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Sigourney Weaver: still more aliens, "Avatar"-style

Whether or not Vantage Point turns out to be a good movie, it's already a winner in my book. Not just because I like thrillers, which I do, but because of the promotional interviews from its beautiful star.

As scribegrrrl told us a few weeks ago, Sigourney Weaver plays a TV producer named Rex Brooks. Weaver told Good Morning America that the part originally was written for a man and she thought keeping the name "Rex" was cool. She was right.

That picture has nothing to do with Vantage Point and isn't from a recent interview. Do you care?

Weaver doesn't have a lot of screen time in Vantage Point, but her interviews have revealed a bit more about her upcoming role in James Cameron's film, Avatar, in which she plays the female lead, Grace. The film marks her first action film in 10 years. I think we all remember the last one.

Cameron wrote and directed Aliens, the second movie in the series, so Avatar has been something of a reunion for him and Weaver. Although she can't reveal details of the story or characters, she told Premiere that it's unlike anything we've seen.

"It's gonna blow the mind of this industry, I think. It's gonna be an experience for people. I don't think they're going to want to come out of the theater. I think kids will want to stay in the theater with their sleeping bags so they don't have to go out into the real world."

Well, the thought of seeing Sigourney in action again does bring thoughts of a sleepover. But I digress.

Avatar does, in fact, feature aliens — a humanoid race called the Na'vi, native to the planet Pandora, the setting of the film. An image purported to be concept art of the Na'vi appeared on the Web in the fall.

Cameron called the image "spurious," but Fox promptly issued cease-and-desist letters to many of the sites that initially posted it. Something definitely sounds spurious to me. I think Weaver agrees (unless she's doing her Joyce Wischnia impression).

Another image leaked this week — possibly a promotional shot for Avatar.

Cameron's denial of the picture's authenticity is not too convincing, but if you want to read it, here's the link.

What I'd really like to see is a picture of Weaver's character. Weaver describes Grace as having "beautiful, bright red hair and big eyelashes. No makeup. She's a scientist and she's an attractive woman who has given up normal life to devote herself to this planet and fight this fight." (Were AfterEllen.com a political site, I would now segue into an opinion about another attractive woman who has given up normal life to devote herself to this planet and fight this fight. Instead, I'll just post another picture of Sigourney.)

Cameron has promised that March will bring character pictures, a new poster and possibly some footage. May I suggest that it include all of the wonderful women of Avatar?

  • thelinster's blog
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  • Hth's picture

    Sigourney Weaver is indeed

    Sigourney Weaver is indeed awesome, and I hope Avatar is even *half* as cool as it sounds like it could be.

     However, Alien:Res came out in 1997, which makes it a tad less than 20 years old. *g*

    Na's picture

    The Alien Nerd has to comment

    (come on, you knew someone just had to so it will be me because I am an Alien nut).

    While I thank thelinster for picking that very fine picture (for all the reasons you can imagine), it can be misleading in the illustration of the 20 years point.

    Aliens (the second in the series as said) was the only one directed by James Cameron and came out in 1986, a tad over 20 years ago indeed (doesn't make me feel any younger).

    Alien Resurection (the fourth episode) from which that picture is taken is a completely different matter and I won't go into this debate right now because I am at work and I really shouldn't spend my time rambling in this post. But yes, that was 1997, a mere 10 years ago. But it had nothing to do with Cameron.

    There, thank you both for this nice excuse for an Alien comment.

    I for one can't wait for Avatar. I am already waaaaay too excited about it.

    thelinster's picture

    Girls aren't good at math?

    Sorry - that's what happens when I read too many interviews in a short time. Thanks for letting me know - I'll correct it in the post.
    Na's picture

    Oh girl...

    Don't get me started on my other favourite subject, Women in Mathematics (so often overlooked it is a disgrace). From Hypathia to 20th century pioneers like Marjorie Lee Browne, Dame Mary Lucy Cartwright, Florence Nightingale David or Gertrude Blanch. There's a nice project going on here on the subject: http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/WOMEN/women.htm

    Now I am dreaming of a biopgraphy of Dame Lucy Cartwright with Sigourney Weaver in the title role.

    Yeah, I'm a total geek.

    glad to see you changed the text and not the picture :) 

    Lezliemac's picture

    yay

    Sigourney the divine and michelle the feisty in the same movie. What else ?

    Can they carry guns & wear shorts?( or underwear of some kind ? or nothing at all...? )

    Robin91's picture

    Nice. Sigourney, Zoe AND

    Nice. Sigourney, Zoe AND Michelle kicking ass together in a Sci-Fi/Action by James Cameron? I'm SO there.
    4sakenshadowxsoldierlette's picture

    ahh my sigourney!

    one of my first crushes i've evere had! i don't care if i've only been legal technically speaking for a year but I would so marry her in a second! she's the best!

    ~*~Alice: Thank god you're here we're totally outnumbered. Bette: What do you mean? Alice: Straight people. Bette: Oh, Jesus.~*~

    Canuckgrrl's picture

    Some of you weren't even born...

    When we got our first taste of Ripley, circa 1979...


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