There are many bright spots in the 1999 blockbusterThe Mummy.Brendan Fraser’s enthusiasm, creative effects, and crazy death scenes allhelp to update Universal’s classic propertyfrom a shambling memory to a real force. But perhaps the most beloved character in the film (alongside Fraser’s Indiana Jones-like Rick O’Connell) is the smart and beautiful Evelyn (Rachel Weisz). A librarian and Egyptologist, Evelyn is the heart ofThe Mummy,softening the adventure-hardened Rick and getting to the bottom of an ancient mystery. But Evelyn’s not perfect. It’s not a personality problem — in fact, it’s not about her character at all. (Well, there is the issue of Evelyn being portrayed as having an Egyptian mother when Weisz is not Egyptian.)
Rather, the problem lies in the realm of the aesthetic: People really, really don’t like Evelyn’s eyebrows. Wide and arching, the drawn-on brows are a huge part of her character’s look, yet prompt fan hatred even today. Reddit posts proclaim things like: “was totally distracted the whole time by Rachel Weisz’s eyebrows” and “Rachel Weisz had some s**t brows inThe Mummy.“Though at first glance you might agree — they are a bit cartoonish, much different than we’re used to in 2023 — this article posits that they’re actually perfect. Yes, dear reader. This is an ode toThe Mummy’s most memorable cast member: Rachel Weisz’s eye-popping eyebrows.
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How Accurate Is the Fashion and Beauty in ‘The Mummy’?
Though most of the flashback fashions inThe Mummyaren’t particularly realistic (not surprising, considering the movie’s mythologizing of real Egyptian history), the movie’s content is not entirely inaccurate. In 2020, popular YouTuberRachel Maksy, who specializes in vintage fashion,filmed a video with American EgyptologistColleen Darnell. The two women watched the film together, pointing out both its inconsistencies and surprising accuracies. When Anck-Su-Namun (Patricia Velasquez), the future-Mummy’s love interest, enters in a translucent gown, Darnell points out that the style actually wouldn’t be considered inappropriate during that time.
Her chest piece (called a pectoral) is apparently a good copy of a real princess’s, too! (By contrast, the Egyptians probably wouldn’t have covered someone in scarab beetles as punishment, especially Scarabs. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t eat human flesh.) Though they don’t talk aboutthe eyebrowshere, Maksy has another video in whichshe uses makeup to replicate Evie’s look. Surprisingly common on the platform, as Evelyn is a bit of a vintage fashion icon. And it’s not without reason: Not only poised and elegant, but Evelyn’s costumes are also fairly historically accurate. Though shebegins the film with a buttoned-up look, all high collars and tortoiseshell glasses, she soon transitions to a looser, more adventurous style as the film progresses. Thankfully, one thing never changes — over the course of the story, Evelyn’s eyebrows are consistently amazing.
Rachel Weisz’s Eyebrows Are Faithful to 1920s and ’30s Trends
Throughout the movie, Evelyn’s eyes are framed by her sloping, expressive eyebrows. Drawn on with dark pencil, they seem to be amix of two popular brow shapes: the defined, thin look of 1920s America and the more rounded, even thinner brows of the 1930s. SinceThe Mummytakes place in 1926, it makes sense that Evie’s caught in between the two trends. Movie stars of the silent film era, likeAnna May WongandClara Bow,were able to add extraexpressiveness to their performances through their elongated brows. That’s certainly true here, even with sound. Weisz automatically feels as if she belongs in the ’20s, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the movie. Her already-dramatic acting is enhanced by the always-surprised look of the drawn-on eyebrows, too.
Interestingly, whenThe Mummywas released in 1999, the U.S. was once again experiencing a resurgence of razor-thin eyebrows. While the 1980s had emphasized health and exercise — resulting in big hair and the coveted tan-and-fit look — the ’90s saw the introduction of “heroin chic.” Models now looked super thin and had over-plucked eyebrows to match. Evelyn’s brows do bear one hallmark of this era: they’re slightly downturned at the ends, compared to the super-rounded look of the ’30s. Could it be that Evelyn’s eyebrows were both retro and aspirational? We need only to look at current trends.
Will Rachel Weisz’s Eyebrows in ‘The Mummy’ Come Back in Style?
History repeats itself and fashion is no different. From bell-bottoms to mullets, the mid to late 2000s have seen many vintage fashions come back around — including plucked brows. In 2018, singer and entrepreneurRihannaappearedon the cover ofBritish Voguesporting “micro-brows,” prompting concerns that plucking was back in. More recently,stylish influencers like YouTuberMina Lehave adopted the silent film look, shaving their natural eyebrows and drawing on new ones. Even modelBella Hadidgot in on the trend, sparkinga 2022Harper’s Bazaararticleall about the returning phenomenon. In the piece, makeup artist Laurretta Power attested to the increasing demand and acknowledged the pain of trying to grow plucked hair back. “Gen Z are obsessed with Nineties and Noughties films, music and fashion, and make-up looks from the decades are going crazy on TikTok,” Power toldHarper’s.
Maybe fashion-conscious young people,currently obsessed with the ’90s, will turn toThe Mummynext. They certainly won’t be disappointed as Weisz often brings a strong sense of style to her roles, including her new double performance in Amazon Video’sDead Ringers(that’stwopairs of Weisz eyebrows!). The Mummy turned 24 recently and if you haven’t already, it’s definitely worth a rewatch. Looking back on it now, it’s clear that Weisz’s cinematic style foretold her future success: If she can pull off those eyebrows, she can pull off anything.
