What with the “Avatar” sequels and a villainous gig in Marvel’s upcoming Netflix series “The Defenders,” Sigourney Weaver has a lot on her plate. Her latest movie, “A Monster Calls,” co-stars Liam Neeson as a monster whose visits help a boy confront an impending loss. It The film hits U.S. theaters in January.
“A Monster Calls” seems like a very different kind of movie from blockbuster fare like “Avatar” and “Alien.”
I was looking ahead at the four “Avatar” sequels looming over me, and the idea of doing a small, intimate picture that was all about relationships was very appealing. We actually got to rehearse; we even had a read-through! To be able to hear Liam play the monster, and to have us all tell the whole story together in the same room — people don’t realize how incredibly helpful that is. You carry that with you for the whole shoot.
Your character is British. Did the accent come easily to you?
My mother was English, so I had that advantage. But I did work on the accent, because my mother went to [the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art], and she had this very beautiful, cultured English accent. I wanted to play someone who was not posh.
James Cameron has described the “Avatar” movies as a family saga. How are they shaping up?
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In my opinion, the three scripts I’ve read so far are many times more amazing than the first one in terms of their scope. He did a lot of the heavy lifting in the first movie, establishing the family and the relationships and the world, and now he really gets to play.
What’s the status of the “Alien” sequel?
I hope that Neill Blomkamp and I will eventually get back to it. He’s written such a wonderful script. I look forward to finishing Ripley’s story.
What about “Defenders”?
I can’t say much, because they might kill me. I think everyone I work for might kill me if I tell you anything. But I have the most delicious character. She’s really smart, and she’s very in charge.
What you didn’t know about Sigourney Weaver
| What you didn’t know about SIGOURNEY WEAVER |
| AGE: 67; From: New York City; TV Lineage: Her father, Pat Weaver, created “Today” and “Tonight”; Flea Bitten: She’s a supporter of the Flea, a theater company co-founded by her husband, Jim Simpson; To Come: She’s collaborating with Neill Blomkamp on a film that’s separate from the “Alien” follow-up |
