Sigourney Weaver, the celebrated actress, recently shared insights into her relationship with her late mother, Elizabeth Inglis, also an actress. Inglis, known for her stage work and appearances in films like Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps,” initially cautioned Weaver against pursuing a career in Hollywood.
Weaver recalled her mother’s concern that the industry would be too harsh, especially given Weaver’s sensitive nature. Despite her mother’s reservations and discouraging feedback from drama school professors, Weaver persevered, fueled by what she described as “spite” and a belief that educators shouldn’t discourage students from pursuing their dreams.
Her persistence paid off with her breakthrough role as Ellen Ripley in “Alien,” launching her to stardom. Weaver’s career has since spanned decades, including major roles in the “Avatar,” “Ghostbusters,” and Marvel franchises.
Reflecting on her mother’s reaction to her success, Weaver noted a sense of ambivalence. Inglis had given up her own acting career to raise a family, a common choice for women of her generation, especially those married to prominent figures like Weaver’s father, Sylvester “Pat” Weaver Jr., a former president of NBC Television.
Weaver also shared that her mother’s early success was something she only learned about later, after her mother’s passing. Discovering playbills and evidence of her mother’s accomplishments on the London stage, Weaver expressed a longing to have discussed those experiences with her.
In contrast to her mother’s more reserved approach, Weaver emphasized a different style of parenting with her own child, Shar, from her marriage to Jim Simpson.
In her later years, Weaver cherished the opportunity to grow closer to her mother, finding friendship and peace in their final years together. Weaver was with her mother when she passed away at the age of 94.
