Avatar's Sigourney Weaver, Still Sexy at Sixty

Currently appearing in James Cameron's "Avatar" (2009) as Dr. Grace Augustine, Sigourney Weaver adds another alien-inspired movie to her list of credits. Avatar has made over $1 billion worldwide. It took graphic artists 48 hours to create one frame of film for Avatar.

Sigourney Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver, but began using the name Sigourney at the age of 14. Sigourney was the name of a minor character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" (Scribner ZZZ edition 1999).

Her role in James Cameron's "Avatar" is not her first foray into the world of science fiction. Most people recognize Weaver from her role as Ellen Ripley in all those "Alien" movies. It was during the filming of "Aliens," the second film in the Alien franchise, that Weaver and Cameron first met, as Cameron was the director of the second installment.

Weaver is also a learned scholar, having earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at Yale University School of Drama.

It wasn't coincidental that Weaver made a career in the film industry. Father Sylvester L. Weaver, Jr. was NBC-TV president for two years and implemented the desk-and-couch talk show format that most people are familiar with on "The Tonight Show."

Height has always been a challenge for Weaver. She towers over most people at six feet tall and has a tendency to intimidate men, particularly directors and producers.

But she didn't intimidate director Ridley Scott when she showed up at his office in thigh-high black leather boots with three-inch heels and tiny pants tucked into the tops of the boots. And this was for her audition for the part in "Alien."

"I towered over Ridley," said Weaver. "And he, well, he didn't care at all. He's a real secure guy. He loved it. I think he was quite impressed, really."[1]

Weaver must have made a good first impression with Scott. After all, she got the role.

Science fiction isn't the only thing Weaver has accomplished. She has stretched her artistic wings to show her comedic side in films such as "Heartbreakers" (2001) with Jennifer Love Hewitt, "Ghostbusters" (1984) and "Ghostbusters II," (1989) and her dramatic side in "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988), "Snow Cake" (2006) where she plays a high-functioning autistic and "Copycat" (1995).

With film credits too lengthy to mention, Weaver has also raised a daughter, Charlotte, with husband and filmmaker Jim Simpson. Simpson currently runs the Flea Theater on White Street in downtown New York.

Weaver is also something of an activist. She hosted the annual gala of the "Trickle Up Program" which is a non-profit organization assisting those in extreme poverty. She also supports the banning of deep sea trawlers.

"These deep sea trawlers are operating beyond the reach of the law," Weaver has said. "It's up to all of us to change that. Most people think somebody, somewhere is looking out for the deep oceans, but they aren't."[2]

Weaver has received three Academy Award nominations: "Aliens," "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Working Girl." The former two nominations were in the same year, 1988 and that makes Weaver one of only eleven actors who have received two nominations in the same year. Although she did not receive an Academy Award, she was presented with Golden Globe Awards for "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Working Girl."

Weaver's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 7003 Hollywood Blvd.

A recent appearance on the Letterman show (Jan. 7, 2010) was proof that Weaver still has her charm, her wit and her sex appeal.

Weaver is one sexagenarian who isn't going to stop anytime soon. (In case you're wondering, sexagenarian refers to a person in his or her sixties).

[1] The Telegraph
[2] Internet Movie Database