Sigourney Weaver's mother pain

Sigourney Weaver's mother used to call her "plain".

The actress tried to seek reassurance from her mother about her unconventional looks when she was growing up, but was always left unhappy by the response.

She said: "I had an English mother who was always trying to make sure I wouldn't be conceited, to the point where I had a real inferiority complex.

"I would say, 'Mummy am I pretty?' and she would say, 'Well no, you're plain dear, but never mind.' I thought, 'Gosh, if my mother doesn't think I'm pretty, I had better crawl under the sofa.' "

Sigourney, 58, is convinced her mother's brutal honesty is a character trait that many English people have.

The actress - who voices a character in new animated movie 'WALL.E' - added to Britain's The Times newspaper: "I think it's an English thing. There's this feeling that you're going to spoil your child if you keep saying how wonderful they are."

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