Sigourney Weaver

Highest Rated: 99% Aliens (1986)

Lowest Rated: 4% The Cold Light of Day (2012)

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

		CREDIT
No Score Yet	Avatar 4	Actor	—	2025
No Score Yet	Avatar 5	Actor	—	2025
No Score Yet	Avatar 3	Actor	—	2023
No Score Yet	Avatar 2	Actor	—	2021
33%	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
30%	Exodus: Gods and Kings	Tuya	—	2014
No Score Yet	All You Need Is Love	Actor	—	2014
No Score Yet	My Depression	Actor	—	2014
56%	Vamps	Cisserus	$3.2K	2012
4%	The Cold Light of Day	Carrack	$3.8M	2012
30%	Red Lights	Dr. Margaret Matheson	$49.8K	2012
74%	Rampart	Joan Confrey	$1M	2012
5%	Abduction	Dr. Bennett	$27.7M	2011
71%	Paul	The Big Guy	$37.4M	2011
86%	Cedar Rapids	Macy Vanderhei	$6.9M	2011
17%	You Again	Ramona	$25.7M	2010
8%	Crazy on the Outside	Viki	$64.9K	2010
82%	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
57%	The Tale of Despereaux	The Narrator Narrator	$50.9M	2008
71%	The Girl in the Park	Julia Sandburg	—	2008
95%	WALL-E	Ship's Computer	$223.8M	2008
64%	Baby Mama	Chaffee Bicknell	$60.3M	2008
65%	Be Kind Rewind	Ms. Lawson	$11.3M	2008
34%	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	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
34%	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
78%	Copycat	Helen Hudson	—	1995
67%	Jeffrey	Debra Moorhouse	—	1995
84%	Death and the Maiden	Paulina Escobar	—	1995
95%	Dave	Ellen Mitchell	—	1993
32%	1492: Conquest of Paradise	Queen Isabel	—	1992
42%	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
75%	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

		CREDIT
No Score Yet	The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance 2019	The Myth-Speaker	2019
No Score Yet	The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2003	Guest	2018
No Score Yet	The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 2014	Guest	2018 2015 2014
78%	Marvel's The Defenders 2017		2017
No Score Yet	Today 2017	Guest	2017
No Score Yet	The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 2015	Guest	2017 2016
87%	Doc Martin	Tourist	2016
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	2010 2009
No Score Yet	Saturday Night Live 1975	Host Guest	2010 1986
No Score Yet	The Jay Leno Show 2009-2010	Guest	2009
60%	Eli Stone 2008-2009	Therapist	2008
No Score Yet	Pioneers of Television 2008-2014	Appearing	2008
95%	Planet Earth 2007	Narrator	2007
No Score Yet	Independent Lens 1999	Narrator	2003
No Score Yet	NOVA 1974	Narrator Voice	2003
95%	Futurama 1999-2013	Voice	2002
No Score Yet	The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1992-2014	Guest	2001

QUOTES FROM Sigourney Weaver 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.