Rachel rakes it in

Rachel Weisz has become one of the highest paid British actresses working in Hollywood, thanks to landing the starring role in a blockbuster opposite Keanu Reeves.

She has signed a £5 million deal to appear in Constantine, which is based on a comic book called Hellblazer.

If the movie, now filming in Los Angeles, becomes a hit when released next year, Rachel’s share of the profits could net her much more than the £5 million.

Although the Cambridge-educated actress enjoys doing stage work and making small budget, independent films, many LA studios like to hire her because she has ‘name recognition’, thanks to the success of the Mummy films.

In Constantine, she plays a police officer who joins forces with a mysterious crime fighter to find out the truth about her sister’s dubious death.

The movie switches between fantasy and realistic drama. Tilda Swinton, so good in About Adam, also stars.

It makes a change for our actresses to be cast in big Hollywood movies. (A lot of American actresses — and they’re most welcome — have worked on this side of the Atlantic this summer, including Annette Bening and Debra Messing.)

Another British actress, Naomie Harris, who played the no-nonsense plague survivor in 28 Days Later, has been picked to star with Halle Berry and Pierce Brosnan in After The Sunset.