Despite coming from a background in modeling as a teen, actress Rachel Weisz has proven herself to be one of the most competent actresses to come out of the United Kingdom in recent years. From the interesting roles she takes on to the complexity and talent she brings to the screen, Weisz is a force to be reckoned with.
Ever since making a big impact on audiences in the 1999 version of The Mummy, Weisz has played role after memorable role. She’s not afraid to take on a role from an unconventional director or play a part that’s outside her comfort zone, and this ambition has won her multiple award nominations including an Oscar for best Best Supporting Actress.
The Lobster
Yorgos Lanthimos’s second film, The Lobster, is an abstract love story about a world where single people are sent to a resort to live out the last of their days. If they are able to find a partner within a certain amount of time, they are allowed to marry. If they do not find a partner, they are turned into an animal of their choosing. Rachel Weisz shines in this film, and it’s easily deserving of the top spot.
The Fountain
Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Fountain grapples with many existential themes and reflects on the meaning of life in a very serious way. Weisz costars with Hugh Jackman, and the role was practically made for her—after all, she was married to Aronofsky at the time.
The Constant Gardener
This film actually managed to earn Weisz an Academy Award. The Constant Gardener covers all kinds of ground: murder, greedy businesses, corrupt corporations, and the secrets that exist within a marriage. Ralph Fiennes certainly pulls his weight in the film, playing Weisz’s husband, but she’s the one who ultimately steals the show.
The Brothers Bloom
Before Rian Johnson was making Star Wars movies, he was directing this fun adventure-comedy. Weisz, along with Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, travel across the globe doing one last heist. The movie’s a blast, thanks in part to Weisz’s performance.
About a Boy
Oddly enough, not only can Rachel Weisz carry dramas, she can carry a romantic comedy incredibly well. The early 2000s film About a Boy was one of the first Nick Hornby novels to be made into a feature film, and it easily stole the hearts of critics and audiences alike. Weisz shows up around the midpoint of the film and carries it the rest of the way home.
Denial
Based on a true story about Holocaust denial and the truth behind the definition of “academic,” Weisz stars as award-winning writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt as she fights for the millions of victims of the Holocaust against a man named David Irving who argues that it never happened. When Lipstadt calls him a denier in one of her works, he sues her for libel. Weisz is fantastic in this true-to-life story.
Disobedience
The most recent film on this list, Disobedience actually stars two Rachels: McAdams and Weisz. Shunned as a child for her attraction to her female friend, Weisz’s character returns to the Orthodox community where she was raised and reignites things with McAdams. The film was universally praised, thanks mainly to Weisz and McAdams.
Sunshine
Again starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, Sunshine follows a Hungarian Jewish family throughout the ups and downs of the 20th century. Critics praised the film’s brilliance and its profound handling of the history at the core of the film, as well as Weisz and Fiennes’s performances.
The Mummy
The movie that started it all for her: The Mummy. Costarring with Brendan Frasier, Weisz gives a performance not worthy of a cheesy blockbuster flick. Seeing her in this movie is a true testament to her talent: no one expects a summer tentpole to have great acting, but she brings her A-game anyway.
Enemy at the Gates
Weisz does a great job in this cat-and-mouse game of a war film, acting along side a Fiennes that isn’t Ralph: it’s his brother, Joseph. Taking place during the Battle of Stalingrad, Weisz plays a female soldier who is fought over by a few of the male soldiers.
