Warning: This article contains spoilers for Avatar: The Way of Water. Read at your own risk?
How Did Sigourney Weaver Return as Kiri in Avatar: The Way of Water?
Kiri is a new character in Avatar: The Way of Water and she promises a brighter future ahead in the Avatar franchise with her mysterious ways and uncanny personality that she, herself, recognizes being different than other kids in Pandora. Kiri is played by Sigourney Weaver, who also portrayed a different character in Avatar, Dr. Grace Augustine. Well, technically, Sigourney Weaver plays two roles in Avatar: The Way of Water given the cameo appearances of Dr. Grace, and it’s simple why they are both played by the same actress – they’re mother and daughter. As revealed by Jake Sully in the first few minutes of Avatar: The Way of Water, Kiri is the child of the Na’vi form of Dr. Grace Augustine who was placed in stasis to give birth to Kiri and ’til now, she remains in preservation.
READ MORE: Avatar 2: Kate Winslet Opens Up Why Jake and Neytiri Shouldn’t Be Trusted
At a point in Avatar: The Way of Water, Kiri connected to the spirit tree of the Metkayina clan and she met her mother, Dr. Grace, there. However, Kiri had questions that while Dr. Grace could answer it, it is as if the spirit tree itself wouldn’t permit it, thus, giving Kiri some kind of convulsion. In an interview with ComicBook.com, Sigourney Weaver shares how her uncanny come back in Avatar: The Way of Water was made possible with James Cameron. Weaver said, “We had lunch together in 2010 and part of the reason we had lunch is we kind of wanted to spitball about this idea that maybe there’d be a girl character who had a relationship with Grace but that she felt more at home in the forest… So, we kind of talked about some basic thoughts about her.” Weaver added, “Jim is crazy enough to cast me as a 14-year-old and as he said that day and several times afterward, ‘This is your natural age. You are 14, you are that immature. I know that about you.’” Sigourney Weaver plays both mother and daughter, Dr. Grace and Kiri, which is something that she could have a deeper understanding with especially because of the connection between the two characters. While the father of Kiri is yet unknown, there are already theories that Kiri could possibly be a child of Eywa, born through Dr. Grace’s Na’vi form, considering her abilities being unlike any other. Now, Kiri remains to be the adopted child of Jake and Neytiri, and she now lives with the Metkayina clan. Avatar: The Way of Water is now showing in theaters worldwide.
