Mummy Star Takes Twisted Turn

As Brendan Fraser's leading lady in the Mummy movies, British beauty Rachel Weisz won moviegoers' hearts. In The Shape of Things (opening May 9), she's the object of Friends star Paul Rudd's affection. Unfortunately, her character gives his a major makeover — from hopeless geek to preppie chic — for all the wrong reasons.

"I think anybody who's been in a relationship and says that they haven't tried to change their partner in any way would be lying," Weisz tells TV Guide Online. "I think everybody does it.

"It can start with something really benign and silly," she adds. "Like, 'I prefer it when you wear the brown sweater to the blue sweater' or 'Maybe you should get your hair cut.'" The desire to reshape others, Weisz says, is just "a human thing."

Ah, but since Shape of Things was written and directed by Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men), you just know it goes deeper — and nastier — than that. Look for Rudd's makeover to spark surprising shockwaves of emotional pain for all the film's characters. "We hope it's a scandalous movie," LaBute enthuses. "If you're going to hurt somebody, you may as well not be half-assed about it. Let 'er rip! They get it in the gut."