Sigourney Weaver had her big break in Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien as Ellen Ripley. The movie received positive reviews and even won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Following her adventures as Ellen Ripley in the sci-fi horror, Weaver went on to star in romantic dramas like The Year of Living Dangerously. However, the actress reportedly wanted to explore other genres, especially comedy and wanted to put that side of her on-screen.
She would eventually get that opportunity in the 1984 supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters. However, the lack of comedy projects on her resume did not favor her, and the actress had to audition as a dog to land the role of Dana Barrett in the original Ghostbusters movie.
Sigourney Weaver Auditioned As a Dog For Ghostbusters
Ivan Reitman’s 1984 film introduced the ghost-hunting ensemble Ghostbusters to cinema lovers. Starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver, the movie was a commercial and critical hit. However, the latter had to face several challenges in securing her role in the film.
Several actresses, including Julia Roberts, auditioned for the role of Dana Barrett, the first official client of Ghostbusters. While Weaver finally landed the part and has since reprised her role several times, producers reportedly were not on board with casting her in the movie.
There were concerns regarding her experience in comedy films. Although she did not get the opportunity to star in a comedy film, she has done plenty of comedy acts at Yale Drama School. And her experience paid off as she surprised the director with her unique audition.
The Stripes director shared during an interview with Empire, “She gets on my couch and starts panting like a dog.” Reitman said that he was surprised to see the actress “jumping around, doing this very funny stuff.” The director shared that he knew he had to cast her in the movie. Weaver’s audition not only landed her the role of Dana Barrett but also played a pivotal role in shaping the film’s final act.
Sigourney Weaver’s Audition Contributed to Ghostbusters‘ Final Act
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman shared that during her audition, Sigourney Weaver suggested that Dana Barrett should get possessed in the movie. “She said, ‘You know, I really think that Dana Barrett should be possessed. She should be like that dog on the roof,'” he recalled.
After this, she auditioned for the film as a possessed Dana Barrett. The filmmaker shared that they had been having some trouble figuring out the final act of the film. Weaver’s audition gave him an idea about what they could potentially do with her character in the last act. “I thought, “Damn, that’s a really good idea,” he stated. He discussed the idea with Harold Ramis, and they decided to include it in the movie.
Ghostbusters is available on Peacock.
