Today, October 8th, we celebrate the 75th birthday of Sigourney Weaver, one of the most iconic and influential actresses of her generation. Born Susan Alexandra Weaver in 1949 in New York City, she adopted the name “Sigourney” from a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. With a career spanning over five decades, Weaver has carved out a unique space in Hollywood, particularly within the science fiction genre, where she’s often hailed as a trailblazer for her strong, complex female characters.
Weaver’s career took off in 1979 with her portrayal of Ellen Ripley in Alien, a role that not only revolutionized the genre but also challenged gender norms in action films. Ripley remains a touchstone for the evolution of female heroines in cinema. Weaver reprised the role in Aliens (1986), for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination, followed by appearances in Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.
Beyond her work in sci-fi, Weaver’s versatility as an actress is evident in her roles in comedies like Ghostbusters (1984) and Working Girl (1988), as well as dramas such as The Ice Storm (1997) and Gorillas in the Mist (1988). She’s been nominated for three Academy Awards and won two Golden Globes, reflecting her ability to seamlessly move between genres.
