New Report Reveals Sigourney Weaver’s Role in Avatar: The Way Of Water

Sigourney Weaver is back for the second Avatar film after dying in the first one, and a new report reveals how. Empire Online reports that Weaver, who played Dr. Grace Augustine in James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi blockbuster, will be back in Avatar: The Way Of Water as a new character named Kiri, the daughter of of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) from the first movie.

Weaver spoke with Empire for a new interview and discussed playing the role of a teenager in the new film, noting, “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.”

Cameron added, “As an acting challenge, it’s big. We’re gonna have a 60-something actor playing a character [decades younger than] her actual biological age. Sig thought it was all kinds of fun … Sigourney just became younger [after workshopping with a group of teenage girls]. She looked younger, she had more energy, and she never quite stepped out of Kiri for our whole capture period. She had a glow on her face and lightness in her step and a fun spirit.”

The sequel is set to release on December 16th and is is described as follows:

Set 14 years after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water will find Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) having started a family, but when the Resources Development Administration (RDA) returns to Pandora, the family is forced to flee to the reef. Jake and Neytiri’s family includes Na’vi kids Neteyam (Jamie Flatter), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss), but they also have Miles Socorro (Jack Champion). Also known as Spider, the young boy was born at the military base on Pandora but was too small to return to Earth so he has been raised by Jake and Neytiri.