Universal's 1999 remake of "The Mummy" was a cultural reset for both the property
and Hollywood as a whole. It arguably changed action movies, helping usher in the era of CGI
villains and heavily comedic heroes. One of those heroes, Rachel Weisz's Evelyn Carnahan,
propels the action of the first "Mummy" film. She is the one who recognizes the significance
of the puzzle box that leads them to the city of Hamunaptra. She reads the incantation that awakens
Imhotep, and it is her soul that the undead priest wants to give his dearly departed girlfriend.
Evelyn is a huge part of the "Mummy" franchise's appeal.
Fans love the movie's blend of action, romance, and comedy — all of which Weisz contributes to.
She channels screwball comediennes of the '30s for her sparkling performance.
The Stranger noted in its review how perfect she was to play Evelyn, saying,
"[She has] all the spunk and ditzy charm you'd expect from a heroine who can
proudly proclaim she's not just smart. She's a librarian!"
The "Mummy" series arguably fell off when Weisz failed to return for "The Mummy:
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," the third installment in the "Mummy" series. A representative of Weisz
told Digital Spy that she didn't want to go to China and spend so much time away from her,
at the time, newborn son. After leaving the "Mummy" franchise,
Weisz went on to work steadily in movies both big and small.
But her most critically acclaimed work of late has been on a much smaller scale than "The Mummy."
Rachel Weisz won an Academy Award not long after "The Mummy Returns" for her
performance in the 2005 adaptation of John Le Carré's "The Constant Gardener."
The film centers on Ralph Fiennes' Justin Quayle, who tries to solve the murder of his wife.
Weisz plays the ill-fated wife, Tessa, an Amnesty activist in Kenya.
Weisz also has had some brief dalliances with other blockbuster franchises post-"Mummy." The
same year she starred in "The Constant Gardener," she made a foray into comic book adaptations with
the cult favorite "Constantine." She'd go on to star in "The Bourne Legacy," opposite
Jeremy Renner, before doing her time in the MCU, playing Melina Vostokoff in "Black Widow" in 2021.
Vostokoff is something of a mother figure to Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff
and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova. As of yet, there's been no word if Vostokoff
will return to the MCU, but there's little doubt fans would adore seeing her again.
While Wiesz's experience with blockbusters is extensive,
her most notable work of late has been in more indie fare.
Weisz first worked with Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos on his 2015 black comedy "The Lobster."
She played a woman searching for love before she gets turned into an animal. She would reunite with
Lanthimos for 2018's "The Favourite," in which she plays Lady Sarah Churchill. Lady Sarah starts the
film as the titular "favourite" of Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman, as well as her secret
girlfriend. Emma Stone plays Abigail, who woos the Queen away from Lady Sarah in an attempt to stay
in power at court. Colman won an Academy Award for her performance as Queen Anne, the apex of
the unlikely love triangle, while Stone and Weisz were both nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
The same year as "The Favourite," Weisz starred in "Disobedience,"
opposite Rachel McAdams. The drama focuses on two women from the Orthodox
Jewish community who try to reconcile their love for each other with their sometimes overbearingly
strict community. Despite being married to a man—Daniel Craig, a.k.a. James Bond— Weisz's
performances in these films have vaulted Weisz into queer icon status in the LGBTQ community.
Weisz's queer turn may have something to do with the fact that she's primarily focused
on women-centered stories. She told the New York Times,
"I really enjoy all the thousands of movies I've seen about men [...] I mean,
there are some great masterpieces. But there's just a dearth of ones
about women. I love women. Women are just really fascinating and different to men."
Fans can likely expect this trend to continue with Weisz's future projects.
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