Weaver, Sigourney (1949–)

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Weaver, Sigourney (1949–)

American actress. Born Susan Alexandra Weaver, Oct 8, 1949, in New York, NY; dau. of Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver (tv producer, NBC president) and Elizabeth Inglis (actress); niece of actor Doodles Weaver; Stanford University, BA, 1972; Yale University School of Drama, MFA; m. Jim Simpson (theater director), 1984; children: Charlotte Simpson.

Made stage debut in Watergate Classics (1973), followed by The Nature and Purpose of the Universe (1974), Gemini (1976), Beyond Therapy (1981), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (1985), The Merchant of Venice (1986) and Sex and Longing (1996), among others; made film debut with bit part in Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977); came to prominence as Ripley in Alien (1979); co-wrote (with Chris Durang) and starred in Das Lusitania Songspiel (1979–81); other films include Eyewitness (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Ghostbusters (1984), Aliens (1986), Ghostbusters II (1989), Alien III (1992), Dave (1993), Death and the Maiden (1994), Alien: Resurrection (1997) and The Ice Storm (1997); received Tony nomination for performance in Hurly Burly; nominated for Academy Award for portrayal of Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist (1988) and for performance in Working Girl (1988).