WASHINGTON— After nearly five decades as one of Hollywood's most iconic leading women, Sigourney Weaver continues to defy expectations. In the December 2025/January 2026 issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM), the acclaimed actress reflects on overcoming rejection, finding strength in vulnerability, and why at 76, she’s finally realizing dreams that have been years in the making.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash hitting theaters this December, Weaver adds another chapter to a career that spans four major action franchises and countless unforgettable roles. Looking back on her transformation from a shy child to cinema’s original action heroine, the actress who made Ellen Ripley a legend reveals that off-screen, she’s far more reflective and gentle than her fierce alter egos suggest.

In her interview with ATM, Weaver speaks candidly about childhood awkwardness, the importance of humor, and how portraying powerful women has always meant honoring her own sensitivity. From being told she would "never get anywhere" to becoming a three-time Oscar nominee and box office powerhouse, Weaver's journey has been defined by fearlessness and an ability to laugh at herself. Now, as she continues to carve her own unconventional path through Hollywood, she shows no signs of slowing down.

The following are excerpts from ATM’s December 2025/January 2026 cover story featuring Sigourney Weaver. The issue is available in homes starting in November and online now at www.aarp.org/magazine/.

On the importance of humor:

“In my household, the most important talent in the world was to make people laugh, and I knew I had that capacity—I was funny. I could make my father laugh. He would convulse with laughter, and tears would come out of his eyes.”

On her success playing strong women:

“I think I’ve been successful playing strong women because I am vulnerable. I don’t try to pretend that I have the answers.”

On fearlessness:

“They told me I had no talent and that I’d never get anywhere.… I thought, I’m never going to get it, so I’m going to go in and do what I want and not care at all what they’re looking for. I was reckless and fearless.”

On her iconic role as Ripley:

“The writers took a male part and made it into Ripley, not because they felt it was a feminist statement but so, they said, ‘No one will ever think the girl might end up the survivor.’ When they rewrote it as a woman, they didn’t make her vulnerable, having little crying jags or any of that. She was just, ‘What’s next? Put one foot in front of another.’”

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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.