THE Stranger And Avatar star makes his UK stage debut as Prospero in The Storm this month.

Born Susan Weaver (her stage name comes from a character briefly mentioned in The Great Gatsby), in New York in 1949, Sigourney Weaver began her theater career in the early 1970s. She appeared on Broadway and, always willing to take risks, enjoyed a prolific career off-Broadway – no venue is too small for this Oscar nominee.

Weaver made his film debut in a small role in the Woody Allen film. Annie Hall (1977) before finding fame in her iconic role as Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s film Stranger (1979). This stereotype-defying character is considered one of the most memorable characters in the science fiction genre. She reprized the role in the 1986 sequel Extraterrestrials and was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, a rare feat for a science fiction or action film actor. She played Ripley a third time in Alien 3.

Weaver played cellist Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). In 1988, she won the Golden Globes and was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of naturalist Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the mist and the antagonist Katharine Parker in Working girlrespectively.

1990s films included Copier, Death and the MaidenAnd The ice storm. She renewed her science fiction credentials in the role of Gwen DeMarco in Galaxy Quest (1999), Dr Grace Augustine in the James Cameron film Avatar (2009) and its 2022 sequel, and she provided the voice of Axiom Computer in Wall-E (2008). Television guest appearances have included The defenders, The Lost Flowers of Alice HartAnd Call my agent (in which Weaver, playing herself, demonstrated her skills as a fluent French speaker).

Alongside her film work, Weaver has been a regular theater performer throughout her career. She will soon play Prospero in The storm at the Theater Royal Drury Lane, as part of Jamie Lloyd’s Shakespeare season at this historic venue – a historic role for a remarkable talent at the height of his powers. Read on to learn more about Weaver’s stage career.

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Yale Repertory Theater

Weaver admitted to experiencing self-doubt as a student at Yale. However, she appeared in several plays by her friend, the absurdist playwright Christopher Durang and was an active member of the Yale Cabaret. She was also part of the ensemble for the premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s musical The frogsalongside Meryl Streep.

Early career (1971-9)

Before her Hollywood breakthrough, Weaver made her Broadway debut as Marie-Louise Durham in the 1975 revival of Somerset Maugham’s comedy. The constant wifealongside the great Ingrid Bergman. She has also appeared at the Williamstown Theater Festival and several Off-Broadway venues, including the Van Dam Theater, American Place Theater, Playwrights Horizons, and the Public Theater.

1980s

In 1984, Weaver enjoyed one of her biggest theatrical successes to date when she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Featured Role (although the award went to her co-star Judith Ivey ) for her interpretation of Darlene in David Rabe’s black comedy. Hurlyburly. The play, which takes its title from the witches of Macbethexplored the meaningless, drug-fueled lives of small-time Hollywood actors. The cast also included William Hurt and Cynthia Nixon.

During the decade, Weaver’s other stage roles included Anna in Harold Pinter. Ancient times and Stella in A tram named Desire at the Williamstown Theater Festival and Portia at The Merchant of Venice for Off-Broadway’s Classic Stage Company.

The 1990s and the Théâtre aux Puces

Weaver was absent from the stage as a performer in the 1990s, except for a Broadway appearance in her friend Christopher Durang’s film. Sex and desire in 1996 (the play was unfortunately not well received).

The Flea Theater, a 120-seat venue based in TriBeca, was founded by Weaver, Jim Simpson (Weaver’s husband), Mac Wellman and Kyle Chepulis in 1997 as an incubator for experimental theater. The venue received a Drama Desk Award for distinguished achievement in 2004. Simpson served as artistic director until 2015.

Weaver’s performances at the Flea include Guys by Anne Nelson, about the aftermath of September 11 (the play was created shortly after the December 2001 tragedy), in which she starred alongside Bill Murray. She also starred in the political thriller Mrs. Farnsworth by AR Gurney opposite John Lithgow.

From the 2000s to the present

Weaver appeared in another 9/11-influenced play, Neil LaBute’s famous play The mercy seat (2002) alongside Liev Schreiber at the Off-Broadway Acorn Theater. She also starred in AR Gurney’s Mad Mary at Playwrights Horizon.

Weaver returned to Broadway in Durang’s in 2012 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. This comedic homage to Chekhov received mixed reviews, but Weaver’s performance as flamboyant Hollywood star Masha, sister to David Hyde Pierce’s Vanya and Kristine Nielsen’s Sonia, was widely praised. When the play came to the UK, Janie Dee played the role of Weaver.

The storm

The role of Prospero in Shakespeare The storm at the Theater Royal Drury Lane marks Weaver’s UK stage debut. The magician Prospero is typically a male role, and questioning assumptions is one of the things Weaver does best. Other women who have played Prospero include Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren and Harriet Walter. We’ll see if Weaver’s sci-fi film fame is referenced in theater wunderkind Jamie Lloyd’s staging of this magic-filled play.

Weaver’s co-stars include Forbes Masson (Caliban), Mason Alexander Park (Ariel), Mathew Horne (Trinculo) and Selina Caddell (Gonzalo). Weaver and Caddell have been friends for decades, leading to Weaver’s appearance in Doc Martin! It should be “the stuff dreams are made of.”

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