Sigourney Weaver received the Golden Lion for Lifetime achievement at the 81st Venice film Festival. Speaking to press, she said: ““We’re all so excited about Kamala. Women are strong, and don’t give up, because we can’t, we have to do it.”
SIGOURNEY WEAVER Photo (c) Elisa Leonelli 1986
During the opening ceremony she championed the defense of our environment: “The true story of conservation is not a global one of doom and gloom, it is the story of citizens coming together to take care of their own homes, their own neighborhoods, to figure this out and doing everything they can to save their city.” She made reference to the MOSE gates project under construction in the Venice lagoon to protect the city from flooding. “That’s what it will take for all of us wherever we live, and Venice is leading the way. You’re doing what Leonardo would do, seeing the future and the present and taking it on with courage and faith and genius.”
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, photos (c) Elisa Leonelli 1988
I am reminded of the numerous times I interviewed this fearless actress, adept at both comedy and drama, and the many articles I wrote about her, for Italian magazines Domenica del Corriere, Donna Moderna, Gioia, Marie Claire and the German Brigitte, after meeting her for the first time in 1983 for The Year of Living Dangerously with Mel Gibson.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, photo (c) Elisa Leonelli 1986
I especially enjoyed speaking with her for Aliens (1986) by James Cameron, Gorillas in the Mist (1988) by Michael Apted, The Ice Storm (1997) by Ang Lee, Heartbreakers (2001) with Gene Hackman, Avatar (2009) by James Cameron, A Monster Calls (2016) by J.A. Bayona, and the TV miniseries Political Animals (2012).
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, photo (c) Elisa Leonelli 1988
But I counted and I met her 25 times in my long career as an entertainment journalist.
Take your pick of your favorite performances in her extensive filmography.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, photo (c) Elisa Leonelli 1986
In February 2021 I wrote one of my weekly posts from archival interviews by the journalists of the Hollywood Foreign Press about Sigourney Weaver on playing Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER, photo (c) Elisa Leonelli 1988
In October 2018 I had featured her in a 1989 Golden Globe Moment (reposted in December 2021), when she won as Best Actress drama for Gorillas in the Mist, in a 3-way tie with Jodie Foster and Shirley MacLaine, winning a second Golden Globe that same night as Best Supporting actress for Working Girl directed by Mike Nichols.
Elisa Leonelli with Sigourney Weaver 2004
In June 2023 I wrote for Cultural Daily an article about Master Gardener by Paul Schrader where Weaver stars with Joel Edgerton.
Elisa Leonelli, Sigourney Weaver 1986
This October 1986 photo gives you a better idea of how tall Sigourney is, I’m 5’6”…
Congratulations to you Sigourney Weaver, keep up the good work!