Sigourney Weaver: In the United States as elsewhere, tyranny is never far away

Paris Match: During the Oscars ceremony, you appeared very motherly with Grogu. However, that doesn’t say anything about your role as a leader of the resistance in the film…

Sigourney Weaver: I play a decorated pilot of the rebellion who relentlessly tracks the hierarchs of the New Republic who secretly collaborate with the Empire. She is not what one would call a “maternal” woman, but when she meets Grogu and the Mandalorian for the first time, she immediately develops this protective instinct. On set, during the takes, where you can have up to five different versions of Grogu, this character is amazing, huge for us actors. I challenge you to find someone who will not fall under his charm sooner or later…

You have experienced the greatest science-fiction sagas, from “Alien” to “Avatar”. What is the particularity of the “Star Wars” universe that has endured for over forty years?

It speaks surely to our common past, that of a childhood devouring movies at the cinema or series on television. Each with its time, from the old Saturday night movies to the current platforms. But the pleasure remains huge. The serials, the westerns, those intrepid heroes who always emerged victorious, when I was young, I was also nourished by that. It’s the DNA of the series for seven years on Disney +. But, arriving at the cinema, Jon Favreau wanted to break that and take the Mandalorian in another direction… The film is never about action overkill. And you will be surprised by its meditative aspect. Even if it remains great spectacle.

The film as well as the series return to the roots of George Lucas’s universe, that of 1977… [Context: Sigourney Weaver is discussing her role and experiences in the TV series “The Mandalorian”]

“Star Wars” was about war in a time of peace. “The Mandalorian and Grogu” evokes fragile peace in a world in full chaos. Is science fiction more politically relevant than ever?

It is evident. The film takes place in a young republic that still needs to confront the rebels who remain attached to the Empire’s dictatorship, to the proponents of the worst. The rebellion’s fight tells everything about our time: continuing to rise to protect democracy, to live in a decent, just, and fair world that respects all differences. What we are experiencing today is so close to what is being told on the screen… In the United States and elsewhere, tyranny is not far away. Freedom and respect must prevail.

From James Cameron to Roman Polanski, you have never chosen between blockbusters and more personal works. What drives you to say yes to a project?

It goes beyond the strict quality of the role or the director’s talent. It’s more about the overall atmosphere. I got that from my studies in literature. I am drawn by a context, an author, characters, a breath… Whatever its nature, I am proud of all the films I have done and will continue to defend them and encourage the younger ones to go see them. In a theater. That’s where the cinema is experienced.

Your characters are often strong women, ahead of their time, from “Working Girl” to “Gorillas in the Mist”…

They are often women who carry their own battle, heroines or … But I don’t have the time or much desire to study my filmography. [She laughs.] I prefer to be surprised by the proposals. Even accepting James Cameron’s offer to play a teenager in “Avatar”! Actors have the chance to experience diametrically opposite experiences. Every morning is a pure discovery in this profession.

You have strong ties to France, you speak our language well, you have filmed there several times. Where does this attachment come from?

I spent long periods, as a child, in the south of France where my parents had an apartment. And I discovered a magical world there: the markets, the food, the culture. I remember the French Riviera, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, that bucolic atmosphere… I have been speaking your language since the age of 6. And I will never thank my parents enough for that. For me, France remains a country where people help each other, where social fabric means something.

You appeared in an episode of the series “Call My Agent”. What memory do you keep from it?

I loved it, even if I had to speak in French, which remains a challenge for me. But I have been a big fan of the series since the beginning. I said yes the moment it was offered to me, without even having read a line!