Fictional Warrant Officer

Ellen Ripley

About

Ellen Ripley is the pioneering sci-fi heroine from the Alien franchise, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver. A warrant officer aboard the commercial starship Nostromo, Ripley becomes the sole survivor of an encounter with a deadly Xenomorph. Her resourcefulness, courage, and fierce maternal instinct made her one of cinema’s first true female action heroes and a feminist icon.

Before Fame

Ripley was a warrant officer on the commercial towing vessel Nostromo. Her strict adherence to quarantine protocols was initially overruled by her crewmates, a decision that proved catastrophic.

Trivia

  • She was first portrayed by Sigourney Weaver in Alien in 1979
  • She was one of the first female action heroes in cinema history
  • Sigourney Weaver received an Oscar nomination for Aliens
  • She was ranked #8 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes list
  • The role was originally written as gender-neutral

Family Life

She developed a strong maternal bond with Newt, a young girl who survived the Xenomorph infestation on LV-426. Her biological daughter Amanda grew up while Ripley was in hypersleep.

Associated With

Newt Bishop Dallas Hicks The Xenomorph