"As a child I was the best tree climber in our neighbourhood, I was like a little monkey. I've never been afraid of hurting myself or a little physical discomfort"
About this Quote
There is a particular kind of glamour in admitting you were a scrappy kid. Rachel Weisz’s memory of being “the best tree climber” in the neighborhood isn’t just cute autobiography; it’s a carefully chosen origin story. “Like a little monkey” gives the image teeth: agile, mischievous, a body that moves on instinct rather than manners. For an actor, that’s a quiet flex. It suggests physical intelligence, curiosity, and a willingness to look unpolished in pursuit of something higher than looking pretty.
The second sentence sharpens the intent. “Never been afraid of hurting myself” lands like a rebuttal to the way women in public life are so often framed: delicate, managed, risk-averse. Weisz isn’t performing bravado so much as staking out a relationship to work and to her own body. The phrase “a little physical discomfort” is doing a lot of cultural labor here, normalizing strain as part of the job, even part of pleasure. It’s the kind of line that plays well in an era where actors are expected to be both artists and athletes, where commitment is measured in bruises, stunts, and on-set endurance.
Subtext: the adult Weisz is telling you she earned her confidence early, in a space outside adult supervision, before anyone taught her to be careful, or quieter. It’s less about trees than about permission - to take up space, to risk, to fall, and to climb again.
The second sentence sharpens the intent. “Never been afraid of hurting myself” lands like a rebuttal to the way women in public life are so often framed: delicate, managed, risk-averse. Weisz isn’t performing bravado so much as staking out a relationship to work and to her own body. The phrase “a little physical discomfort” is doing a lot of cultural labor here, normalizing strain as part of the job, even part of pleasure. It’s the kind of line that plays well in an era where actors are expected to be both artists and athletes, where commitment is measured in bruises, stunts, and on-set endurance.
Subtext: the adult Weisz is telling you she earned her confidence early, in a space outside adult supervision, before anyone taught her to be careful, or quieter. It’s less about trees than about permission - to take up space, to risk, to fall, and to climb again.
Quote Details
| Topic | Youth |
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