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Rachel Weisz
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Rachel Hannah Weisz (/vaɪs/;[2] born 7 March 1970)[note 1] is an English actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received several awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Key Information
Weisz began acting in stage and television productions in the early 1990s, and made her film debut in Death Machine (1994). She won a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for her role in the 1994 revival of Noël Coward's play Design for Living, and went on to appear in the 1999 Donmar Warehouse production of Tennessee Williams' drama Suddenly Last Summer. Her film breakthrough came with her starring role as Evelyn Carnahan in the Hollywood action films The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001).[9] Weisz went on to star in several films of the 2000s, including Enemy at the Gates (2001), About a Boy (2002), Runaway Jury (2003), Constantine (2005), The Fountain (2006), Definitely, Maybe (2008), The Lovely Bones (2009) and The Whistleblower (2010).
For her performance as an activist in the 2005 thriller The Constant Gardener, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and for playing Blanche DuBois in a 2009 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. In the 2010s, Weisz continued to star in big-budget films such as the action film The Bourne Legacy (2012) and the fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) and achieved critical acclaim for her performances in the independent films The Deep Blue Sea (2011), Denial (2016), and The Favourite (2018). For her portrayal of Sarah Churchill in The Favourite, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and received a second Academy Award nomination.[10] Weisz portrayed Melina Vostokoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Widow (2021) and starred as twin obstetricians in the thriller miniseries Dead Ringers (2023).
Early life and family
[edit]Weisz was born on 7 March 1970 in Westminster, London, and grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb.[11] Her father, George Weisz, was a Hungarian Jewish mechanical engineer.[12][13] Her mother, Edith Ruth (née Teich),[14] was a teacher-turned-psychotherapist originally from Vienna, Austria.[15][16] Her maternal grandfather's ancestry was Austrian Jewish; her maternal grandmother was Catholic and of Italian ancestry.[17][18][19][20][21] The scholar and social activist James Parkes helped her mother's family to leave Austria for England.[22] Weisz's mother was raised in the Catholic church and formally converted to Judaism upon marrying Weisz's father.[23][24] Weisz's maternal grandfather was Alexander Teich, a Jewish activist who had been a secretary of the World Union of Jewish Students.[25][26][27]
Her parents immigrated to the United Kingdom as children around 1938, prior to the outbreak of World War II, in order to escape the Nazis.[28][29][30][31] Her younger sister Minnie Weisz is a visual artist.[32] Weisz's parents valued the arts; they encouraged their children to form opinions of their own by engaging their participation in family debates.[33] Weisz left North London Collegiate School and attended Benenden School for one year, completing A-levels at St Paul's Girls School.[34][35]
Known for being an "English rose",[36][37][38][23] Weisz began modelling at the age of 14.[39] In 1984, she gained public attention when she turned down an offer to star in King David with Richard Gere.[34]
Weisz went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she read English, matriculating in 1988. She graduated with upper second-class honours. During her university years she was a contemporary of Sacha Baron Cohen, Alexander Armstrong, Emily Maitlis, Sue Perkins, Mel Giedroyc, Richard Osman and Ben Miller (whom she briefly dated),[40] and appeared in various student dramatic productions, co-founding a student drama group called Cambridge Talking Tongues.[41] The group won a Guardian Student Drama Award at the 1991 Edinburgh Festival Fringe for an improvised piece written by Weisz herself called Slight Possession,[42] directed by David Farr.[43]
Weisz then trained under master clown Philippe Gaulier at École Philippe Gaulier.[44][45]
Career
[edit]1990s
[edit]In 1992, Weisz appeared in the television film Advocates II, followed by roles in the Inspector Morse episode "Twilight of the Gods", and the BBC's steamy period drama Scarlet and Black, alongside Ewan McGregor.[46] Dirty Something, a BBC Screen Two, hour-long television film made in 1992, was Weisz's first film.[47]
Weisz's breakthrough role on the stage was that of Gilda in Sean Mathias's 1994 revival of Noël Coward's Design for Living at the Gielgud Theatre,[48][49] for which she received the London Critics' Circle Award for the most promising newcomer.[50][51] Her portrayal was described as "wonderful" by a contemporary review.[52]
Weisz started her film career with a minor role in the 1994 film Death Machine;[46] her first major role came in the 1996 film Chain Reaction.[53] The film received mostly negative reviews–it holds a 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes[54] and was a minor financial success.[55] She next appeared as Miranda Fox in Stealing Beauty, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci,[56] where she was first labelled an "English rose".[38]
Weisz found roles in the 1997 American drama Swept from the Sea,[57] the 1998 British television comedy-drama My Summer with Des, Michael Winterbottom's crime film I Want You,[58] and David Leland's The Land Girls, based on Angela Huth's book of the same name.[59]
In 1999, Weisz played Greta in the historical film Sunshine.[60] The same year, her international breakthrough came with the 1999 adventure film The Mummy, in which she played the female lead opposite Brendan Fraser. Her character, Evelyn Carnahan, is an English Egyptologist,[61] who undertakes an expedition to the fictional ancient Egyptian city of Hamunaptra to discover an ancient book. Variety criticised the direction of the film, writing: "(the actors) have been directed to broad, undisciplined performances [...] Buffoonery hardly seems like Weisz's natural domain, as the actress strains for comic effects that she can't achieve".[62] She followed this up with the sequel The Mummy Returns in 2001, which grossed an estimated $433 million worldwide,[63] (equivalent to $769 million in 2024 dollars)[64] higher than the original's $260 million[65] (equal to $491 million in 2024 dollars).[64]
Also in 1999, she played the role of Catherine in the Donmar Warehouse production of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer,[66] What's on Stage called her "captivating", stating that she brought "a degree of credibility to a difficult part".[67] The same year, Weisz appeared in Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things at the Almeida Theatre, then temporarily located in London's King's Cross, for which she received a Theatre World Award.[68][69] CurtainUp called her "a sophisticated, independent artist" with "great stage presence".[70]
2000s
[edit]In 2000, she portrayed Petula in the film Beautiful Creatures,[46] followed by 2001's Enemy at the Gates,[71] and the 2002 comedy-drama About a Boy, with Hugh Grant, based on Nick Hornby's 1998 novel.[72] In 2003, she played Marlee in the adaptation of John Grisham's legal thriller novel The Runaway Jury;[73] and starred in the film adaptation of the romantic comedy-drama play The Shape of Things.[74]

In 2004, Weisz appeared in the comedy Envy. The film failed at the box office.[75] Variety opined that Weisz and co-star Amy Poehler "get fewer choice moments than they deserve."[76] Her next role was alongside Keanu Reeves in Constantine, based on the comic book Hellblazer.[77] Film Threat called her portrayal "effective at projecting scepticism and, eventually, dawning horror".[78]
Her next appearance, in 2005, was in Fernando Meirelles's The Constant Gardener,[79] a film adaptation of a John le Carré thriller set in the slums of Kibera and Loiyangalani, Kenya.[80][15] Weisz played an activist, Tessa Quayle, married to a British embassy official.[81] The film was critically acclaimed,[82] earning Weisz the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress,[83] the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress,[84] and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.[85] UK newspaper The Guardian noted that the film "established her in the front rank of British actors",[86] while the BBC wrote: "Weisz is exceptional: film star charisma coupled with raw emotion in a performance to fall in love with".[87] In 2006, she received the BAFTA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year.[88]
In 2006, Weisz starred in American filmmaker Darren Aronofsky's romantic drama The Fountain.[89] The San Francisco Chronicle found her portrayal of Queen Isabel "less convincing" than other roles.[90] That same year, she provided the voice for Saphira the dragon in the fantasy film Eragon;[91] and rejected an offer to star in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor due to script issues.[92][93] The part eventually went to Maria Bello.[94] Her subsequent films include the 2007 Wong Kar-wai drama My Blueberry Nights,[95] and Rian Johnson's 2008 caper film The Brothers Bloom.[95] In 2009, she played the lead role of Hypatia of Alexandria in the historical drama film Agora, a Spanish production directed by Alejandro Amenábar.[96] The New York Times called her portrayal "adept", noting that she imparted "a sympathetic presence".[97] That same year, she appeared as Blanche DuBois, in Rob Ashford's revival of the play A Streetcar Named Desire.[98] Her performance in the play was praised by critics, the Daily Telegraph noted that she "rises to the challenge magnificently".[99]
2010s
[edit]
Weisz starred in the film The Whistleblower, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010. The film was based on the true story of human trafficking by employees of contractor DynCorp. During its première, the intense depiction of the treatment meted out to victims by the kidnappers made a woman in the audience faint.[100] Variety wrote "Weisz's performance holds the viewer every step of the way."[101] That same year, she guest-starred in the animated series The Simpsons, in the 22nd season episode "How Munched is That Birdie in the Window?".[102] Weisz's 2011 roles included an adaptation of Terence Rattigan's play The Deep Blue Sea,[103] Fernando Meirelles' drama 360,[104] the BBC espionage thriller Page Eight, and the thriller film Dream House.[105]
She filmed scenes for To the Wonder, a 2012 romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick; her scenes were cut.[106][107][108] She has starred in the 2012 action thriller film The Bourne Legacy based on the series of books by Robert Ludlum.[109]
In 2013, Weisz starred on Broadway alongside her husband, Daniel Craig, in a revival of Harold Pinter's Betrayal. It opened 27 October 2013, and closed 5 January 2014.[110][111] Box office receipts of $17.5 million made it the second highest grossing Broadway play of 2013.[112] That year, Weisz played Evanora in the fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful.[113]

In 2015, she appeared in drama film Youth and in science fiction film The Lobster. Lobster won the Cannes Jury Prize. In 2016, she appeared in the drama film The Light Between Oceans, and portrayed Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt in Denial, a film based on Lipstadt's book, and directed by Mick Jackson.
In 2017 Weisz starred in My Cousin Rachel, a drama based on Daphne du Maurier's novel, and in 2018 co-starred in a British biographical film about sailor Donald Crowhurst, The Mercy, directed by James Marsh.
Weisz's production company, LC6 Productions, released its first feature film, Disobedience, in 2017, starring Weisz and Rachel McAdams.[114][115] Weisz grew up three London Underground stops away from the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood where the film is set. Raised within Judaism, Weisz never fully connected to her ancestral religion. She claims she was "really disobedient" herself and has never felt she fits in anywhere.[116]
In 2018, Weisz played Sarah Churchill in The Favourite, winning the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and receiving her second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
2020s
[edit]In April 2019, Weisz entered talks to join Scarlett Johansson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Widow.[117] In July of that year, Weisz was announced to play Melina Vostokoff in the film, which was released on 9 July 2021.[118][119] Weisz starred in and executive produced the thriller miniseries Dead Ringers (2023), a remake of the 1988 film of the same name for Amazon Prime Video.[120]
Personal life
[edit]In 2001, Weisz began dating the American filmmaker and producer Darren Aronofsky. They met backstage at London's Almeida Theatre, where she was starring in The Shape of Things. Weisz moved to New York City with Aronofsky the following year;[68] in 2005, they were engaged. Their son was born in May 2006 in New York City.[121][122] The couple resided in the East Village in Manhattan. Mohel Philip Sherman performed their son's brit milah (bris).[123] In November 2010, Weisz and Aronofsky announced that they had been apart for months but remained close friends and were committed to bringing up their son together in New York.[124]
Weisz and the English actor Daniel Craig were friends for many years and worked together on the 2011 film Dream House. They began dating in December 2010 and married on 22 June 2011 in a private New York ceremony, with four guests in attendance, including Weisz's son and Craig's daughter.[125] On 1 September 2018, it was reported that they had their first child together, a daughter.[126]
Weisz has been featured on the covers of magazines such as Vogue.[127] She served as a muse to the fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez,[128] and was named L'Oréal's global ambassador in 2010.[129] Weisz learned karate for her role in The Brothers Bloom.[130] A British citizen by birth, Weisz became a naturalised American citizen in 2011.[131]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Death Machine | Junior Executive | |
| White Goods | Elaine | ||
| 1996 | Chain Reaction | Dr. Lily Sinclair | |
| Stealing Beauty | Miranda Fox | ||
| 1997 | Bent | Prostitute | |
| Going All the Way | Marty Pilcher | ||
| Swept from the Sea | Amy Foster | ||
| 1998 | I Want You | Helen | |
| The Land Girls | Agapanthus | ||
| 1999 | The Mummy | Evelyn Carnahan | |
| Sunshine | Greta Sors | ||
| Tube Tales | Angela | Segment: Rosebud | |
| 2000 | Beautiful Creatures | Petula | |
| 2001 | Enemy at the Gates | Tania Chernova | |
| The Mummy Returns | Evelyn Carnahan / Nefertiti | ||
| 2002 | About a Boy | Rachel | |
| 2003 | Confidence | Lily | |
| The Shape of Things | Evelyn Ann Thompson | Also producer | |
| Runaway Jury | Marlee | ||
| 2004 | Envy | Debbie Dingman | |
| 2005 | Constantine | Angela and Isabel Dodson | |
| The Constant Gardener | Tessa Quayle | ||
| 2006 | The Fountain | Queen Isabel / Izzi Creo | |
| Eragon | Saphira (voice) | ||
| 2007 | Fred Claus | Wanda | |
| My Blueberry Nights | Sue Lynne | ||
| 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | Summer Hartley | |
| The Brothers Bloom | Penelope | ||
| 2009 | The Lovely Bones | Abigail Salmon | |
| Agora | Hypatia | ||
| 2010 | The Whistleblower | Kathryn Bolkovac | |
| 2011 | 360 | Rose | |
| Dream House | Libby Atenton | ||
| The Deep Blue Sea | Hester Collyer | ||
| 2012 | The Bourne Legacy | Dr. Marta Shearing | |
| To the Wonder | Dinah | Scenes deleted[132] | |
| 2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Evanora | |
| 2015 | The Lobster | Short Sighted Woman | |
| Youth | Lena Ballinger | ||
| 2016 | Complete Unknown | Alice Manning | |
| The Light Between Oceans | Hannah Roennfeldt | ||
| Denial | Deborah Lipstadt | ||
| 2017 | My Cousin Rachel | Rachel Ashley | |
| Disobedience | Ronit Krushka | Also producer | |
| The Mercy | Clare Crowhurst | ||
| 2018 | The Favourite | Sarah Churchill | |
| 2021 | Black Widow | Melina Vostokoff |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Advocates II | Sarah Thompson | Television film |
| 1993 | Inspector Morse | Arabella Baydon | Episode: "Twilight of the Gods" |
| Tropical Heat | Joey | Episode: "His Pal Joey" | |
| Scarlet and Black | Mathilde | TV miniseries | |
| 1994 | Seventeen | TV short | |
| Screen Two | Becca | Episode: "Dirtysomething" | |
| 1998 | My Summer with Des | Rosie | Television film |
| 2000 | This Is Not an Exit: The Fictional World of Bret Easton Ellis | Lauren Hynde | Television program |
| 2010 | The Simpsons | Dr. Thurston (voice) | Episode: "How Munched Is That Birdie in the Window?" |
| 2011 | Page Eight | Nancy Pierpan | Television film |
| 2023 | Dead Ringers | Elliot and Beverly Mantle | Lead role; also executive producer |
| What If...? | Melina Vostokoff (voice) | Episode: "What If... Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?" | |
| TBA | Vladimir | Upcoming series; also executive producer |
Theatre
[edit]| Year | Play | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Design for Living | Gilda | Gielgud Theatre |
| 1999 | Suddenly Last Summer | Catherine | Donmar Warehouse |
| The Shape of Things | Evelyn Ann Thompson | Almeida Theatre | |
| 2001 | The Shape of Things | Evelyn Ann Thompson | Promenade Theatre |
| 2009 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche DuBois | Donmar Warehouse |
| 2013 | Betrayal | Emma | Ethel Barrymore Theatre |
| 2016 | Plenty | Susan Traherne | The Public Theater |
Awards and nominations
[edit]See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ There are conflicting sources for the year of Weisz' birth. The database entry of the British Film Institute, citing London birth records gives a year of 1970,[3] as does the Encyclopædia Britannica[4] and the National Portrait Gallery.[5] However, some sources give it as 1971, including her detailed biography at the British Film Institute (Alexander Larman)[6] and a biographic article in The Guardian.[7] The Evening Standard in 2006 claims that Weisz herself gives 1971 as her year of birth.[8][failed verification]
References
[edit]- ^ Rubinstein, W.; Jolles, Michael A. (2011). "Weisz, Rachel". The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-30466-6.
- ^ Landman, Kyle (5 August 2009). "Rachel Weisz Is Going to Start Correcting People on How to Pronounce Her Last Name". New York. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "BFI Film & TV Database: WEISZ, Rachel". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ Bauer, Pat. "Rachel Weisz". Encyclopædia Britannica (Online ed.). Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz (1970–), Actress". National Portrait Gallery, London. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ "Weisz, Rachel (1971-) Biography". BFI Screenonline. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ Vulliamy, Ed (3 February 2006). "The Guardian profile: Rachel Weisz". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ Evening Standard, 6 March 2006 (Nick Curtis: A Taxing Issue for Partygoers; the Oscars Diary).
- ^ "Weisz's breakthrough to acclaim". BBC News. 17 January 2006. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz and Richard E Grant score Oscar nominations". Irish Examiner. Press Association. 22 January 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- ^ Aslet, Clive (14 April 2007). "Design for living". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
- ^ Applebaum, Stephen (20 January 2017). "'No denying my heritage' Stephen Applebaum interviews Rachel Weisz". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Brown, Mick (1 August 2009). "Rachel Weisz talks about starring in A Streetcar Named Desire". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ England and Wales, Death Index, 2007–2017.
- ^ a b Goodridge, Mike (16 November 2006). "The virtues of Weisz". Evening Standard. London: ES London Limited. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz: 5 things to know about Daniel Craig's new wife". CBS News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ Dow, Maureen (24 April 2018). "Call her Mrs Craig!". The Telegraph. Calcutta. Archived from the original on 18 May 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ Miller, Gerri (30 May 2017). "Hollywood Now: Chris Pine, Rachel Weisz & Ari Graynor, Plus So Many Babies!". InterfaithFamily. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
- ^ Aftab, Kaleem (2 October 2015). "Rachel Weisz interview: The actress on subverting Hollywood ageism by turning filmmaker". The Independent. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (23 September 2016). "The Holocaust defense in the face of 'Denial'". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Schleier, Curt (23 September 2016). "A Behind-the-Scenes Look at 'Denial'". Hadassah Magazine. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Gugliemi, Jodi (12 October 2016). "How Rachel Weisz's Mother Escaped the Holocaust — and Why It Connected Her to Her Latest Movie Role". People. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ^ a b Brockes, Emma (10 June 2017). "Rachel Weisz: 'My parents were refugees. Brexit feels like a death'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Lane, Harriet (13 June 1999). "Toast of the tomb". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ Richmond, Colin; Antony Robin; Jeremy Kushner (2005). Campaigner against anti-Semitism: the Reverend James Parkes, 1896–1981. Vallentine Mitchell. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-85303-573-2.
In the 1970s, Edith Ruth Weisz, the mother of Rachel and Minnie, wrote to Parkes about the rescue of her father, Alexander Teich. Parkes, along with Bentwich, had been responsible for bringing Teich out of imminent danger in Vienna.
- ^ Chertok, Haim (2006). He also spoke as a Jew: the life of James Parkes. Vallentine Mitchell. p. 266. ISBN 0-85303-644-6.
- ^ Parkes, James William (1982). End of an exile: Israel, the Jews, and the Gentile world. Micah Publications. p. 255. ISBN 0-916288-12-9.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz won't let go of her inner tomboy". TODAY. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ Lipworth, Elaine (20 November 2011). "Rachel Weisz: 'I'm still a blushing bride'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
- ^ Whitington, Paul (11 June 2017). "'I find it absurd we're talking about women over 40... I feel like saying there aren't enough roles for pandas' – Rachel Weisz". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Aschenbrand, Periel (29 September 2016). "The Chosen Ones: An Interview With Rachel Weisz". Tablet. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "How I make it work: Minnie Weisz". The Sunday Times. London. 7 February 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz Bio". TalkTalk. 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Rachel Weisz Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz: I was a rebel". MusicRooms. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ Walker, Tim. "Rachel Weisz reveals her love for heavy metal music". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz – Biography". Glamour. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ a b "Profile of Rachel Weisz". Hello. Retrieved 12 June 2012
- ^ Greco, Alessandra (18 October 2010). "Rachel Weisz for L'Oreal". Vogue. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Gerard Gilbert (10 February 2012). "Pedigree chum: Is Alexander Armstrong the poshest man in comedy? – Features – Comedy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 July 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ Foley, Jack. "IndieLondon: Definitely Maybe – Rachel Weisz interview". Indielondon. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ Riggs, Thomas (2002). Contemporary Theatre, Film & Television: Volume 41 of Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television Series. Gale / Cengage Learning. p. 369. ISBN 0-7876-5113-3.
- ^ "Talking Tongues – Complete". Doollee.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ Schmidlin, Charlie (2 December 2015). "Rachel Weisz". www.indiewire.com. Indie Wire. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ Dominus, Susan (15 October 2019). "Rachel Weisz is Acting for Herself". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Rachel Weisz Filmography". MSN Movies. 2000. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
- ^ Libardi, Manuella (5 July 2021). "The Transformation Of Rachel Weisz From Childhood To 51 Years Old". Nicki Swift. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ Shenton, Mark (17 April 2009). "London's Donmar warehouse season to feature Weisz, West, Molina". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ Flint Marx, Rebecca (2012). "Rachel Weisz bio, movies and television". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ "TV Guide – Rachel Weisz biography". TV Guide. TV Guide Online Holdings LLC. 2010. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
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- ^ "Stage productions: 'Design For Living'". Rupert Graves. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
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- ^ "Swept From The Sea: Overview". MSN Movies. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ Forrest, Emma (2001). "Rachel Weisz". Index Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Smith, Julia Llewellyn (27 February 2010). "Land girls: disquiet on the home front". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ "Rotten Tomatoes – Sunshine (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
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- ^ "The Mummy Returns (2001)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
- ^ a b 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "The Mummy". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
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- ^ a b McLean, Craig (13 January 2007). "Labour of love". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ "Rachel Weisz to Star in London's Streetcar Named Desire". broadway.com. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ^ "The Shape of Things". Curtain Up. 30 May 2001. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
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- ^ Vonder Haar, Pete. "Constantine". Film Threat. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
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External links
[edit]Rachel Weisz
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Family background
Rachel Weisz was born on 7 March 1970 in London, England, to George Weisz, a Hungarian-Jewish mechanical engineer and inventor, and Edith Ruth Teich, an Austrian-Jewish psychoanalyst who had initially trained as a teacher.[5][6] Both parents immigrated to Britain as children fleeing Nazi persecution in the late 1930s; George, born in Budapest in 1929, escaped with his mother and sisters in 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II, while Edith, born in Vienna in 1932, arrived around 1938 from Austria. George Weisz died on 31 March 2020, and Edith Ruth Weisz died on 2 March 2016.[7][8][6][9] Weisz has one sibling, a younger sister named Minnie Weisz, born in December 1972, who works as a photographer, curator, and visual artist.[10] The family lived a middle-class life in Hampstead Garden Suburb, north London, where the intellectual environment was shaped by her parents' professional pursuits and their emphasis on debate and the arts at home.[6][11][5] This creative family influence contributed to Weisz's early interest in performing arts.[5]Childhood and schooling
Rachel Weisz was raised in a secular Jewish household in London's Hampstead Garden Suburb, where her parents' Central European roots provided exposure to Hungarian and German as languages of their childhoods.[12][13] Her father, George Weisz, a Hungarian-born mechanical engineer and inventor of medical devices, ensured socioeconomic stability for the family following their relocation from Westminster shortly after her birth in 1970.[14] This immigrant heritage subtly fostered a sense of resilience in Weisz from an early age.[6] Weisz attended Benenden School, a prestigious private boarding institution for girls located in Kent, as part of her secondary education.[11] The school's environment contributed to her formative years, blending academic rigor with opportunities for personal development in a supportive setting away from home.[14] From childhood, Weisz pursued piano lessons, which honed her discipline and appreciation for the arts.[15] Her interest in performing was sparked through school plays, notably a non-speaking walk-on role as a dodo in a production of Alice in Wonderland at age 10, an experience that ignited her early fascination with theater in a household that valued music and creativity.[16]University years
In 1988, Rachel Weisz enrolled at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University, to pursue a degree in English literature, which she completed in 1992 with upper second-class honours.[17] During her undergraduate years, she balanced academic pursuits, including a dissertation on the works of Carson McCullers, with emerging interests in performance. Her family had long encouraged artistic endeavors, providing a supportive backdrop for her explorations in drama.[18] Weisz's entry into acting began early in her university tenure, with her debut role as a Saxon slave girl in a student production of Howard Brenton's The Romans in Britain. This marked the start of her involvement in Cambridge's vibrant theatre scene, where she honed her skills through various improvisational and experimental works. In 1989, while still a student, she co-founded the Talking Tongues theatre company with Sacha Hails, focusing on innovative, boundary-pushing performances. The group gained recognition in 1991 when their production of the improvised piece Slight Possession, written by Weisz, won the Guardian Student Drama Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, establishing early professional networks and showcasing Weisz's talents in acting, directing, and producing.[18][17][14] Throughout her student life, Weisz continued part-time modeling, a pursuit she had begun at age 14, which occasionally intersected with her academic and theatrical commitments by providing financial flexibility and exposure in London's fashion circles. These modeling gigs, including features in publications like Harper's & Queen, complemented her university routine without derailing her focus on English studies and drama. Immediately following her graduation in 1992, Weisz secured her first television role as Sarah Thompson in the BBC legal drama Advocates II, a brief but pivotal appearance that bridged her student forays into professional acting.[18][19]Career
1990s breakthrough
Weisz entered professional acting in the early 1990s, making her television debut as Arabella Baydon in the "Twilight of the Gods" episode of the ITV series Inspector Morse in 1993.[20] She supplemented her early career with modeling work, which provided financial support while she pursued acting opportunities.[21] Concurrently, she engaged in stage productions, including a role in Slightly Blind at the Royal Court Theatre, as well as leading performances in the West End during 1995.[21] In 1995, Weisz starred as Gilda in the revival of Noël Coward's Design for Living at the Donmar Warehouse, later transferring to the Gielgud Theatre.[22] That same year, she portrayed Catherine Holly in Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer at the Comedy Theatre, earning praise for her intense dramatic presence.[23] Weisz transitioned to film with her debut in Bernardo Bertolucci's Stealing Beauty (1996), where she played the lead role of Lucy Harmon, an American teenager exploring her family's Tuscan villa.[21] Later that year, she appeared in the action thriller Chain Reaction (1996) alongside Keanu Reeves, marking her entry into Hollywood productions.[21] In 1997, she took on a more prominent dramatic role as Amy Foster in Swept from the Sea, an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's novella directed by Beeban Kidron.[21] Her breakthrough to international prominence arrived with the role of the intelligent and adventurous librarian Evelyn "Evy" Carnahan in The Mummy (1999), directed by Stephen Sommers, which became a global box-office success, grossing over $415 million worldwide.[24] The film's adventurous tone and Weisz's spirited performance as the love interest to Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell helped establish her as a leading actress in action-adventure cinema.[21] During the same period, she filmed her role as Soviet sniper Tania in Jean-Jacques Annaud's Enemy at the Gates (2001), shot primarily in 1999, further showcasing her ability to handle intense historical dramas.[20]2000s acclaim
In the early 2000s, Rachel Weisz solidified her status as a versatile leading actress by balancing high-profile blockbusters with challenging independent dramas, earning widespread critical acclaim for her depth and range. She reprised her role as the intrepid Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan/Nefertari in the sequel The Mummy Returns (2001), directed by Stephen Sommers, which grossed over $433 million worldwide and showcased her action-heroine prowess alongside Brendan Fraser.[25] Weisz simultaneously pursued edgier independent projects that highlighted her dramatic intensity. In Enemy at the Gates (2001), directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, she played Tania Chernova, a Soviet sniper and resistance fighter entangled in a deadly duel during the Battle of Stalingrad, delivering a performance noted for its emotional grit amid the film's historical tension.[26] She followed with The Shape of Things (2003), Neil LaBute's adaptation of his own play, where she portrayed the enigmatic art student Evelyn Ann Thompson, whose manipulative relationship with a shy classmate explored themes of transformation and deception.[27] That same year, in Runaway Jury (2003), a legal thriller based on John Grisham's novel and directed by Gary Fleder, Weisz embodied Marlee, a cunning outsider who attempts to sway a high-stakes gun manufacturer trial by leveraging her influence over juror Nick Easter (John Cusack).[28] Her supernatural turn came in Constantine (2005), directed by Francis Lawrence, as the determined LAPD detective Angela Dodson (and her twin Isabel), who enlists occult expert John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) to unravel demonic forces behind her sister's death.[29] The decade's pinnacle arrived with Weisz's Academy Award-winning portrayal of Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener (2005), directed by Fernando Meirelles and adapted from John le Carré's 2001 novel.[30] As the idealistic activist wife of a British diplomat (Ralph Fiennes), Tessa uncovers a pharmaceutical conspiracy exploiting Kenyan communities for drug testing, a role that demanded raw vulnerability and moral fervor; Weisz won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006.[30] The film's production in Kenya profoundly impacted the cast and crew, inspiring the establishment of the Constant Gardener Trust in 2005, a UK-registered charity that supported local communities through medical aid, sanitation projects, and microfinance initiatives in Kibera and beyond.[31] Weisz's later 2000s output further demonstrated her genre-spanning appeal. In The Fountain (2006), directed by Darren Aronofsky—whose personal relationship with Weisz influenced their collaboration—she starred opposite Hugh Jackman in a nonlinear tale of love, mortality, and reincarnation spanning centuries, from 16th-century conquistadors to futuristic space travel.[32] She provided the voice of the dragon Saphira in the fantasy epic Eragon (2006), adapted from Christopher Paolini's novel and directed by Stefen Fangmeier. In Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights (2007), her English-language debut, Weisz played Sue Lynne, a resilient bar owner entangled in a web of heartbreak and redemption. The Brothers Bloom (2008), a con-artist caper directed by Rian Johnson, featured her as the eccentric heiress Penelope Stem, whose childlike wonder drives the film's whimsical plot. Finally, in Alejandro Amenábar's historical drama Agora (2009), Weisz portrayed the philosopher Hypatia, a brilliant scholar navigating religious turmoil in ancient Alexandria, earning praise for embodying intellectual defiance. Throughout the decade, Weisz's theatre engagements remained limited, focusing instead on select voice work and smaller productions amid her film commitments.[33]2010s versatility
In the early 2010s, Rachel Weisz expanded her range through roles in intense dramas and interconnected narratives. In The Whistleblower (2010), she portrayed Kathryn Bolkovac, a real-life UN peacekeeper who uncovers a sex-trafficking ring in post-war Bosnia, delivering a performance noted for its raw emotional depth and commitment to highlighting human rights abuses.[34] She followed this with 360 (2011), a globe-spanning drama directed by Fernando Meirelles, where Weisz played a woman entangled in a web of infidelity and fleeting connections across cultures, showcasing her ability to convey subtle relational tensions.[35] That same year, in Terence Davies' The Deep Blue Sea, Weisz embodied Hester Collyer, a woman torn between a stifling marriage and a passionate but destructive affair in post-World War II Britain, earning praise for her nuanced depiction of quiet desperation and inner turmoil.[36] Weisz ventured into sci-fi and action with The Bourne Legacy (2012), playing Dr. Marta Shearing, a virologist thrust into a high-stakes chase alongside agent Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), marking her entry into blockbuster territory while maintaining a grounded, intelligent presence amid the franchise's espionage thrills.[37] This period also saw her return to theatre with her Broadway debut in Harold Pinter's Betrayal (2013), directed by Mike Nichols, where she starred opposite her husband Daniel Craig—whom she had married in 2011—as Emma, a woman navigating a complex love triangle told in reverse chronology, a role that highlighted her stage prowess and the couple's professional synergy.[38] Mid-decade, Weisz embraced surreal and historical period pieces that underscored her versatility. In Yorgos Lanthimos' dystopian satire The Lobster (2015), she played a nameless "short-sighted woman" in a repressive society where singles must pair up or face transformation into animals, using subtle expressions and a distinctive voice to convey defiance and vulnerability. Her turn as historian Deborah Lipstadt in Denial (2016), a courtroom drama about a libel suit brought by Holocaust denier David Irving, captured the academic's fierce intellect and moral resolve during the high-profile trial.[39] That year, in Complete Unknown, Weisz portrayed Alice, a shape-shifting enigmatic figure who reinvents her identity multiple times, exploring themes of reinvention and authenticity through a performance that blended mystery and emotional ambiguity.[40] Weisz's late-2010s work featured prestige dramas delving into personal and societal conflicts. In Disobedience (2017), directed by Sebastián Lelio, she starred as Ronit Krushka, a photographer returning to her Orthodox Jewish community in London and rekindling a forbidden romance with her childhood friend Esti (Rachel McAdams), bringing sensitivity to the film's exploration of faith, desire, and exile.[41] She then played Clare Crowhurst in The Mercy (2018), the devoted wife of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst (Colin Firth), whose ill-fated 1968 round-the-world voyage ends in tragedy, portraying a woman grappling with hope and heartbreak amid public scrutiny.[42] Weisz capped the decade with her role as Lady Sarah Churchill in Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite (2018), a cunning courtier maneuvering for power in Queen Anne's England, a performance that earned her the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for its sharp wit and commanding presence.[43] These roles across genres—from thrillers and satires to historical biopics and intimate dramas—affirmed Weisz's status as a multifaceted performer capable of anchoring both intimate character studies and ensemble-driven narratives.2020s projects
In the early 2020s, Rachel Weisz expanded her presence in blockbuster franchises by portraying Melina Vostokoff, a widowed scientist and former Red Room operative, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Widow (2021), directed by Cate Shortland.[44] Her character, based loosely on the comic book figure Iron Maiden, serves as a surrogate mother figure to Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova while employing advanced neuro-technology in espionage operations.[44] Weisz continued her genre versatility with a supporting role as Sylvie, the poised and enigmatic wife of a Chicago crime boss, in the single-location crime thriller The Outfit (2022), directed by Graham Moore.[45] Set in a 1950s tailor's shop, the film explores mob intrigue through tense confrontations, with Weisz's performance adding layers of subtle menace to the ensemble.[45] A significant milestone came with the six-episode Prime Video miniseries Dead Ringers (2023), where Weisz starred as the identical twin gynecologists Elliot and Beverly Mantle in a gender-swapped adaptation of David Cronenberg's 1988 film.[46] She also executive produced the series through her company Astral Projection, collaborating closely with showrunner Alice Birch from script development through production to infuse the narrative with themes of medical ethics, identity, and obsession.[46] The project earned critical acclaim for its psychological depth and Weisz's dual performance, highlighted by the series' 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[47] Weisz maintained high-profile visibility in the industry by attending the 81st Venice Film Festival in September 2024, appearing on the red carpet alongside her husband Daniel Craig for the premiere of Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino, underscoring her ongoing engagement with prestigious international cinema events.[48] By late 2025, Weisz was reportedly in negotiations to reprise her iconic role as Evelyn Carnahan in a fourth installment of The Mummy franchise at Universal Pictures, reuniting with Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell under the direction of the filmmaking collective Radio Silence.[49] The project, produced by Sean Daniel and ignoring the events of the 2017 Tom Cruise-led reboot, aims to revive the original 1999 adventure's spirit with Weisz's character as a brilliant Egyptologist.[4] Reflecting a growing emphasis on production, Weisz executive produced and starred in the Netflix limited series Vladimir (announced 2025), an adaptation of Julia May Jonas's novel about a professor's ethical dilemmas and obsessions, with production underway in Toronto and co-stars including Leo Woodall.[50] This follows her 2024 first-look deal with Fremantle for Astral Projection, signaling her pivot toward developing female-led narratives across streaming and independent film.[51]Personal life
Relationships
Rachel Weisz has maintained a private personal life, rarely discussing her romantic relationships in public interviews.[52] Weisz began dating filmmaker Darren Aronofsky in 2001 after meeting backstage at London's Almeida Theatre, where she starred in the play The Shape of Things. The couple became engaged in 2005 and welcomed a son, Henry, in 2006. Their relationship, which lasted nearly a decade, ended amicably in November 2010, with both parties citing a mutual decision to separate while emphasizing their commitment to co-parenting.[53][54][55] Following her split from Aronofsky, Weisz rekindled a connection with actor Daniel Craig, whom she had first met in the early 1990s as emerging talents in London's acting scene. They began dating in late 2010 after co-starring as a married couple in the film Dream House. The pair married in a private ceremony on June 22, 2011, in New York City, attended by only four guests, including Weisz's son and Craig's daughter from a previous relationship. In 2018, they welcomed a daughter, further solidifying their family. Weisz and Craig have consistently prioritized privacy, avoiding joint red-carpet appearances and shielding their relationship from media scrutiny.[52][56][57]Family and residences
Weisz and her husband Daniel Craig welcomed a daughter, Grace, in September 2018.[58] The couple has maintained a low public profile for their child, rarely sharing details about her life or appearances.[59] Weisz has emphasized the importance of shielding her daughter from media scrutiny, describing family routines as ordinary and chaotic while prioritizing privacy over public exposure.[60] Born a British citizen, Weisz acquired dual British-U.S. citizenship in 2011, the same year she married Craig, to secure her residency status amid frequent international travel.[61] The family primarily resides in London, where they raise their daughter, but they split time between the U.K. and the U.S. to accommodate their careers.[62] In New York, they own properties including a condo in the East Village purchased in 2012 and a townhouse in Brooklyn's Cobble Hill acquired in 2018.[63][64] Weisz approaches family life with a focus on work-life balance, often selecting roles that allow her to remain close to home and avoid prolonged absences.[65] She has spoken about the challenges of managing stardom alongside parenthood, opting out of social media to preserve family boundaries.[66] Her younger sister, Minnie Weisz, a visual artist and photographer, provides supportive family ties outside the entertainment industry, maintaining a close but private relationship.[67]Philanthropy and other work
Charitable causes
Weisz co-founded the Constant Gardener Trust in 2006, following her Academy Award-winning role in the film The Constant Gardener, to provide ongoing support to Kenyan communities impacted by poverty and unethical pharmaceutical practices depicted in the story. The trust has focused on education, healthcare, and economic development initiatives in regions like Kibera and Loiyangalani, with Weisz contributing through fundraising events and personal donations, including auctioning a diamond necklace at the film's UK premiere to raise initial funds. The Constant Gardener Trust, while founded in 2006, has had minimal activity in recent years.[68][69][31] In collaboration with Oxfam since 2005, Weisz has advocated for poverty alleviation and women's rights in Africa, drawing from her research with the organization for The Constant Gardener, where she consulted field workers on refugee camps and aid challenges. Her involvement includes participating in Oxfam campaigns against fast fashion waste, such as donating clothing to their 2019 Second Hand September event to promote sustainable practices and support global equity programs.[70][71] Weisz has been a supporter of Cancer Research UK, contributing to breast cancer research and awareness through donations like a designer handbag to their 2009 Handbag Amnesty auction, which raised funds for clinical trials and patient care advancements. She has also lent her voice to the Pediatric Epilepsy Project, participating in awareness campaigns to fund research on childhood epilepsy treatments and reduce stigma around the condition.[72][73] In 2015, Weisz was honored by the Opportunity Network at their Power of Women event for her advocacy in youth employment programs, helping connect under-resourced young adults to career opportunities in creative industries through mentorship and networking initiatives. She continues to champion the Opportunity Network, serving as a supporter for their 2025 gala promoting youth employment. In 2023, Weisz attended the Clooney Foundation for Justice's Albie Awards to support global human rights efforts. Her commitments emphasize sustained awareness and financial support rather than operational leadership, reflecting a pattern of tying philanthropy to themes from her film roles.[74][75][76]Modeling and endorsements
Weisz began her modeling career at the age of 14, winning a competition that led to appearances in teenage magazines; to secure gigs, she lied about her height, claiming to be 5 feet 7 inches tall.[77][78] She was represented by the London-based agency Independent Models.[79] This early work allowed her to earn money independently, helping fund her education.[11] In 2010, Weisz was named a global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris, promoting the brand's skincare and beauty lines worldwide, including the anti-aging Revitalift series.[80][81] She has also served as a muse for designer Narciso Rodriguez, often wearing his minimalist designs at high-profile events.[82][83] After 2010, Weisz scaled back her modeling commitments to prioritize acting, though she made occasional appearances on magazine covers, such as the April 2006 issue of British Vogue.[84]Filmography
Film roles
Weisz made her feature film debut in Bernardo Bertolucci's Stealing Beauty (1996), playing the lead role of Lucy Harmon.[85] Her breakthrough came with the role of Evelyn Carnahan in the action-adventure The Mummy (1999), directed by Stephen Sommers, which grossed $417 million worldwide.[86] She reprised the character as Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell in The Mummy Returns (2001), which earned $435 million globally. Weisz did not appear in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), in which Maria Bello played the role. Other notable early roles include Tania Chernova in Enemy at the Gates (2001) and Rachel in About a Boy (2002). In 2003, Weisz starred as Evelyn Ann Thompson in The Shape of Things, for which she also served as a producer. She portrayed Marlee in the legal thriller Runaway Jury (2003). Weisz played Angela Dodson in the supernatural film Constantine (2005). Her performance as Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener (2005), directed by Fernando Meirelles, earned her critical acclaim.[87] Subsequent roles included Izzy Creo in The Fountain (2006), Wanda in Fred Claus (2007), and Sue Lynne in My Blueberry Nights (2007). In 2008, she starred as Penelope Martin in The Brothers Bloom and Maya Hayes in Definitely, Maybe. Weisz took on the role of Hypatia in the historical drama Agora (2009). In the 2010s, she appeared as Kathryn Bolkovac in The Whistleblower (2010), Dr. Marta Shearing in The Bourne Legacy (2012), and Evanora in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). She played the Short Sighted Woman in The Lobster (2015) and Lena Ballinger in Youth (2015). Roles in 2016 included Hannah Roettiger in The Light Between Oceans and Deborah Lipstadt in Denial. Weisz starred as Rachel in My Cousin Rachel (2017) and as Ronit Krushka in Disobedience (2017), the latter for which she also served as a producer. In 2018, she portrayed Ruth First in The Mercy and Lady Sarah in The Favourite. Weisz played Melina Vostokoff in the Marvel film Black Widow (2021), which grossed $379 million worldwide. Her role as Ruth in the crime thriller The Outfit (2022) followed. As of November 2025, Weisz is in talks to reprise Evelyn O'Connell in a fourth installment of The Mummy franchise, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. She is also attached to star in upcoming projects including Vladimir and Seance on a Wet Afternoon.[49][88]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Stealing Beauty | Lucy Harmon | Feature debut[85] |
| 1996 | Chain Reaction | Dr. Lily Sinclair | |
| 1997 | Bent | Sarah | |
| 1998 | The Land Girls | Helen | |
| 1999 | The Mummy | Evelyn Carnahan | $417M worldwide gross[86] |
| 2000 | Beautiful Creatures | Toni | |
| 2001 | Enemy at the Gates | Tania Chernova | |
| 2001 | The Mummy Returns | Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell | $435M worldwide gross |
| 2002 | About a Boy | Rachel | |
| 2003 | The Shape of Things | Evelyn Ann Thompson | Also producer |
| 2003 | Runaway Jury | Marlee | |
| 2003 | Confidence | Lily | |
| 2004 | Envy | Debbie Dingman | |
| 2005 | Constantine | Angela Dodson / Isabel Dodson | |
| 2005 | The Constant Gardener | Tessa Quayle | [87] |
| 2006 | Eragon | Saphira (voice) | |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Izzy Creo | |
| 2007 | Fred Claus | Wanda | |
| 2007 | My Blueberry Nights | Sue Lynne | |
| 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | Maya Hayes | |
| 2008 | The Brothers Bloom | Penelope Martin | |
| 2009 | Agora | Hypatia | |
| 2009 | The Lovely Bones | Abigail Salmon | |
| 2010 | The Whistleblower | Kathryn Bolkovac | |
| 2011 | 360 | Rose | |
| 2011 | The Deep Blue Sea | Hester Collyer | |
| 2012 | The Bourne Legacy | Dr. Marta Shearing | |
| 2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Evanora | |
| 2015 | The Lobster | Short Sighted Woman | |
| 2015 | Youth | Lena Ballinger | |
| 2016 | The Light Between Oceans | Hannah Roettiger | |
| 2016 | Complete Unknown | Alice Manning | |
| 2016 | Denial | Deborah Lipstadt | |
| 2017 | My Cousin Rachel | Rachel | |
| 2017 | Disobedience | Ronit Krushka | Also producer |
| 2018 | The Mercy | Ruth First | |
| 2018 | The Favourite | Lady Sarah | |
| 2021 | Black Widow | Melina Vostokoff | $379M worldwide gross |
| 2022 | The Outfit | Ruth | |
| TBA | The Mummy (upcoming) | Evelyn O'Connell | In development; in talks to reprise role[49] |
| TBA | Vladimir | TBA | In development[88] |
| TBA | Seance on a Wet Afternoon | Myra Savage | In development; starring role[88] |