Sigourney Weaver hints at 'goofy' role in Avatar sequel: 'The biggest stretch I get to play'

Avatar: The Way of Water is finally splashing into cinemas on Dec. 16, some 13 years after the original blockbuster, and it's bringing with it a familiar face in a not-so-familiar role.

Sigourney Weaver, Dr. Grace Augustine in the 2009 film, is back, but this time she's playing Kiri, the adopted daughter of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saladaña). In a recent sit-down with fellow thesp Elizabeth Banks for Interview magazine, Weaver calls playing the Na'vi adolescent "the biggest stretch" she's ever had to tackle as an actor.

20th Century Studios

"So Avatar I can't really talk about, but I would say that it's the biggest stretch I get to play in every possible way," Weaver tells Banks. "I think if Jim Cameron didn't know me really well, he wouldn't have cast me as something as goofy as this. I had to work in a completely different way to play this character, a very physical way."

Cameron, whose collaborations with Weaver go all the way back to 1986's Aliens, knew Weaver would be up for the challenge.

"Sigourney just became younger," Cameron told Empire magazine in July. "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."

Weaver, having gone through her own awkward adolescence as a near-six-foot-tall 11-year-old, "felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot of the time," she added. "She's searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim."

The 72-year-old went on to detail her rigorous training for the Kiri role to Banks, which included "a lot of parkour. We had to do burpees. We had to do freediving." As a result, she can now hold her breath for six-and-a-half minutes. Which is probably impressive to anyone who's not Kate Winslet.

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