Suntimes.com - January 6, 2006

Rachel Weisz finds lots to love about ‘Gardener’

By Miriam Di Nunzio

“The Constant Gardener” hits video retailers on Tuesday. Rachel Weisz, who stars as Tessa Quayle, the young, free-spirited and passionate activist married to a British diplomat played by Ralph Fiennes, spoke to the Sun-Times about the critically acclaimed film.

Q. Congratulations on your Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actress in a drama. The film has been nominated for best drama and director Fernando Meirelles also picked up a nomination. But Ralph Fiennes was overlooked.

A. I just couldn’t believe he wasn’t nominated. We were a team on this film. I was very surprised that I was nominated and very thrilled. I share the nomination with Ralph.

Q. Was the location shoot in Africa very difficult?

A. Actually, it was really fun being in Kenya. When we were out in the bush, there were no hotels there. We were flown in to locations, as were the tents, food and water. For showers, they’d heat water and you’d stand in this cubicle and pull a cord. The toilet was a hole in the ground. It sounds awful, but it was so exciting. The locals, various African tribes living the same way they have for thousands of years, were so wonderful. I never went camping as a child, so for me it was an amazing time. It was probably very similar to when they filmed “Mogambo” [1953] with Clark Gable. [Laughing] I got to have Ralph Fiennes in the next tent.

Q. What attracted you to the role of Tessa?

A. She represented the belief that everybody in the world is innately good and wants to do good, do something about corruption in the world, only none of us knows how. Here was a woman who knew how, and believed with her whole heart that one person can make a difference. I’ve always been fascinated by people who devote their lives to changing things. That aspect of her character was very inspiring to me.

Q. Tell me about the rather unconventional love that Tessa and Justin (Fiennes) share in this film.

A. It’s a very unusual, tragic love story because they’re complete opposites. They’re such an unlikely pair. She gives him passion, he gives her stability, so it balances out. And as you watch the film, you don’t know where the love story is going.

Q. Do you prefer doing films like “The Constant Gardener” or the action films such as the recent “Mummy” films in which you co-starred?

A. ["The Constant Gardener"] is the film I’m most proud of. But I do like doing physical things in a film, doing stunts. There’s something very free and exciting about that.