Sigourney Weaver shares sweet inspiration behind the name of her only child

Star spoke about her love for books, saying ‘Charlotte’s Web’ held a special place in her heart

Sigourney Weaver has opened up about the special inspiration behind the name of her only child.

The 75-year-old star of Alien has been married to stage director Jim Thompson since 1984, and the couple have one child, Shar, who was born in 1990.

In 2023, Weaver revealed that Shar, now a professor and author, is non-binary. She has previously called them “absolutely the most important thing to me”.

The actor attended the launch of the Queen’s Reading Room Medal at a reception in Clarence House on Tuesday (25 March). She was joined by Dame Joanna Lumley, Helena Bonham Carter, Adjoa Andoh, Richard E Grant and Jonathan Dimbleby at the star-studded event.

Speaking about her favourite book, she told The Independent: “Charlotte’s Web, it’s so beautifully written. I have the audio book, which I highly recommend. I go back to it every few years.” She explained that the book was so impactful that she had named her child after the lead character.

In the book by E B White, the spider, Charlotte, comes to form a close bond and friendship with Wilbur the pig, ultimately saving his life through her ingenuity.

Explaining the importance of literature on her life, Weaver said: “For me growing up, reading books was my escape. I can’t even imagine my life without having my nose in a book all these years.

Weaver has previously called her daughter the ‘most important thing’ (AFP via Getty Images)

“I was in The Tempest here recently, and we had a lot of young people come. But recently things are changing so Shakespeare is no longer being taught in some schools. It broke my heart.

“It’s such an amazing heritage and stories are relevant still. I worry about literacy and what the Queen has done is started so small but it’s taken off because people need books more more than ever.”

Sigourney Weaver meets the Queen (Getty Images)

Welcoming guests at the reception, the Queen entered with her husband, King Charles III, as she celebrated the “magic of storytelling”. She said the act of reading is not a solitary affair but that its impact “lies in its ability to make a community of anyone who loves to read and who is compelled to write”.

Honouring the UK’s “reading heroes”, the Medal hopes to “recognise those individuals championing books and storytelling in their communities”.