Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third movie in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise and recently arrived in theaters as the story of Pandora continues.
In the latest installment, Weaver, now 76, returns as Kiri, a teenage Na’vi-human hybrid who is adopted into the Sully family and plays a key role in the expanding storyline.
The two characters share a kiss in Fire and Ash, which has sparked plenty of discussion given the real-life age gap of more than five decades between the actors.
Champion was between 14 and 16 years old during filming, while Weaver was in her late sixties and early seventies at the time.
She went on to explain that when the moment came to film the scene, she and director James Cameron worked carefully to make sure everything was handled appropriately.
As she put it: “Then I imagine when I wasn’t there, they picked someone appropriate for Jack.”
“That concern about all of that, which is quite legitimate, was going on,” she added. “And I’m glad the scene survived, because when I saw it, I believed it.”
“It’s so genuine between the two of them, and any concern about Jack’s real age and my real age, I think there’s no room for it there.”
If you have already seen the films, the explanation will be familiar.
For anyone who needs a reminder, or is still catching up, here is the reasoning behind it.
She later returned in The Way of Water and Fire and Ash as Kiri, a teenage Na’vi-human hybrid created from Grace’s avatar and raised by Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, and Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldaña.
Director James Cameron, who has worked with Weaver since Alien in 1986, has previously said that she brings a naturally youthful energy to her performances.
Weaver herself took the role seriously, even spending time observing high school girls to better capture modern behavior and speech patterns.
In TikTok comment sections, some viewers criticized the decision, calling it distracting and at odds with Cameron’s usual attention to detail.
“I LOVE Kiri but Sigourney’s voice does not suit her at all,” one commenter wrote.
“I think it’s the worst decision they’ve made,” a third added.
Others, however, feel the performance works within the story.
“SPOILER. It’s because she’s a clone,” another concluded.
