In an industry where birth scenes are often sugar-coated or entirely omitted, Rachel Weisz was determined to portray the realities of childbirth in her latest film. The Oscar-winning actress and producer of the drama “Motherhood” spoke with BBC News about why it was important to accurately showcase the emotional and physical challenges of becoming a mother on-screen. Weisz reveals that she and the film’s director didn’t want to be coy about depicting birth scenes, as they felt it was vital to give a voice to the experiences of women everywhere. In this article, we’ll explore Weisz’s thoughts on motherhood, her decision to tackle the topic in her latest film, and the importance of representing these stories honestly in the media.
Rachel Weisz, the acclaimed actress and Oscar-winner, has taken on the dual roles of twin obstetricians in the six-part Amazon Prime drama Dead Ringers. Weisz, who also co-created the series, said she wanted to be frank about the realistic depiction of childbirth featured in the first episode. Weisz explained: “We’re incredibly used to seeing violence and people being killed, death, blood… we’re almost immune to that at this point. For me, I think it’s a beautiful moment, it’s kind of a miracle when a baby’s born. We didn’t want to be coy about it.”
The original Dead Ringers movie from 1988 was directed by David Cronenberg and starred Jeremy Irons as the twins. However, Weisz wanted to re-imagine the male characters as female, explaining that she and her co-creator, Alice Birch, were interested in how the characters’ different approaches to birth sit on opposite ends of the ethical spectrum.
Of the challenges in playing two characters in the same body, Weisz explained how she and director Tony McNamara elected to shoot one character first before changing all costumes and hair for the other twin. She also had the support of a drama graduate, Kitty Hawthorn, who would play one twin opposite Weisz, “She was Beverly to my Elliot and vice versa”. In addition, Hawthorn also played the sisters’ mother in a flashback scene in episode four.
Weisz has said working on Dead Ringers has been “the most challenging and most joyful experience in my career” thanks in part to the all-female writing team, the input of birth experts, and the reading of stories of women’s often uncomfortable and difficult experiences of childbirth. Dead Ringers, which has been warmly received, has already premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was released on Amazon Prime on 21 October 2021.
In conclusion, Rachel Weisz’s candid approach to birth scenes in film is a refreshing departure from Hollywood’s historically coy treatment of the topic. By normalizing childbirth and portraying it realistically on screen, Weisz is helping to break down stigma and empower women. As she continues to champion projects that challenge societal norms, we can’t wait to see what this bold and fearless actress does next.
