Rachel Weisz: 'I would do any film project with Yorgos Lanthimos'

Rachel Weisz would sign up to do any film project with director Yorgos Lanthimos, even if the script wasn't very good.

The British star took home the Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for her work in Lanthimos' period comedy-drama The Favourite in London on Sunday night (10Feb19), and she told reporters backstage that the Greek filmmaker, who also directed her in The Lobster, is such a "visionary" that she would say yes to any film project he wanted to do.

When asked why she wanted to do The Favourite, she replied, "It was an extraordinary piece of writing, plus I knew that Yorgos Lanthimos was directing and I’ve worked with him before. I would do any script, even a not very good script, I would do with him…. I’d assume he’s got something in mind that he’s going to turn it into, he’s a pretty visionary person."

The actress admitted she was "shell-shocked" at winning the "massive, tremendous honour" over nominees including her co-star Emma Stone as well as Amy Adams (Vice), Margot Robbie (Mary Queen of Scots) and Claire Foy (First Man), and would be keeping her trophy in her study.

She also took the opportunity to gush over Emma and their co-star Olivia Colman, insisting that they were a true ensemble.

"They are both so extraordinary, Olivia and Emma, the whole cast… the main story is the three women, it was just joy every day to watch them work and be in scenes with them and get to work opposite them. We had a lot of fun," she said. "My performance completely relied on the other two. I think it would be fair to say that each one of us relied on the other two – I think it was a true ensemble. They definitely made me better."

Her comments were echoed by Olivia as she won Best Actress, telling the audience that all three of them should have been treated as lead actresses and adding, "This is for all three of us."