.

Ellen Ripley:

Final report, the commercial star-ship Nostromo. Third officer reporting. The other members of the crew—Kane, Lambert, Parker, Brett, Ash, and Captain Dallas—are dead. Cargo and ship destroyed. I should reach the frontier within six weeks. With a little luck the network will pick me up. This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off.

Ramona:	You stole Richie Philipps from me!
Gail:	Richie Philipps from High School?
Ramona:	I was in love with him!
Gail:	You were in love with him?!
Gail:	You were in love with him?

The Warden:	Stanley! Stanley, won't you just open it? Just let me see what's inside! Please?
Stanley Yelnats:	Excuse me? closes trunk
Stanley Yelnats:	Excuse me?

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you bitch!

Ellen Ripley:	Who do I have to fuck to get off this boat?
Johner:	I can get you off......maybe not the boat.
Johner:	I can get you off... maybe not the boat.

Distephano:	I thought you were dead?
Ellen Ripley:	Yeah, I get that a lot.

Ellen Ripley:	These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.
Newt:	It won't make any difference.

The Warden:

I'm surrounded by a bunch of cow turds.

Gediman:	Fork
Ellen Ripley:	Fuck?
Gediman:	It's fork.

Ellen Ripley:	This is little girl survived long than that with no weapons and no training.
Newt:	(salutes)
Newt:	[salutes]
Pvt. Hudson:	Why don't you put her in charge!

Ellen Ripley:

We will and then we will blow it the fuck out into space!

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you bitch!

Ellen Ripley:

This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off.

Ellen Ripley:

You've been in my life so long, I can't remember anything else.

Ellen Ripley:

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit...it's the only way to be sure.

Dr. Margaret Matheson:

He's dangerous Tom...stay away from him.

Dr. Margaret Matheson:

What I can't forgive, is that for one second, and it only lasted a second...I thought it might be true...he made me doubt...and everyone could see it.

Ellen Ripley:

You...are...my...lucky...star...

Gwen DeMarco:

Let's get out of here before one of those things kills Guy.

Ash:	You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? Perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
Lambert:	You admire it.
Ash:	I admire its purity. A survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.
Parker:	Look, I am... I've heard enough of this, and I'm asking you to pull the plug.
Ash:	Last word.
Ellen Ripley:	What?
Ash:	I can't lie to you about your chances, but... you have my sympathies.

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you bitch!

Jean Carrack:

You're scared, and scared people holding guns in my face... that scares me.

Ellen Ripley:	You're going out there to destroy them, right? Not to study. Not to bring back, but to wipe them out?
Carter Burke:	That's the plan.

Ellen Ripley:

God damn it, that's not all! Because if one of those things gets down here then that will be all! Then all this - this bullshit that you think is so important, you can just kiss all that goodbye!

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you BITCH!

Carter Burke:	Ripley...! You know, I... I expected more from you. I thought you'd be smarter than this.
Carter Burke:	Ripley! You know, I... I expected more from you. I thought you'd be smarter than this.
Ellen Ripley:	I'm happy to disappoint you.

Ellen Ripley:

Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?

Ellen Ripley:

I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure!

Dr. Margaret Matheson:

Are there no real challenges left out there.

Gwen DeMarco:	[Gwen and Jason encounter the chompers] What is this thing? I mean, it serves no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway. No, I mean we shouldn't have to do this, it makes no logical sense, why is it here?
Jason Nesmith:	'Cause it's on the television show.
Gwen DeMarco:	Well forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was badly written!

Gwen DeMarco:	Does the rolling help?
Jason Nesmith:	Yes, it helps.

Gwen DeMarco:

Ducts? Why is it always ducts?

Ship's Computer:	You will survive.
Captain:	I don't want to survive, I want to live!

Dr. Margaret Matheson:	There are two kinds of people out there with a special gift. The ones who really think they have some kind of power and the other guys who think we canâ??t figure them out. Theyâ??re both wrong.
Dr. Margaret Matheson:	There are two kinds of people out there with a special gift. The ones who really think they have some kind of power and the other guys who think we can't figure them out. They're both wrong.

Ellen Ripley:	get away from her you bitch!
Ellen Ripley:	Get away from her, you bitch!

Captain:	[Reads from book] Step 1, voice command: confirm acquisition.
Ship's Computer:	Confirm acquisition. [Grabs EVE] Voice authorization acquired.
Captain:	Uh...
Ship's Computer:	[Echoes Captain's voice] Uh. Accepted.

The Warden:

Excuse me?

Ash:	Ripley, for God's sake, this is the first time that we've encountered a species like this. It has to go back. All sorts of tests have to be made.
Ellen Ripley:	Ash, are you kidding? This thing bled acid. Who knows what it's gonna do when it's dead?
Ash:	I think it's safe to assume it isn't a zombie.

Ellen Ripley:	These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.
Newt:	It won't make any difference.

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you B*TCH!

Paulina Escobar:	In Democracy,knocking is friendly.
Paulina Escobar:	In Democracy, knocking is friendly.

Ellen Ripley:

My mommy always said there were no monsters. No real ones. But there are.

Ellen Ripley:	Whenever he says anything you say 'right,' Brett, you know that?
Brett:	Right.
Ellen Ripley:	Parker, what do you think? Your staff just follows you around and says 'right'. Just like a regular parrot.
Parker:	Yeah, shape up. What are you some kind of parrot?

Ellen Ripley:	They cut the power.
Pvt. Hudson:	What do you mean, "They cut the power"? How could they cut the power, man? They're animals!
Pvt. Hudson:	What do you mean, 'They cut the power'? How could they cut the power, man? They're animals!

Dana Barrett:	(about Oscar)What do you think?
Peter Venkman:	Well, he's ugly.

Kate Holbrook:	It costs more to have someone born than to have someone killed!
Chaffee Bicknell:	It takes longer.

Ellen Ripley:	stupid cat
Ellen Ripley:	Stupid cat.

Ellen Ripley:	Ash can you hear me? Ash!?
Ash:	[Eyes open] Yes I can hear you.
Ellen Ripley:	What was your special order?
Ash:	You read it, I thought it was clear.
Ellen Ripley:	What was it?
Ash:	Bring back life form, priority one, all other priorities are rescinded.
Parker:	The damn Company. What about our lives you son of a bitch?
Ash:	I repeat, all other priorities are rescinded.
Ellen Ripley:	How do we kill it Ash, there's got to be a way of killing it, how, how do we do it?
Ash:	You can't.
Parker:	That's bullshit!
Ash:	You still don't understand what you're dealing with do you? Perfect organism. It's structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
Lambert:	You admire it.
Ash:	I admire its purity. A survivor, unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.
Parker:	I've heard enough of this and i'm asking you to pull the plug.
Ash:	Last word.
Ellen Ripley:	What?
Ash:	I can't lie to you about your chances, but, you have my sympathies. [Smiles]
Ellen Ripley:	[Pulls the plug]

Gwen DeMarco:	Gwen: They're not all historical documents. Surely, you don't think Gilligan's Island is a ... Mathazar: Those poor people.
Gwen DeMarco:	Gwen: They're not all historical documents. Surely, you don't think Gilligan's Island is a ...
Gwen DeMarco:	Gwen: They're not all historical documents. Surely, you don't think Gilligan's Island is a...
Mathesar:	Those poor people.

Gwen DeMarco:

Look! I have one job on this ship. It's stupid, but I'm going to do it. Okay?

Jason Nesmith:	You're not gonna die on the planet, Guy.
Guy Fleegman:	I'm not? Then what's my last name?
Jason Nesmith:	It's... uh... uh... I don't know.
Guy Fleegman:	Nobody knows. Do you know why? Because my character isn't important enough for a last name, because I'm gonna die five minutes in!
Gwen DeMarco:	Guy, you have a last name.
Guy Fleegman:	DO I? DO I? For all you know, I'm Crewman Number Six! Mommy... mommy...

Ellen Ripley:	Whenever he says anything you say "right," Brett, you know that?
Ellen Ripley:	Whenever he says anything you say 'right,' Brett, you know that?
Brett:	Right.
Ellen Ripley:	Parker, what do you think? Your staff just follows you around and says "right". Just like a regular parrot.
Ellen Ripley:	Parker, what do you think? Your staff just follows you around and says 'right'. Just like a regular parrot.
Parker:	Yeah, shape up. What are you some kind of parrot?

Mary Griffith:

Before you echo AMEN to your home and in place of worship, think and remember, a child is listening.

Ellen Ripley:

I say we take off and nuke this entire site from orbit...it's the only way to be sure.

Ellen Ripley:	I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage
Ellen Ripley:	You know, Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage.

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you B*TCH!

Ship's Computer:	(After Eve is found on the ship) Voice authorisation required.
Ship's Computer:	[after Eve is found on the ship] Voice authorisation required.
Captain:	Er... (Device repeats it back to him).
Captain:	Er... [device repeats it back to him]
Ship's Computer:	Voice accepted.

Grace:	"I need to get some samples."
Grace:	I need to get some samples.

Peter Venkman:	Dana the guys are going down in the sewer to check for slime stuff, And Egon thinks there may even be a huge serge in cockroach breeding. Do ya wanna blow off this dinner thing and go with them?
Peter Venkman:	Dana the guys are going down in the sewer to check for slime stuff. And Egon thinks there may even be a huge serge in cockroach breeding. Do you wanna blow off this dinner thing and go with them?
Dana Barrett:	Taxi!

Peter Venkman:	Zool may i speak to Dana please?
Peter Venkman:	Zool may I speak to Dana please?
Dana Barrett:	[Zool voice] There is no Dana only Zool!
Peter Venkman:	What a lovely singing voice you must have.

Dana Barrett:	Oh Shit!
Dana Barrett:	Oh shit!

Dana Barrett:	That's the bedroom, but nothing but nothing ever happend in there.
Peter Venkman:	What a crime.
Dana Barrett:	You know you don't act like a Scientist.
Peter Venkman:	They're usually pretty stiff.
Peter Venkman:	You're more like a Game show host.
Peter Venkman:	You're more like a game show host.

Ellen Ripley:	This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off.
Ellen Ripley:	This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off. [to Jonesy the cat]

Linda Freeman:	You are a very selfish man, Alex.
Alex Hughes:	I'm not selfish, you're just unreasonable.
Linda Freeman:	I'm autistic!
Alex Hughes:	Well, it's the same thing.

Dr. Bennett:

There were only four of us that knew your identity, two of us are dead.

Ellen Ripley:	[pointing to a part of the gun Hicks is showing her] What's this?
Ellen Ripley:	[pointing to a part of the gun Hicks is showing her] What's this?
Cpl. Dwayne Hicks:	That's the grenade launcher. I don't think you want to mess with that.
Ellen Ripley:	You started this. Show me everything. I can handle myself.
Cpl. Dwayne Hicks:	[chuckles] Yeah, I noticed.

Col. Miles Quaritch:	Shut your pie hole!
Grace:	Or what, "Ranger Rick"? You gonna shoot me?
Grace:	Or what, 'Ranger Rick'? You gonna shoot me?
Grace:	I can do that.
Col. Miles Quaritch:	I can do that.

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her you bitch!

Ellen Ripley:	I'm thinking.
Parker:	Ash is a robot!

Ellen Ripley:	you know Burke,I don't know which species is worse.you don't see them f***ing each other over for a goddamn percentage
Ellen Ripley:	You know, Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage.

Katherine Parker:	This woman is my secretary!
Jack Trainer:	She is not!
Katherine Parker:	Oh, no? Ask her!

The Warden:	"I'm tired of this, grandpa!"
The Warden:	I'm tired of this, Grandpa.
Trout Walker:	"That's too damn bad!"
Trout Walker:	Well, that's too damn bad!

Ship's Computer:	Caution: Rogue robots. Caution...
Mary:	I didn't know we had a pool!
WALL-E:	Oh, EVE.
Captain:	Computer, define 'dancing.'

Ellen Ripley:

Get away from her, you bitch!

Dana Barrett:	(to Peter) Are you the key master?
Dana Barrett:	[to Peter] Are you the key master?
Peter Venkman:	Um. . .no. . .not that I know of. (Dana shuts door. Peter knocks again)
Peter Venkman:	Um no...not that I know of. [Dana shuts door. Peter knocks again]
Dana Barrett:	Are you the key master?
Peter Venkman:	Um. . .yeah. Um. . .I'm a friend of his, yeah.
Peter Venkman:	Um...yeah. Um...I'm a friend of his, yeah.