Rachel Weisz is known for taking on roles that entice and challenge—she’s even won an Oscar for it. But it’s her latest role as Hester in Terence Davies’s The Deep Blue Sea that resonates in a most powerful way. The film tells the story of a woman who throws herself into a self-destructive love affair with an emotionally distant Royal Air Force pilot and the madness in which it causes her to descend. As the wife of a tame yet loving judge, she makes the decision to leave him in pursuit of her extreme desire, only to end up shattered by the passion she possesses but does not receive. Known for his unique cinematic works, Davies has crafted a brilliant adaptation of Terence Ratigan’s play that feels almost like a nightmarish, lovesick dream that can feel at once relatable or completely out of one’s emotional sphere. We caught up with Rachel to discuss what attracted her to Hester, how love makes one mad, and working with such an iconic director.