Rachel Weiszis revealing the unlikely inspiration for new psychological thrillerDead Ringers.
“Sex and the Citycame up more than anything,” Weisz, who also serves as an executive producer of the show, shares in PEOPLE’s exclusive preview of heremmymagazinecover story (out April 14). “I think all the writers would say that we’re indebted toSex and the City.”
Robert Ascroft
Weiszdescribes the Prime Video series as “a deliciously wicked drama,” adding, “It’s our own cocktail, a real genre mashup —Sex and the Cityplus a little horror.”
PHOTO: Robert AscroftPHOTO: Robert AscroftPHOTO: Robert Ascroft
The Favouritestar also opens up about the challenges of adapting the horror flick. For starters, in the new version, twin obstetricians are on a mission to change how women give birth.
“I really loved the original Cronenberg movieDead Ringers, which came out in 1988,” she explains. “I just had the idea, what if you remade it for television with two women, instead of two men in the lead roles.”
Weiszsays she was “very involved” in the pre-production process but “when it came time to start filming, I was just an actress playing two roles, that would take twice as long to film a scene where both twins were in the scene and they were speaking to each other in the same frame, which was a great majority of the show.”
The competition between the siblings also drew Weisz to the project.
“What interested me is that level of intimacy — the idea of sharing everything,” she shares. “It’s a really intense story. These two incredibly high-functioning siblings are brilliant at their jobs, but massively dysfunctional in their private lives. That contrast between genius and dysfunction is psychologically very profound.”
Despite the realistic nature of the show, Weisz says she didn’t “feel queasy” during filming.
“There’s blood and it’s very realistic, seeing a C-section,” she explains. “I met some obstetricians and they said, ‘Oh you’re not a real obstetrician until there is blood on the ceiling. Most surgeons say, blood on shoes,’ and he was like, ‘That’s for beginners.’ A very eminent Manhattan obstetrician said that to me.”
“When you’re giving birth, you can’t observe it,” she adds. “And it was extraordinarily beautiful and primal. I don’t think I’ve ever had an adrenaline rush like that before.”
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Dead Ringerspremieres April 21 on Prime Video.
source: people.com
