Sigourney Weaver

Oscar-nominated screen actress, Sigourney Weaver became best known for her roles in "Alien" (1979), "Ghostbusters" (1984), "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988), "Avatar" (2009), and many others. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, Weaver was exposed to the entertainment industry at a very young age. Her father was a pioneering TV producer, while her uncle, Doodles Weaver, was a popular comedian and actor in the 50s and 60s.

As a young girl, Weaver was drawn to the stage. She appeared in numerous plays throughout high school, and dreamed of becoming a professional actress. After receiving her BA from Stanford University, Weaver attended the Yale School of Drama where one of her classmates was Meryl Streep.

After graduating from Yale in 1974 Weaver intended on becoming a screen actress. She nabbed a non-speaking role in Woody Allen's 1977 comedy "Annie Hall," and followed that up with a role in the 1978 drama "Madman." Weaver's breakout role, however, came in 1979 when she played the lead character of Ripley in director Ridley Scott's classic science fiction horror film "Alien."

The huge success of "Alien" spawned numerous sequels, including "Aliens" (1986), "Alien 3" (1992), and "Alien: Resurrection" (1997), all of three which Weaver reprized her role as Ripley. In addition to her starring role in the "Alien" franchise, in the 1980s Weaver found success in films "Ghostbusters," "Working Girl" (1988), and "Gorillas in the Mist," the latter two of which would earn her Oscar appointments.

Weaver continued working steadily throughout the 90s and 2000s, with notable roles in "Dave" (1993), "The Ice Storm" (1997), and director James Cameron's Oscar-winning sci-fi epic "Avatar."

By the 2010s Weaver began appearing on television. She appeared in two mini-series "Political Animals" (USA, 2012) and "The Defenders" (Netflix, 2017). While heading into her sixth decade as a professional actress, Weaver showed no signs of slowing down.

She reprized her role as Dr. Grace Augustine in the "Avatar" franchise. "Avatar 2" was released in 2020, the first of four sequels in the franchise.