Sigourney Weaver to play a teenager in Avatar 2

Virgin Radio

6 Jul 2022, 09:38

Sigourney Weaver has been preparing for a role in Avatar 2, where the 72-year-old will play a teenager.

She's been spending time with teenagers to make sure it sounds as accurate as possible.

The 'Aliens' star is taking on a very different role than she's used to, as she'll be playing a Na’avi teenager in the Avatar sequel, 'The Way Of Water.'

The teenager is an adopted child of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).

Director James Cameron said it’s a ‘big acting challenge’.

"We’re gonna have a 60-something actor playing a character [decades younger than] her actual biological age," he explained. "Sig thought it was all kinds of fun."

She told Empire: "I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents. I certainly do. I was 5’ 10” or 5’ 11” when I was 11. I felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot of the time. She’s searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim."

Sigourney workshopped the role with teenage girls: "There was lots of eye-rolling, which I know well from my own girls when they were teenagers, completely psychotic".

The director said Sigourney was even looking younger and having more energy. She had a "lightness in her step and a fun spirit."

The sequel is coming 13 years after the original.

Jake and Neyriti have kids Spider (Jack Champion), Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss) and Kiri.

Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, and Michelle Yeoh also star in the new film.

Kate had to learn to free drive for the role of Ronal, and at one point beat Tom Cruise's record for holding her breath underwater.

She submerged for seven minutes and 14 seconds.

She said it feels "just wonderful".

"God, it’s just wonderful. Your mind completely drifts off. You can’t think about anything, you can’t make lists in your head, you’re just looking at the bubbles underneath you," she told Observer magazine.

"My first words [when I resurfaced] were, “Am I dead?” Yes, I thought I died."

The third, fourth and fifth Avatar films are planned for December 2024, December 2026, and December 2028.