Sigourney Weaver posing in a black outfit at the opening night gala of Metropolitan Opera's "Dead Man Walking",

Celebrity

Meryl Streep Almost Made Sigourney Weaver Give up Acting

Sigourney Weaver once opened up on the temporary affects Meryl Streep had on her confidence in their younger years.

by Antonio Stallings

Published on October 21, 2023

3 min read

Sigourney Weaver once shared how Meryl Streep almost discouraged her from acting

Weaver and Streep were already well acquainted with each other before they became stars. The pair both went to Yale drama school. But the two had widely different paths when entering the film industry. Streep was quickly recognized for her work, earning attention for her performances in theater before moving on to her first feature. Meanwhile, Weaver was having a much rougher time trying to secure work in Hollywood.

“You know, Meryl Streep was at school with me. And she was obviously ready for success-more than nerdy me, at least. And it was hard, because she went right from Yale into Lincoln Center-no showcases at all,” Weaver once told Backstage.

In a quick interview with The Virginia Pilot, she admitted that Streep’s rise briefly got to her. And it made the Holes star reconsider her path.

“Meryl got all the leads. I think the fact that I was so tall and the fact that a talent like Meryl Streep was in the world largely discouraged me from trying acting. Of course, I went on anyway, but Meryl was seen as a star from the first,” she remembered.

The experience also taught Weaver that success could arrive at different stages for different people.

“But I’ve learned that everyone has their own timetable and that’s just the way it is. Everyone has their own path. It may not be the path you want, but in the end it’s better for you,” she said.

Meryl Streep was almost Ripley in Sigourney Weaver’s ‘Alien’

Ironically, the movie that helped give Weaver her big break and turned her into an A-lister almost went to her college classmate. Alien might’ve been another role Weaver lost to Streep if circumstances were slightly different. According to Geeky Tyrant, casting director Mary Goldberg only saw Streep in the role. But there were conflicting reports regarding Streep’s departure from the project. One scenario was that Scott didn’t think Streep was a physical match for how he saw Ripley.

Another rumor was that Streep didn’t do the film because her partner at the time, John Cazale, died from cancer. Streep was allegedly given more time to mourn her loss, which meant Alien had to move forward without her.

But if Scott did have any hesitation about casting Streep, he didn’t have those same doubts when casting Weaver. The Gladiator director noticed Weaver’s height and physical stature immediately, and knew he had the right actor.

“Warren Beatty had called up [Alien producer] David Giler and said, ‘Listen, I’ve seen this young woman onstage off-Broadway called Sigourney Weaver, you should see her.’ I believe that’s what happened. Because then the next thing is I’m going to meet Sigourney and in walks somebody who’s got to be at least six foot one and dwarfed me. And that’s how I met Sigourney,” Scott remembered in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Does Meryl Streep have a higher net worth than Sigourney Weaver?

Alien wasn’t a loss for Streep at all, as the actor went on to build one of cinema’s most successful and acclaimed filmographies. It might’ve taken Weaver slightly longer to get there, but she also managed to build an impressive Hollywood resume. Weaver’s movies have also rewarded her well. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Weaver is worth $60 million.

But in terms of net worth, Streep has Weaver beaten. The Oscar-winner has made $160 million in her long career. The publication claimed that Streep current commands $20 million a film.