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The Fountain - Rachel Weisz interview

Rachel Weisz in The Fountain

Compiled by Jack Foley

RACHEL Weisz about appearing in Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain, Hugh Jackman’s performance and the commitment of the director in getting it made.

Q. Can you tell us what The Fountain is all about?
Rachel Weisz: Love. It’s a cosmic love story, like Romeo & Juliet, except that there the families hate each other, and here the hurdle is that she’s being torn away from him prematurely. Ultimately, what the movie is about is that life is finite, it doesn’t last forever, and therefore we have to take that walk in the snow with our loved ones, because every moment is precious, and every moment should be cherished.

Q. How did you feel the first time you read it?
Rachel Weisz: The very first time I read it, it blew me away. It was so emotional and romantic – like big, capital-R romantic. It broke my heart and made me sob and made me think. I remember where I was when I first read it. It was late at night, and I was just up all night thinking. It made me think about all those big questions that sometimes keep us awake at night.

Q. Hugh Jackman gives an extraordinary performance. Do you think people are going to be surprised by the intensity of his performance?
Rachel Weisz: Definitely. It’s a tremendous performance. It’s got such depth, so many layers, and he’s so emotionally open. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man be so open on screen. It’s an extraordinary thing to see. He’s so raw. He has this innocence, this sensitivity and gentleness and great compassion.

But he also can bring out the man. When I first saw him as Tomas, the Conquistador, I just said, “Whoa!!’ I mean, his testosterone… he’s got the beard, and he’s in the leather and the boots. And he’s just an old-fashioned male movie star. I don’t think there are actually many around any more.

Q. Hugh was instrumental in helping to get The Fountain revived after it was shut down in 2002. Why do you think Darren was so determined not to let it die?
Rachel Weisz: That’s Darren. I can’t think of another example of a person who would keep going. I’m not going to mention the names of the films that he was offered – Hollywood films – and he just said “no” to every single one because this is what he wanted to do. It’s a testament to his passion and belief as an artist. Everybody said “no” many, many times. But he just kept biting, to the point where I’d have some agents say to me: “What’s he doing? He’s mad! He should work!” That was their opinion. But he doesn’t really go with the herd. He does his own thing.

Q. Like many works of art, The Fountain seems to have divided people into those who aren’t sure about it and those who adore it. Why do you think that is?
Rachel Weisz: Darren makes divisive films, so I thought it was only to be expected that this was going to divide audiences and especially the press. In Venice, at the world premiere, we had a 10-minute standing ovation. And the US premiere, at the Chinese Theatre, was the most incredible night – it just went down so well.

Q. It seems like you hardly ever stop working. What drives you?
Rachel Weisz: There are so many stories to tell and I love nothing more than immersing myself in a good story and telling it. It’s an amazing job to have, and often it doesn’t really feel “job-like”. It’s so different every day, every minute, every hour… every time you do a take it’s different. It’s such a great gig to have in life.