Sigourney Weaver has worn different faces in the world of Avatar. She first starred as human xenobotanist Dr. Grace Augustine in the original 2009 film, but in 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, she returned as an entirely new character: Kiri, a young Na’vi girl mysteriously born from Grace’s avatar.
Adopted by the Sullys as an infant, Kiri grows up as a seemingly typical Na’vi young woman, one who loves exploring Pandora with her family. But she has a mysterious connection to the world around her, a connection that takes on new significance in the upcoming film Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Before Avatar: Fire and Ash hits theaters on December 19, Avatar.com sat down with Weaver to discuss Kiri’s journey and how she brought the young heroine to life.
AVATAR.COM: So much of this film is about family, and I know you spent a lot of time working with the other members of the Sully family. Tell me a little bit about working with your younger costars like Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, and Jack Champion.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER: I have to say first of all, they were so generous to me because we did all the training together. We learned the underwater language, we did parkour, we did all these things. They easily could have gone, “Oh my God, it’s her. It’s the old lady coming in to play one of us.” [Laughs] But they didn’t do any of that! My goodness, we were working on our characters and everything together. It was a great benefit to all of us to become that family together in prep.
You’ve spoken about how much fun it’s been for you to play Kiri, this young teenage girl. As an actor, how do you approach her? How do you get inside her head?
I remember being that age very, very much. I was this tall when I was 11, so I was this sort of super dork. I was often pretty insecure. So, I really found [Kiri] physically. I had about a year to pull it all together. I was able to go [on set] before we started and just allow those memories and that sense of each part of her body at that age to come into me. I was kind of taking a big risk. I didn’t want to imitate a teenager or do anything in quotes. So, I feel very grateful I had the time to let myself go back in a very organic way.
How did you react the first time you saw yourself as Kiri?
I just saw [Avatar: Fire and Ash] the day before yesterday, and I can absolutely connect with and appreciate all the characters the way Kiri does. She’s such a delicate, unusual person. I think I need to see it again at the premiere. But I say thank goodness because I think I achieve what I wanted to. It’s not an overt “Hey, I’m a teenager!” We have those moments, of course. There’s a lot of eye-rolling with each other. But no, I look forward to seeing it again. I almost don’t feel I know her [on screen] the way I know her in me. So to particularly see the innocence of that joy she has with her best friend Spider, I found that very simple but real.
You’ve worked with James Cameron many times now, beginning with 1986’s Aliens. Do you have a particular favorite memory of working with him on Avatar: Fire and Ash?
Well, we’re so spoiled because he’s right there with us as we shoot these scenes. I think certainly when we started to do Way of Water — because he’s such a water man — he said something about how when people go under water, they tend to this. [Puffs Out Cheeks] He said, “I don’t want any of that. I want to everything to be relaxed, as if you are in your element.”
What I love about Jim is he goes further than any other director I know in demanding exactly what he wants — which I think does a great service to us because it gives us a target to hit. That was our goal, to really live in that world.
That’s got to be a fun creative environment to play in, where he’s right there with you.
Yes, exactly. And he’s very playful, when he has a reputation for being kind of a scary guy! [Laughs] But honestly, I’ve known him forever, and he’s so committed to his actors. He really has created a safe space for us. He’s exploring with us. He doesn’t expect us to come in with a simple answer as to what we’re looking for. For Kiri, it’s often how to make sense of this world because there are so many things going on that she feels are not natural. The only place she really feels safe is in nature. It’s great to go in with that basic [idea] and then find out what it brings you. And he wants to find out with you.
Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters worldwide on December 19, 2025. Get your tickets now.
