JA Bayona hires Sigourney Weaver for A Monster Calls because he was a fan of Alien

leading from

Echoes of Alien

JA Bayona

a) Sigourney would come to star in the film A Monster Calls. The director Juan Antonio Bayona admired her in the film Alien and this was why he decided to work with her.

b) Sigourney naively thought that she was hired because he thought that she as a great actress, but when they met, all Bayona wanted to talk about was the movie Alien.

c) The producer Belén Atienza,was also excited about the fact that they were going to talk to Ripley because the character a grandmother that Sigourney would play had to be a big personality, and not just a sweet old lady, and Sigourney was a star. 

Source Quotes

1. "El otro día descubrí por qué en Gorilas en la niebla sale con dos gorilas, porque era un homenaje a King Kong”. Y la propia Weaver está encantada de estar en Barcelona y de rodar a las órdenes de Bayona: “No me siento como un icono, ni como una musa, pero agradezco que a Bayona le gustara Alien porque ahora ha decidido ficharme para esta película”, respondía la actriz a la pregunta de qué se siente siendo la musa de una generación de directores que han crecido con Alien.
   "The other day I found out why in Gorillas in the Mist comes with two gorillas, because it was a tribute to King Kong " and the review itself is delighted to be in Barcelona and roll orders Bayonne . "I do not feel like an icon or as a muse , but I appreciate that Bayona liked Alien because he has now decided to sign me for this film, " replied the actress asked what he feels being the muse of a generation of directors who have grown up with Alien. (http://cadenaser.com/programa/2014/11/28/la_script/1417184140_377376.html)
2. Esa admiración es mutua, ya que Bayona se confiesa fan de Weaver y, sobre todo, de su trabajo en 'Alien'. "Cuando trabajas con actores no sabes bien cómo va a terminar todo. Damos mil vueltas a cada secuencai y esto sólo se consigue si trabajas con ellos muy de cerca. Y tenerla a ella y al resto de este reparto es un verdadero lujo para mí", comenta Jota.
   That admiration is mutual, as Bayona fan Weaver and especially his work in 'Alien ' confesses . "When you work with actors not sure how it will all end . We give many turns to  each sequence and this is only achieved if you work with them very closely. And having her and the rest of the cast is a real treat for me " says Jota .
   "Me encanta que Jota sea fan de 'Alien'", dice riendo la actriz. "No me considero ni un icono ni una musa de ese género cinematográfico. De hecho yo he participado en todo tipo de películas y la comedia es lo que más me gusta. Pero supongo que es inevitable que te encasillen", concluye. "I love that Jota is a fan of 'Alien ' " laughs the actress. " I do not consider neither an icon nor a muse of this film genre . In fact I have participated in all kinds of movies and comedy is what I like. But I guess it's inevitable that you pigeonhole " he concludes. (http://www.teinteresa.es/cine/Sigourney-Weaver-teniente-Ripley-Bayona-felicity-jones-rodaje-monstruo-viene-verme-monster-calls_0_1273072853.html)
3. Part of Conor’s journey is getting to grips with Weaver’s dauntingly severe grandmother. But did the team share his fears? “Not really,” says Atienza. “We were so excited: we’re going to talk to Ripley! Our grandmother is so powerful we needed someone with a big personality, she’s not like a sweet old lady. And, of course, Sigourney’s a star so she’s someone you cannot take your eyes away from. It’s like when you see her on the screen the temperature changes.”(January 2017, Total Film)
4. Tanto Neil Blomkamp como J.A. Bayona crecieron viéndola en Alien y soñando con dirigirla algún día. ¿Le sorprende que siga consiguiendo trabajo gracias a ese papel?
   Both Neil Blomkamp as J.A. Bayonne grew watching her in Alien and dreaming of someday directing . Does it surprise you to continue getting work through that role?
   Sí, es algo que me sigue sorprendiendo. Pensaba que yo era la única que se había dado cuenta de que esa era la razón, pero bueno... Es cierto, cuando Bayona me contrató yo pensé ingenuamente que lo había hecho porque creía que soy una gran actriz y, por supuesto, cuando nos conocimos ¡de lo único que quería hablar era de Alien! Bien, es un gran director, y Un monstruo viene a verme será una película maravillosa. Para mí fue un gran desafío y le estoy muy agradecida. A estas alturas, no me suelen ofrecer papeles tan jugosos,
   Yes, it is something that continues to surprise me . I thought I was the only one who had realized that that was the reason , but .. It's true , when I was hired by Bayona, I naively thought that he had done because he believed I'm a great actress and , of course , when we met , all he wanted to talk about was Alien ! Well, it's a great director, and A Monster Calls will be a wonderful movie. For me it was a great challenge and I am very grateful . At this point , I do not usually offer such juicy roles. (http://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20150313/54428112395/sigourney-weaver-trabajo-gracias-alien.html)