Rachel Weisz returns to the Donmar Warehouse where, 15 years ago, her appearance in Noël Coward’s Design For Living – with Clive Owen and Paul Rhys – won her a best newcomer award. Since then she has appeared there in Tennessee Williams’s Suddenly Last Summer (and more recently won film kudos and awards for The Constant Gardener), and it is to another Williams hothouse drama that she returns for her latest role. Following in the footsteps of Glenn Close at the National in 2002, Weisz plays Blanche DuBois, the slightly deranged, ageing southern belle who arrives at the home of her sister in downtown New Orleans, where her delusions and veneer of respectability are smashed by her brutal brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski (Elliot Cowan). Rob Ashford, the choreographer who made his directorial debut with the Donmar production of Parade, takes charge again.

US studio Fox International has piecked up the Spanish rights to Alejandro Amenabar’s $70m historical epic Agora, starring Rachel Weisz, It will be released on October 9. The film premiered in the official selection at this year’s Cannes, although was not in competition. US outfit Focus Features has already taken worldwide distribution and sales rights to Agora outside Spain. The ambitious historical drama tells the story of a love triangle between astronomer Hypatia (Weisz), Davus (Max Minghella) and Orestes (Oscar Isaac), and is set in 4th century Alexandria during the conflicts between the Pagans and the Christians. Fernando Bovaira and Simon de Santiago’s Mod Producciones co-produce alongside Telecinco Cinema, the film arm of Spanish broadcaster Telecinco, and Amenabar’s own company Himenoptero. Amenabar’s previous films The Sea Inside (Mar Adentro), starring Javier Bardem, and The Others (2001), starring Nicole Kidman, took $26m and $21m, respectively at the Spanish box office.

Rachel Weisz doesn’t dig the frozen faces of Hollywood, she tells the August 2009 issue of UK’s Harper’s Bazaar: “It should be banned for actors, as steroids are for sportsmen,” the 39-year-old British actress says of Botox. “Acting is all about expression; why would you want to iron out a frown?” As for fashion, Rachel says, “I love the way girls in London dress; it’s so different to the American ‘blow-dry and immaculate grooming’ thing.” Thanks to JustJared for the head-up!

Michelle Pfeiffer – who played Catwoman and her alter ego Selina Kyle in 1992 movie Batman Returns – says she thinks the character should be brought back for the next movie in the hit superhero franchise and she would happily compare experiences with the chosen actress. She said: “You would think they’d bring her back. They better… They should! “I would be there for the consult. I can give the whipping lessons. I did my own whipping.” Both Angelina Jolie and Rachel Weisz have been mooted for the potential role, but Michelle refused to choose a favourite saying only they would “both would be awesome”. Director Christopher Nolan – who helmed the previous Christian Bale-starring Caped Crusader adventures, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight – is rumoured not to be returning for a third movie.

The Brothers Bloom actress insists on taking long breaks between movie projects so she can spend time with her fiance Darren Aronofsky, and their son Henry, two. She said: “I used to work back to back but now I do two projects a year and take a big break in between them.” Rachel and ‘The Wrestler’ director are so focused on making their relationship work they only accept work in the same country as where the other is filming to minimise any disruption for Henry. She added: “I have to consider where I’m travelling to if Darren’s going to be working at the same time. “I filmed Agora in Malta for four months and Darren edited there. I started and he came out two weeks later with his editor. Before that we were both at home in New York, so we’ve managed to keep the family together and it works.” Rachel recently said she loves the luxury of taking Henry to work with her – but has to be careful he doesn’t receive too much attention. She explained: “The good thing is my son gets a big welcome on my film sets. If you work in an office or a factory, your kids can’t come visit you during the day. On films there’s a lot of down time so he’s with me a lot. The only problem is that everyone is spoiling him rotten.”

Rachel Weisz is eyeing the lead role in Face Value, an independent film about 1940s Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr, says The Hollywood Reporter. Austrian-born Lamarr, whose most famous role is in Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson And Delilah, retired from acting in 1957 and went on to have a career as a pioneering scientist. She was involved in creating a method of changing frequencies, which helped pave the way for modern wireless communications. Amy Redford, daughter of Robert, will direct the movie, which was at one point touted as a vehicle for Charlize Theron. Jose Rivera and Gretchen Somerfeld have penned the script for Face Value. Weisz recently signed up for political drama The Whistleblower, in which she will play a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia.