At age 14, she took the name Sigourney from a character in F
Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
While a student at Stanford University, she joined a theater group, lived in a treehouse with a friend and spent two months in Israel on a kibbutz
Breakthrough role was as Ellen Ripley in the 1979 horror flick Alien, a part originally written for a man
Earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of real-life primatologist Dian Fossey in 1988's Gorillas in the Mist and is an honorary chair of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
Has a fear of elevators
Starred in both the 2009 film Avatar and the video-game version of the film
Awards
2017Goya Awards-Best Supporting Actress:nominated
2013Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:nominated
2013Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie:nominated
2012Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:nominated
2010Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:nominated
2009Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:nominated
2009Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie:nominated
2006Genie Awards-Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:nominated
2000Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:nominated
1998BAFTA Film Awards-Best Actress in a Supporting Role:winner
1998Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:nominated
1998Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie:nominated
1997Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:nominated
1990BAFTA Film Awards-Best Actress in a Supporting Role:nominated
1989Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:winner
1989Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:winner
1988Oscar-Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:nominated
1988Oscar-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:nominated
1987Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:nominated
1986Oscar-Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:nominated
1980BAFTA Film Awards-Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles:nominated
1980BAFTA Film Awards-Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles:nominated