Hollywood legend Sigourney Weaver has disclosed that her remarkable height of 6ft nearly cost her a successful acting career in an industry that typically favours shorter women.
The Audition That Defied Expectations
During a recent interview with Empire magazine, the 76-year-old actress recounted a pivotal early audition for Ridley Scott's original Alien film where she deliberately wore towering "hooker boots" that made her significantly taller than the director himself.
Weaver expressed gratitude that Scott didn't dismiss her as "grotesque" due to her imposing stature, instead recognising her talent and casting her in what would become her breakthrough role as Ellen Ripley.
The Stanford and Yale School of Drama graduate revealed she used to pray for "crazy directors" who would appreciate her unusual height rather than see it as a disadvantage in an industry where the average actress stands nearly five inches shorter.
Early Struggles and Maternal Wisdom
Weaver's journey to self-acceptance began during her teenage years when she struggled with her height. She told InTouch Weekly that by age 11, she already felt like a "giant spider" and lacked the confidence to pursue acting seriously.
"I was never the babe or the beautiful ingenue or the love interest, because I was too tall," she admitted, acknowledging that her height prevented her from being considered for traditional female roles.
Fortunately, Weaver received crucial encouragement from her mother, who stood at just 5ft2in or 5ft3in. "You're going to be so happy you're tall," her English mother assured her, though Weaver confessed this seemed unimaginable during her difficult adolescent years.
Embracing Unconventional Casting
The actress credits her theatrical background for teaching her to embrace her physical presence rather than hide it. "The last thing you want to do is hide as you come on; you have to embrace whatever you are," she explained in her Empire cover story.
Weaver acknowledges that her career success relied on finding directors willing to think outside conventional casting boundaries. "I always thought it took an unconventional director to think of casting me, and I was able to find a lot of those — it could easily have not worked out like that," she reflected.
Now promoting the upcoming sci-fi epic Avatar: Fire and Ash, Weaver's career stands as testament to how embracing unique physical traits rather than conforming to industry standards can lead to extraordinary success in Hollywood.
