Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver is an Oscar-nominated actress best known for her iconic role as Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. Sigourney is the daughter of NBC executive Pat Weaver and actress Elizabeth Inglis. After graduating high school, she earned a B.A. in English from Stanford University and went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama.

Sigourney began her acting career on stage and in minor television roles before landing her breakout role in Alien (1979), which launched her into international stardom. The film became a critical and commercial success and allowed her to later land roles in films such as Ghostbusters (1984), Holes (2003) and Avatar (2009).

She became a staple of the Alien franchise, appearing in the movie’s sequels over the years. Her role in the second installment, Aliens (1986) earned her the Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Her other notable works include Gorillas in the Mist (1988), Abduction (2011) and The Assignment (2016). She has also lent her voice to films such as WALL-E (2008) and Finding Dory (2016).

In 2025, the actress appeared in the Apple TV+ original film The Gorge.

Weaver tied the knot with director Jim Simpson in 1984. The couple welcomed daughter Charlotte Simpson in 1990.