’It’s just so real!’

Sigourney weaver Gushes about Director James Cameron's world of Avatar and reveals why she isn't in the Ghostbusters sequel

Sigourney weaver Gushes about Director James Cameron's world of Avatar and reveals why she isn't in the Ghostbusters sequel

Your character in Avatar is a scientist. Does she represent the voice of reason?

Well, actually she is in a pretty compromised position because she is trying to keep the Avatar program alive supported by money from the evil company. Jake (Sam Worthington) actually re-illuminates her sense of right and wrong and inspires her to get out there and do more than just talk against what's happening. She takes a stand.

Is Avatar the next step forward for films or for just certain types of stories?

The technology that Jim invented is so much part and parcel of telling the story because he has to actually make you, the audience, almost become Jake and tumble down a waterfall or whatever may be. Certainly to me, it's miles ahead of something like Beowulf or Polar Express. What astonished me when I first saw the footage was that you could see everything breathing and glisteningu00a0it was just so real. It will certainly raise the bar for the bigger movies.

You've worked with Jim before. He's said he's changed in the way he is on set.

I think he is having more fun. Jim is exacting and demanding of no one more than himself. He was editing on the days off and he has been living, breathing and sleeping Avatar. But there is a lot of joy in it. He has nothing to prove and maybe that is the biggest difference.

On his earlier films, he had a reputation for being a bit of a dictator on set.

I don't remember him being that much of a dictator. When we were shooting Aliens, the English crew were so proud of Ridley Scott (who directed Alien) and then a young Canadian director came over that they had never heard of. Jim kept setting up these screenings of Terminator and none of the crew would ever go.

So they didn't know really, until the end of the film how gifted he was, so he had to fight. He had an AD who would call him 'governor' and Jim would say 'please don't call me governor', and it would be 'right governor.' They were kind of impudent.

But no one does that to him anymore. People know that if they are going to work for Jim Cameron, it's going to be a little bit of heaven and a little bit of hell.

Do you share James Cameron's fascination for space and exploration?

I guess so. My father was a great astronomer and I named my dog Venus after the planet. I used to think up space stories but I was never one of those people who loved reading science fiction. I found a lot of it really cold, cerebral. I just rented King Solomon's Mines that I had never seen good old fashioned riveting adventure.

You've done science fiction films in the past..

You mean Ripley? I did four of those movies and I did Galaxy Quest, which is science fiction too, but really, like all the genres, you have to find the right script. The hardest script to find is a really good comedy script. I have no master plan. I'm just a little reef in the water and that's what I like about it.
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Is there any truth to the rumour that you are going to do another Ghostbusters movie?

Well, there is a Ghostbusters 3 and some young guys are writing it. I think Bill (Murray) is going to be in it and we have all given it our blessing. I think it's a new generation of Ghostbusters. I can't imagine what I would be doing in it, though.

I said to Ivan (Reitman), 'Well, maybe they could make Oscar who was my son, a Ghostbuster, that would be fun.' But I don't expect to be in itu00a0 I just wish them well.

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