Avatar’s Sigourney Weaver Clarifies Kissing Scene With Younger Costar

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Warning: This story contains spoilers for Avatar: Fire and Ash. 

Sigourney Weaver didn’t want this interaction to taint her rebirth in Pandora.  

Sigourney Weaver, 76, explained the circumstances surrounding a kissing scene her character, Kiri, shares with Jack Champion in Avatar: The Last Frontier. Champion was a teenager at the time the third film was shot.

Sigourney Weaver explained to The Hollywood Reporter that a scene with the line, ‘You’re perfect just as you are,’ required careful handling because it involved a kiss. She clarified that she didn’t actually kiss her young co-star, who was around 14 or 15 years old, during filming.

In the movie, Kiri—the adopted daughter of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña)—developed a connection with Jack’s character, Spider. To fully develop their potential romance, Sigourney Weaver and director James Cameron asked Jack, who is now 21, to choose someone he felt comfortable kissing, and he did.

She remembered thinking that after she left, the show likely found someone suitable to work with Jack. She said there was a real concern about how that relationship would play out, and she was relieved the scene made it into the final cut because she found it believable when she watched it.

Sigourney Weaver explained that the connection between Jack and herself feels very real, and she doesn’t think their ages matter at all when it comes to their relationship.

Sigourney says the close-up scene was the only time she and Jack Nicholson filmed apart. Over the almost three years they worked on the movie, she watched him bring a believable and relatable humanity to his character, praising his performance as a fascinating and well-developed role.

She really praised Jack’s performance, saying he was the driving force behind the movie. She explained that the film’s powerful tension came from portraying a biracial family where the parents disagreed strongly, while the children felt differently. She believed this theme would connect with audiences because it reflects the complexities of today’s world.

Meanwhile, Jack noted their creative chemistry helped him explore Spider’s bond with Kiri. 

You know, when I first worked with Sigourney Weaver, it was amazing. We actually had very little scripted for our initial scene – maybe just one! But we ended up improvising and playing off each other for a good half hour. It was pure imagination and so much fun! From the start, Sigourney and I just clicked creatively. It’s like I could see her as Sigourney, then instantly see her as Kiri, the character she was playing. That connection made everything feel so natural and effortless.

Keep reading to see more actors who detailed filming their kissing scenes over the years…

Jennifer Lawrence says her feelings about appearing nude on screen have changed over time. When she filmed her first nude scene for the movie Red Sparrow in 2018, she was quite uncomfortable.

Jennifer Lawrence admitted she was frightened by the prospect of filming nude scenes in Red Sparrow. She initially attempted to avoid them, but ultimately felt it was important for her to experience the same vulnerability as her character to accurately portray the role.

However, when filming intimate scenes with Robert Pattinson for the 2025 film Die My Love, she was comfortable with full nudity.

During a film screening, she explained that she wasn’t concerned with any nudity, and wanted director Lynne Ramsay to have complete creative control.

Let me tell you, as someone who’s been around a lot of sets, that scene in the 2005 Fantastic Four with Sue Storm was really tough for me. I remember feeling incredibly exposed and uncomfortable filming that moment where my character was depicted nude on the bridge. It wasn’t a comfortable experience, to say the least.

“I thought that was awful,” Jessica shared in 2025. “It was very humiliating in real life.”

Growing up in a conservative family, I’ve always been a modest person, so I was really anxious about that scene for weeks. It left me feeling quite shaken up afterwards.

George Clooney, known for his roles in films like Ocean’s Eleven, shared that he stopped wanting to kiss actresses in movies after talking it over with his wife, Amal Clooney.

He explained that he adopted a similar approach to Paul Newman, stating, ‘I decided I wouldn’t kiss anyone other than my wife.’ He told the Daily Mail in 2025 that when he turned 60, he discussed this with his wife, adding, ‘I can still be active – I play basketball with guys much younger than me, even those in their twenties.’

He joked that he’s still fit and able to keep up now, but pointed out that at 85 years old in 25 years, age will inevitably catch up with him – no amount of healthy eating can change that.

The actress known for her role in Titanic has often talked about how awkward filming intimate scenes can be.

Kate described the scenes as “really awkward” in a 2017 interview with TopMob News, adding that there’s no way to view them positively.

After filming numerous scenes like this over the years, she felt quite comfortable playing herself on set, confidently directing things with a simple, ‘Alright, let’s do it this way.’

Despite its reputation for passionate romance, the actor says filming the intimate scenes on Bridgerton isn’t actually very glamorous, largely because an intimacy coordinator was on set to help ensure everything was done professionally and comfortably.

In a 2021 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Phoebe described filming the scene as feeling like a carefully choreographed stunt – it appeared authentic, but safety measures were in place. She noted the camera angles were particularly impactful, adding that while she’d filmed intimate scenes before, the new safety protocols felt like a significant shift in how things were done.

The Bridgerton actress explained that she and her co-star, Regé-Jean Page, felt very comfortable and secure after practicing their scenes. Because they had rehearsed so thoroughly, they knew exactly what to do on set. They had planned everything out in detail—she even knew where his hand would be at any given moment—which meant the director didn’t need to give them extra direction or ask for different takes.

The Masters of Sex star had a similar approach when it came to sex scenes with co-star Lizzy Caplan. 

Michael explained to The Wrap in 2015 that discussing sex scenes can be tricky and people often feel awkward about it. He said the team decided early on to have very open communication about these scenes, making sure everything was discussed and agreed upon beforehand because they knew there would be many of them.

He and his fellow actor created a detailed plan to discuss every aspect of their scenes before filming began, ensuring they were fully prepared.

Michael explained that clear communication is key – everyone involved needs to know exactly what will happen on set, including the costumes. He emphasizes discussing wardrobe, hair, and makeup details beforehand to avoid any surprises. During filming, the set is completely closed to outsiders. As soon as the director says ‘Cut,’ crew members are ready with clothing or accessories to keep things moving smoothly, and no one is allowed near the monitors unless they’re part of the production.

Despite knowing the show You would involve some explicit scenes, Penn Badgley still asked the show’s creator, Sera Gamble, if he could reduce the number of those scenes he had to film.

Penn revealed on the Podcrushed podcast in 2023 that he’d made this decision before starting the show. He said he’d never spoken about it before, but a key question for him was whether he wanted to return to a career focused on playing romantic leads.

The decision also involved his relationship with his wife, Domino Kirke. Penn emphasized that loyalty is very important to him, particularly in a marriage.

He explained that he reached a point where he no longer wanted to continue with something. He told Sera he had absolutely no interest in going from being fully involved to not being involved at all.

The Academy Award nominee has always disliked filming intimate scenes. In a 2017 interview with TopMob News, she admitted, “I really don’t enjoy them. I just want to finish them quickly.”

Kirsten, who is married to Jesse Plemons, has realized she often enjoys collaborating with female directors like Sofia Coppola. This preference comes from past experiences with male directors who tended to over-shoot scenes, trying to capture everything from multiple perspectives.

Kirsten shared that Sofia wants to film quickly and efficiently, aiming to get the scene done with just a few takes.

Dakota Johnson, known for her role in Fifty Shades of Grey, has revealed she’s surprisingly relaxed when filming intimate scenes, playfully saying she doesn’t need to psych herself up for them.

Dakota discussed her approach to filming sex scenes on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast in 2025. She explained that she always feels prepared for them, but first considers the character she’s playing and how the audience perceives that character.

She wondered if this person was a glamorous celebrity, a stay-at-home mom, feeling isolated, afraid, or traditionally minded. She then realized she was clearly building a complex character.

It also helped that Dakota’s mother, Melanie Griffith, taught her to be confident and love her body.

She said she’s always been thankful for it, particularly because it makes her work feel authentic and meaningful.

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2025-12-23 19:18