KULTURA / CULTURE
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, ACTRESS Five decades of charisma and strength From the moment she first shone, as the fearless Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s iconic 1979 hit Alien, Sigourney Weaver has been redefining the role of women in sci-fi and action films
H er name has become syn- onymous with strong, intelligent and multifac- eted female characters who’ve inspired gener- ations of viewers and filmmakers alike. Throughout the decades of her career, Sigourney Weaver's acting skills have been confirmed time and again through Oscar nominations for roles in James Cameron’s Aliens, Gorillas in the Mist, where she masterfully embodied pioneer- ing primatologist Dian Fossey, and Work- ing Girl. These last two roles resulted in her receiving two Golden Globes in the same year, while her double Oscar nom- ination that same year went down in the annals of film history. Her ability to shift between genres effortlessly also secured her status as a true movie legend. It is particularly important to note that the character of Ellen Ripley became not only a symbol of female strength, but also proved revolutionary in terms of the way women are represented in films
of this genre. Ripley became the sub- ject of academic analysis and a role mod- el for many subsequent heroines who fol- lowed her path, while Weaver used her to demonstrate that a female character can be simultaneously strong, empathet- ic and intellectually superior, without the need to conform to conventional gender stereotypes. In more recent times, Weaver has re- turned to the limelight through James Cameron’s Avatar film series, and in par- ticular through the upcoming Joseph Ce- dar thriller Useful Idiots, where she will perform alongside the legendary Mer- yl Streep. Their collaboration, which has long been desired by audiences, marks an eagerly anticipated event. And many hope it will bring Weaver new awards and recognitions, such as an Oscar that she’s long deserved. Meryl and Sigourney have been friends since their studies at Yale, which makes it even more interesting that it took so many decades for them to work together on the same project.
Another news item that broke a few months ago, and that she has since con- firmed herself, is that she is set to return to the world of the Alian franchise. She noted that it had yet to be completely agreed, but that Walter Hill had written something special for her. Having said all that, she joked, “don’t expect too much jumping around and crawling through air vents”. It is yet to be specified wheth- er her return is linked to a film project or perhaps season two of the successful se- ries Alien Earth. It is worth noting that, over the course of her long career, Weaver has not only remained faithful to the art of act- ing, but also to the notion that an actor can be a voice of change. Her dedication to humanitarian causes, as well as her in- fluence on the redefining of female roles in Hollywood, remain part of her legacy that has lasted as long as her impressive career. Sigourney continues to inspire with each new project, leaving an indeli- ble mark on the world of cinema...
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