Sigourney Weaver on Playing 14 at Age 76 in Avatar: Fire & Ash

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It’s common for actors in Hollywood to portray characters younger than themselves. But Sigourney Weaver, at 76, took on a particularly unusual role: she played Kiri, a 14-year-old, in the movie. This continues her role from Avatar: The Way of Water, where she played the daughter of her character’s Avatar from the first Avatar film.

I always admired how Zoe Saldaña approached playing Neytiri in Avatar. It wasn’t about pretending to be a teenage girl, she told me, but about reconnecting with the feelings and experiences she had as a teenager herself. She really went back and became that young girl again, which I thought was incredible.

She explained that James Cameron told her she seemed like a 14-year-old – though she playfully countered that he was the one acting like a teenager on set! – but she didn’t want to simply play a young character. She wanted to genuinely become a 14-year-old again, rediscovering all the awkwardness, happiness, and conflicting emotions that come with that age. She felt that children have a unique clarity, seeing things others miss – especially when it comes to truth – and that her character, Kiri, embodies this quality particularly well.

What does it feel like for Weaver to revisit her experiences as a 14-year-old? She describes it as being, in some ways, healing.

It felt good to reconnect with this character and give her a chance to grow, especially considering her difficult past,” she explained. “I really connect with Kiri because she’s always trying to understand a confusing world, and I think a lot of young people feel the same way.

Sigourney Weaver Brings Kiri to Life in Avatar: Fire and Ash

Released in 2009, Avatar became a massive global success, earning $2.9 billion. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, followed in 2022 and grossed $2.3 billion worldwide. Both films are set on the alien world of Pandora, home to the Na’vi people, and center around Jake Sully, a human who connects with the Na’vi through advanced technology and builds a life and family there. Avatar: Fire and Ash continues this story, wrapping up one part of a planned five-movie series.

The new story, Avatar: Fire and Ash, begins after the fierce war against the RDA. Jake Sully and Neytiri are grieving the loss of their oldest son while also confronting a dangerous new enemy on Pandora: the Ash People. Led by the cruel Varang, this aggressive Na’vi tribe threatens everything Jake and Neytiri hold dear. The family will be pushed to their breaking points as they fight to survive and protect the future of Pandora.

The new movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash, will be in theaters on December 19th. You can currently watch the first two Avatar films, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, on Disney+.

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2025-12-03 20:36