Meryl Streep replacing Sigourney Weaver in the Alien franchise may sound weird as the Avatar actor redefined the role in the space horror series. Her most notable role in The Deer Hunter caught the attention of the casting director of the Alien franchise. But the original idea of the lead was casting a male actor, later, Ridley Scott’s vision of the protagonist changed and incorporated a strong female lead.
The first Alien movie has crossed more than 40 years yet the gritty and lonely horror in space is powerful enough to generate scare among the audience. Originally titled Star Beast, the first movie of the franchise owed much of its success to Star Wars for paving the road to science fiction as a genre to establish in the mainstream. Recalling the movie, now it’s hard to imagine a man Ripley or three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep in the iconic female hero in the series.
Meryl Streep Missed Out On Ridley Scott’s Alien Franchise
Sigourney Weaver’s iconic portrayal of Ellen Ripley in the Alien series is irreplaceable. It is nearly impossible to imagine another actor playing the space miner. However, legendary actor Meryl Streep was almost set to be cast in the movie franchise. Undoubtedly, the Alien franchise was one of the most popular sci-fi horror of the 20th century grossing over $1.6 billion at the box office.
Ridley Scott starred Weaver in the lead role in 1979 in the first installment of the Alien franchise. Reports state that several actresses auditioned for the role of Ripley including Helen Mirren, Katharine Ross, Geneviève Bujold, and Veronica Cartwright. Later, Streep and Weaver were the final contenders but the role was offered to Streep. The casting director Mary Goldberg initially felt Streep was the better fit for the character. But for Scott, Streep was “too dainty and frail to play a rugged space miner.”
Other reports indicated that the unexpected demise of Streep’s partner, John Cazale who appeared in the iconic crime franchise The Godfather forced her to step down from the role. She was grieving her late partner at the time of the shooting schedule. So, the role, by default, went to Weaver’s resume. The movie franchise is also remarkable for its trait to revolutionize feminism in Hollywood.
Also read: “She did 20 absurd phone calls”: Meryl Streep Shocks $75M Movie Director With Bizarre Hidden Skill
Meryl Streep Recently Received Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award
Recently, Meryl Streep won Spain’s most prestigious art prize, the Princess of Asturias Award for her unforgettable performances in movies. Streep has a five-decade-long career in which she “brought life to richly complex female characters.”
The jury also appreciates the 73-year-old actor for her relation to the characters.
“The honesty and responsibility she brings to her choice of roles, at the service of inspiring and exemplary narratives, reach out beyond the screen,” the official statement reads.
Streep joins the previous winners of the art prize including Taxi Driver directors Martin Scorsese, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke and American architect Frank Gehry.
Recently, Streep appeared in the Apple TV+ series Extrapolations and is all set to appear in Season 3 of the acclaimed Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building.
Source: MovieWeb.
