The couple’s vows reportedly were witnessed only by her son, his daughter and the two friends who owned the house where they tied the knot. Weisz’s son Henry, 4, was the result of her nine-year relationship with director Darren Aronofsky. Craig’s daughter Ella, 19, was born during the actor’s brief early ’90s marriage to English acress Fiona Loudon.
According a longtime friend of Weisz, her chemistry with the James Bond actor — when they co-starred in the upcoming “Dream House” — “was instantaneous. … They simply clicked right off the bat.”
The source added “the timing was simply perfect. … The stars were all aligned.” Her point: Weisz had just split with “Black Swan” director Aronofsky, and Craig recently had called off his engagement with Satsuki Mitchell, following a five-year relationship.
† Besides the physical attraction, Weisz and Craig share a great love of literature. “Both of them are very cerebral. … They love to discuss all kinds of things, and each has a tremendous curiosity about a wide range of topics,” my source said.
† Another thing both stars share is an intense obsession with privacy — something that has become increasingly difficult as the two have achieved worldwide fame.
In an interview with this column several years ago, Weisz laughingly remembered filming “Chain Reaction” in Chicago in 1996, back “when I could go anywhere — all over the city — and no one had any idea who I was or what I did. … As grateful as I am for all the opportunities my career has brought me, I do miss that anonymity I once enjoyed.”
DATELINE — MOSCOW: While in the Russian capital last week for the world premiere of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (opening Wednesday), I ran into Patrick Daley, who was in Moscow on business with his dad. The son of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, who speaks fluent Russian and once lived in Moscow for six months, told me he wished more Americans could have the opportunity to travel overseas, “to learn more about other people and their culture and lamented that only about one-third of U.S. citizens hold valid passports, “as opposed to European countries where everyone has one.”
Daley did advise that “while Russians may seem unfriendly when you first meet them, because they don’t smile as much as Americans, you learn how warm they are as a people once you get to know them.”
The former Chicago first son was excited about the third “Transformers” flick — and how “great it was to see shots of Chicago, like the Wrigley Building,” on the film’s poster.
† All the stars at the Moscow premiere, which included a rare Red Square concert performed by Linkin Park, also raved about Our Town. That included Tyrese Gibson, who told me he “loved the ladies and the lifestyle of Chicago” while here filming last summer. Gibson, whose fifth album is due out Nov. 1, was the impromptu DJ at a late-night party on the roof of the Moscow Ritz-Carlton, having deposed the regular Russian spinner “to give the crowd the music they really want!”
† In between interviews, most of the stars excercised regularly, with star Shia LaBeouf pounding out seven miles on Moscow’s streets each morning and Josh Duhamel constantly hitting the hotel gym. When I ran into him three times inside of a hour on the Ritz’s elevator, I laughingly told the actor, “I promise, I’m not stalking you.” That prompted a woman at the back to quip, “But I am!”
Duhamel was constantly checking on the flooding in his Minot, N.D., hometown — which had destroyed both his sister’s home and the school he attended as a kid. The actor has become honorary chair of a recovery fund organized to help folks in the town where he grew up.
IN TRAINING: Over the years, Russell Crowe has enjoyed checking out the many great restaurants in Chicago, but while here this summer — to play Jor-El in the “Man of Steel” Superman film — the Aussie will likely be more careful about his calorie intake.
Crowe already has been seen working hard to get himself back into shape — especially doing a great deal of intense biking. “So, I don’t think we’ll be seeing Russell doing a lot of pigging out,” said someone who should know.
† Speaking of “Man of Steel,” actor Chris Meloni — who recently exited his long-running role in “Law & Order: SVU” — is negotiating to join the cast that already includes Crowe, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Julia Ormond, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.
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