Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz Step Out Together Ahead of His Queer Film Premiere at Venice Film Festival

Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz kicked off their time in Italy with a celebratory dinner after arriving for the 81st Venice Film Festival. The couple attended a special event on 2nd September , held at Hotel Cipriani’s Il Porticciolo restaurant, ahead of the premiere of Craig’s film ‘Queer’. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the historical romantic drama had its spotlight moment during the festival.

Craig, 56, dressed in a light gray blazer paired with white trousers and an open-collared white shirt, while his 54-year-old Oscar-winning wife, Rachel Weisz, looked elegant in a cream dress with white floral accents.

The dinner was attended by director Guadagnino, along with Craig’s co-stars Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, Lesley Manville, and Omar Apollo. Other notable attendees included costume designer Jonathan Anderson, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, and W Magazine Editor-in-Chief Sara Moonves.

Image Courtesy: People

‘Queer’, adapted from William S. Burroughs’ novel, follows the character William Lee (played by Craig) as he navigates life in Mexico City and pursues a relationship with Eugene Allerton, a Navy veteran played by Drew Starkey. Written in the early 1950s but unpublished until 1985, the novel serves as a sequel to Burroughs’ earlier work, ‘Junkie’.

At a press conference on September 3, Craig discussed his on-screen chemistry with Starkey, emphasizing their effort to make the intimate scenes “touching, real, and natural.” He praised Starkey as a “wonderful, fantastic, beautiful actor,” adding that they had a great time working together.

Image Courtesy: People

Craig and Weisz’s relationship dates back to 1994 when they first met as young actors in London. Although they didn’t start dating until 2010, while filming ‘Dream House’, the couple married in a private ceremony just six months later. They share a daughter born in 2018, whose name remains private. Weisz also has an 18-year-old son, Henry, with director Darren Aronofsky, while Craig has an adult daughter, Ella, from his previous marriage to Fiona Loudon.

In a 2023 interview with Willie Geist for Sunday TODAY, Weisz talked about how the couple alternates their acting schedules to prioritize family time. She noted that they prefer to work separately to ensure one of them can always be home with their children.

‘Queer’ is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

–Farheen Ali