Sigourney Weaver Charts New Course

'A Map Of The World' Reveals Side Seldom Seen

CONTEST: This 'Spinal Tap' Giveaway Goes To 11!

When it comes to finding diversity in a career, highly acclaimed film star Sigourney Weaver has it all over the map.

She's battled "Aliens" in outerspace and encountered "Gorillas in the Mist," but it's her latest effort, "A Map of the World, that brings her greatest journey yet. It's that "Map," essentially, that brings it all home.

New on video, "A Map of the World" is a drama based on the bestselling novel by Jane Hamilton. Weaver stars as Alice Goodwin, a headstrong farm wife whose life is thrown into complete turmoil when her best friend's (Julianne Moore) child drowns on her property. Already under scrutiny in the small community in which she lives, the tragedy becomes compounded for Alice when accusations of abuse are leveled by an incorrigible boy under Goodwin's care as a school nurse.

It's not unusual for a book to be adapted into a film, but the circumstances that go into making a movie can still be challenging.

In the case of "A Map of the World," Weaver was saddled with the daunting responsibility of interpreting her character Alice Goodwin in the midst of three important factors: The images of the character drummed up by countless readers of the book; the writers who envisioned the material for the big screen; and most importantly, the source of the material -- the book.

"I felt it was important to go out and see Jane Hamilton and get her blessing, because it felt like such of a personal book to me," Weaver told me in a recent interview. "She was very generous. She felt that the film should have its own life. She didn't want to write the screenplay or be involved, but she was so supportive."

Weaver says that in addition to seeing Hamilton herself, she thought it was important to experience Hamilton's surroundings.

"In the few days I was there, I went by her local school, I talked to the person who was sort of the quasi-nurse there, I went to the county jail. It was invaluable for me. I think I needed to touch base with all those realities before I felt I could go for it.

What ultimately completed Weaver's preparation for the role, though, was the fact that she's a parent herself -- a part, oddly enough, that's she's not used to playing on-screen.

"I think the reason I was drawn to play Alice and to this movie is because I am a mother, and I'm not often asked to play a normal, mother on earth who's got a real house and washes dishes and that stuff. I just reveled in it," Weaver said. "It's about that constant balancing act (parents must face). I love the fact that Alice's house is always a mess and there's dishes in the sink -- that's so typical to me. This is the story of a typical American family and what can happen to them."

But just because Weaver is a parent doesn't mean she's above learning more about the character, and ultimately, herself.

"I think it was a learning experience for me. I would never be as daring as Alice. There was something so powerful and uplifting to me about her refusal to compromise. When she's on the stand defending herself she doesn't take the easy way out, she just speaks as personally and honestly as she can. I think that's why people relate to Alice, because she is so flawed. Things are not perfect in the end, but I think it's very realistic."

Without question, what makes "A Map of the World" realistic is the incredible screen presence generated not only by Weaver, but by co-stars Julianne Moore and David Strathairn. Weaver credits the theatrical energy borne of a solid stage background, to success of the performances, and having a theatrical director at the helm of the film

"In both 'A Map in the World' and 'Death and the Maiden,' we had theater directors (Scott Elliott and Roman Polanski, respectively) who really directed us and knew how to work with actors," Weaver said.

"The emphasis was on our work and of the relationships between people. When you have a cast like Julianne Moore, David Strathairn, Arliss Howard -- everybody in that movie -- you can really relax and play your role because everyone trusts everyone completely. You can play the heart out of the scene and it's always fresh and exciting."

Her 'Quest' For Diverse Roles

Weaver made waves earlier this year with her roles as Gwen DeMarco, a vivacious blonde bombshell who plays a TV character named Tawny Madison, a spaceship crewmate called upon for real-life heroics in the Trekkie-flavored comedy, "Galaxy Quest." And while Weaver is no stranger to battling aliens in other movies, this particular science-fiction work signaled a definitive departure into a brave new world of reality. And it's is a galaxy apart from her fames "Alien" character, Lt. Ellen Ripley.

Tawny is really someone much closer to me than (Ripley) because I would be a total wimp in those circumstances," Weaver said laughing. "Still, I think it's fine to block out one image with another. Since I've had people see me as Ripley for so long and relating me to that character, it is fun to play something so utterly different."

Soon Weaver will be stretching her boundaries even further with the comedy, tentatively titled "Breakers." It's an exciting proposition for her because it's a part that finds her, in a sense, playing multiple roles.

"Jennifer Love Hewitt and I play a mother-daughter con artist team, and I think it's one of the richest roles I've ever had. I get to play all a lot of women in disguise, as well," Weaver explained to me.

I think there's no question that Weaver will continue to disguise herself after the film comes out -- with many more diverse roles, that is. Hopefully she'll be doing it for many more years to come.

"It's fine with me if people are confused with what I'm up to," Weaver laughed. "If they want to me think of me as Tawny from 'Galaxy Quest' for a while that means I've convinced them -- and that's great.

"People come up and talk to me about 'The Year of Living Dangerously,' about 'Copycat,' about 'Death and the Maiden' as well as the 'Alien' films and 'Ghostbusters.' It's amazing how many different ways how many different films I've been fortunate enough to make have touched people," Weaver said, humbly. "It just shows to me that there's a very healthy audience out there."

Coming Soon To Theaters - And @ The Movies

The fall movie season is just getting into swing and include in this year's line-up is Sylvester Stallone with a remake of the British cult classic, "Get Carter." Michael Caine originated the role in 1971 as a gangster avenging the death of a family member. Stallone said that he was honored that Caine validated the 2000 version by joining the cast.

"He definitely condoned the fact that it is not a note-for-note remake," Stallone told me in a recent interview. "What we did was take the characters and tried to move it into a year 2000 sensibility. What (Caine) did was very valid back then. But, as we know, music changes, art changes and the way people view morality and bad guys and the way the law deals with them has certainly changed radically in the last 30 years."

• Look for the full interview with Stallone in the October 5th @ The Movies column.

Next Week: I hear the confessions of cult movie hero Bruce Campbell ("The Evil Dead" trilogy), whose bevy of projects include acting gigs the syndicated series "Jack of All Trades" and "Xena: Warrior Princess;" an upcoming host on E!'s "Talk Soup" show; and director's duties on the Pamela Anderson series "V.I.P." We also talk about his upcoming book, "Confessions of a B-Movie Actor," due out next year.

Hollywood Giveaway

Don't forget to enter our "Spinal Tap" giveaway for your chance to win DVDs or the movie and lots of merchandise! Enter here.

To read past @ The Movies columns, click here.

To have it delivered right to your e-mail box for free, click here.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]