Five Sigourney Weaver Roles We Love

Posted by Melissa Locker on May 25th

There’s no denying it: Sigourney Weaver is one of the greats. Her acting has an understated brilliance that allows her to play any part to the fullest, be it frustrated housewife, former political prisoner, an intergalactic scientist, or voicing an intergalactic ship in “Futurama.” She’s seemingly played one of everything throughout her career. Whether it’s voicing the computer in “Wall*E” or being Woody Allen’s date in “Annie Hall” or playing renowned scientist Dian Fossey in “Gorillas in the Mist.” And did you spot her in “Cabin in the Woods”? There’s nothing that Ms. Weaver can’t play, except perhaps a wallflower. Obviously she’s earned some attention over the years. She’s been nominated for Oscars for her work in “Gorillas in the Mist” and “Working Girl”; roles for which she won Golden Globes. There’s no role more closely identified with Weaver than that of Ellen Ripley. And that’s why we’re excited to show “Alien 3” tonight at 8/7c.

In the film Weaver reprises her role as Ellen Ripley, a woman who is frequently scarier than the alien she is fighting. In “Alien 3,” which is directed by David Fincher, Ripley crash lands on a barren penal-colony planet with an unwelcomed visitor in tow. It turns out she is the only person who knows the alien well enough to beat it. While her plan to corner and kill the creature just might work, a horrifying discovery reveals that her fight is far from over. It’s a frightening film made even more so by Weaver’s burning intensity as Ripley. She brings a fiery depth to the role and there’s no denying it: Sigourney Weaver is one of the greats.

Here are five of our favorite Sigourney Weaver roles:

1. Dana Barrett in “Ghostbusters”

2. Ellen Ripley in “Alien,” “Aliens,” “Alien 3” and “Alien Resurrection”

3. Janey Carver in “The Ice Storm”

4. Gwen DeMarco in “Galaxy Quest”

5. Grace Augustine in “Avatar”

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“Alien 3” is airing on IFC tonight at 8 PM ET; Saturday, May. 26 at 2:45 AM ET; Tuesday, May. 29 at 12:45 AM ET; Saturday, Jun. 9 at 10:15 PM ET; and Sunday, Jun. 10 at 2:45 AM ET