Happy 60th birthday today to the lovely Sigourney (nee Susan) Weaver. Having taken her stage name from a F. Scott Fitzgerald character in her teens, it was obvious that she was born to be a dramatic actor. She studied at New York's Yale drama school alongside Meryl Streep, and progressed onto the stage in a number of critically acclaimed (albeit uncommercial) productions. It was from this vantage point that she caught the eye of one Woody Allen, who introduced her to Hollywood and to later legendary stardom.
It is obviously for the Alien series of movies that she really became an acting legend. Indeed, "Ripley" became a rare thing in the genre of horror/sci-fi - a believable and memorable character. Ever the tenacious actress, Miss Weaver never allowed herself to be typecast, however, and went on to take leading roles in such differing types of movie as Ghostbusters, Working Girl, Half Moon Street and of course Gorillas In The Mist, for which she won the Best Actress Oscar. I particularly love her cameo as a "healer" in Jeffrey:
I respect Sigourney Weaver's dedication to acting, to environmental campaigns and to human rights, and in particular to gay rights. Often cited as a lesbian icon for her portrayal of strong, not simpering characters, she is in fact happily married with a child but continually stands up for the issues of gay marriage and anti-homophobia. Her ground-breaking film Prayers for Bobby sets out to tackle the issues of religion and homosexuality.
And she sings!
...to conclude, of course, this!
Sigourney Weaver on IMDB
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