Appreciating Rachel Weisz
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 9:03AM by Eric Blume
One of our most resourceful and intelligent actresses, Rachel Weisz, turned 50 this past weekend. At her half century mark she's currently at the height of her powers as an actor.
Weisz appeared in several smaller movies before making a big splash opposite the then-on-fire Brendan Fraser in 1999's The Mummy. The role didn't demand much of her, but her feisty spirit brought a great deal to a stock character, and from there she was on her way. She gave a particularly fine performance in the 2001 film versoin of Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things (I miss Neil LaBute...anyone else?).
Weisz then of course won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2005 for her fascinating performance in Fernando Mereilles' The Constant Gardner...
The Constant Gardener (2005)
The Fountain (2006)
Weisz tore ferociously into a complex role, both driving the narrative and giving the film its mystery and powerful linger. It holds up as one of the most deserving supporting Oscars ever.
Her offscreen relationship with director Darren Aronofsky led to his film The Fountain, which features another interesting performance in another difficult, challenging film. She also delivered a smart and layered performance in 2009's Agora, which barely saw the light of day theatrically but is a curious and unique film worth seeking out. And Claudio just wrote beautifully about her stunning performance in 2011's The Deep Blue Sea. All of these films and characters speak to Weisz's great taste and pursuit of challenging, unusual projects.
After a few misses, Weisz returned with another offbeat and powerful film, Disobedience, to which she brought depth, a surprising wit, and her usual perceptive grace. Her chemistry with Rachel McAdams was sexy and tender, and they delivered one of the decade's most moving love stories.
Disobedience
This all led up to her return to the Oscars with that killer performance she gave in Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite. There aren't enough superlatives for her acting in the film, but her scary wit, intense physicality, and startling humanity combine to make Sarah Churchill possibly her single greatest performance.
All of this, plus she is drop-dead gorgeous and curls up every night next to Daniel Craig!
The cinema is a finer, more provocative place thanks to Rachel Weisz.
Celebrate a half century of this talent by sharing your favourite Weisz moments in the comments below.
Reader Comments (32)
What an absolutely wonderful actress ! In "The Favourite" she took what seemed to be the least fascinating of the three women to play and in a subded way ruled over the film and the other actors. Can't wait to see what she does next.
She's coming for that second Oscar (this time in lead) for the Elizabeth Taylor biopic. They should get Daniel Craig to play Richard Burton too; would be fabulous casting.
OMG I need someone to point at me the way Rachel Weisz does in The Favourite... I'd fucking DIE on the spot.
I love Regina King and Emma Stone's performance has really grown on me, but I was pulling for Weisz to win that Oscar for The Favourite. She's also great in The Constant Gardener and The Shape of Things. And in very different ways I like her a lot in About a Boy and My Cousin Rachel. But I think I still most associate her with The Brothers Bloom. I just love her in that.
The biopic Shmeebs describes would be amazing. What casting.
Rachel Weisz’s win for The Constant Gardener is my favorite Oscar win, period.
Her awards run is also the reason I started following critics awards and awards shows in earnest. Her winning that year was actually a surprise for most, as consensus had built around either Adams or Williams.
Weiss snuck in under the radar with the Globes, then SAG, and she would’ve won the BAFTA too, then, had they not placed her as Lead (where she still should’ve won, honestly; 2005 was a weak year in Lead Actresses that were nominated, as Knightley is the only contender that still stands out 15 years later).
It helps that her awards speeches are always so short and gracious.
Sigh. I just love this woman, and hope she returns to all awards stages soon.
Unpopular opinion she should have easily waltzed away with a 2nd Oscar for The Favourite.
Love her and it's interesting her beauty has never held her back as it does with some actresses from being able to score complex characters.
I'm delighted that she won that Oscar for The Constant Gardner even if it was category fraud. She belonged in lead, it's her story and how it affects Ralph Fiennes that's the engine that makes the film go.
Even though she's given much more complex performances I retain a soft spot for her in The Mummy. Her Evelyn is so endearing and spunky and she interacts so well with both Fraser and John Hannah. That's all her and how she filled out a role that could have been a nothing.
Weisz should have been a worthy Oscar winner for The Favourite - had she been placed in the lead category where she belonged.
All of this is true, though I must shout out her wonderful work in The Lobster. It can be easy to overlook her contributions to that nutty movie, but she stood out to me.
@3rtful: I thought Weisz was indeed wonderful in The Favorite and she was deserving, but I'm really glad Regina King has an Oscar.
Amy Adams was robbed of an Oscar for Junebug
H you are correct,like Wiesz in the movie but she's a Lead plus I have preferences for Michelle Williams,Catherine Keener,Gong Li, and Amy Adams that year over her.
Rachel's performance in the Mummy is genuinely one of my favorites. I can't think of another actress who stormed into my consciousness the way she did with that film. And she's never left!
I still think she's a bit underrated, mainly by other actors, but that definitely seems to be changing. For me, Deep Blue Sea is still her best, but she's got quite a few great roles already!
**Correction: she's mainly underrated by film critics. Maybe I'm wrong, but where was the support for Agora, My Cousin Rachel, The Lobster, The Whistleblower, or Youth? There's such a range even among these roles that didn't get her much notice. I like to think that her own humility and disinterest in taking up too much space (plus the quality of some of the films she's been in) contributed.
I watched The Favourite for the curiosity to see a performance that received much praise (Olivia Colman) but as it has happened many times I end up liking most another actor in the same movie, in this case Rachel Weisz is for me the MVP in the movie.
My favorite moment is of course the dance scene in the court.
still sad i never saw her blanche in streetcar opposite ruth wilson! they both won oliviers!
She is awesome. The Shape of Things was incredible mainly because of her. That was the last great film that Neil LaBute did unless you count his remake of The Wicker Man when you see it as a comedy. I think my favorite performance of hers is in the very underrated The Brothers Bloom by Rian Johnson as the montage of her many talents including rapping is just awesome.
She's fabulous in THE CONSTANT GARDENER, but I also love her in THE FOUNTAIN and MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS.
I wish she had been given way more to do in THE LOVELY BONES, because if Peter Jackson had developed "Abigail Salmon" better, she would have knocked it out of the park. That whole film is quite a mess though after the first brilliant 30 minutes.
I love that she apologetically takes chances and risks with characters and directors in big budget or independent cinema.
I just love her for shouting out John Le Carre (the author of THE CONSTANT GARDENER’s source material) in her Oscar speech.
“one of the most deserving supporting Oscars ever.”
I like her a lot but that’s seems like a bit of a stretch.
Her monologue scene in Youth was sublime. For that alone, she should have been a very strong contender for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. I knew before then that she was a good actress, but that's when I realized "Holy shit she's spectacular." Been a big fan ever since.
Yes! She's terrific in Youth. That monologue and her face when the climber takes her to the rock climbing room in the hotel... Ugh. Sublime.
I could go on for ages. :)
Also, not appreciated for her comedic talents as much as she should be. The Favourite aside (and that's how most people have seen her as "funny"), her "oops" scene in The Mummy wouldn't have worked half as well without that perfect line delivery. Her Evy is, give or take a Marion Ravenwood, my favorite adventure heroine of all time.
Co-sign on Weisz's brilliance in Youth especially that monologue where she woke me up from the occasional somnambulance of that film. That monologue was almost electric. I also agree she was brilliant in The Lobster and I wonder why she was not mentioned more for her solid and dazzling turn in that film. I also like her early work in About a Boy where she served as a fourth of the thrilling quartet of Hugh Grant, Toni Collette (for me, the MVP of that film), and Nicholas Hoult.
I'm glad to read that a lot of folks here also root for her work in The Favourite. I thought she was the heart and soul of that film even if Colman and Stone gave fierce competitions. That scene where she said "You can rely on me to tell you. Because I will not lie! That is love!" perfectly encapsulated the love-hate relationship between Queen Anne and Lady Sarah perfectly which Abigail can't quite compete with, much less surpass.
I first noticed her in a little British film from the 90's called the Land Girls, which I only watched at the time because I was gay-obsessed with Anna Friel, and there's a scene where a guy approaches her at a dance and asking her if she's Cleopatra, and she responds with the line "how perceptive you are", which she delivers so perfectly, that 20 years after seeing it, I still remember exactly how she said it and still quote it regularly.
I wish she had received noms for The Brothers Bloom, The Deep Blue Sea, and The Lobster (where I would have handed her the win). She's just a magnetic actress with impeccable range. GODDESS!
More (much more) of a fan of Michelle Williams in "Brokeback Mountain" and Amy Adams in "Junebug" and I'm not a fan of them (TBH, not a particular fan of Rachel Weisz either). I wouldn't have nominated her nor Emma Stone for "The Favourite" not because of the leading/supporting controversy but because I don't think they deserve it. I don't see what others see. Not really impressive though Olivia Colman is monumental in it. Regina King is in another level in IBSCT. Won for me on merit alone.
Oh, and 3rtful showing his whiteness once again.
@Me34
Not remotely white. King sure as hell ain't more overdue than Glenn Close nor a better performance than Rachel W.
You're basically an Oreo.
Me24
Saying that you prefer a performance over a black actress' win is racist now ? It seems we've reached a breaking point when it comes to political correctness.
Me34 Sue, whatever it is today, you’re being gross.
I'm a bit late to this, but I'm glad to see the unanimity of affection for the talented Rachel Weisz.
The Mummy, where she is in fine form, is a great bit of fluff.
Include me with those who loved her in "About a Boy" and "The Lobster". She has great comic timing. "The Favourite" may be her best all round part.
I think "The Whistleblower" and "Agora" are both sometimes difficult to watch but are great dramatic performances. She always shows up and gives great value. (Reminds me of Kristin Scott Thomas)