Rachel Weisz found going back to work after giving birth ''daunting''.

The 50-year-old actress has 13-year-old son Henry with her ex-partner Darren Aronofsky, and an 18-month-old daughter with her husband Daniel Craig, and has said returning to work last year after the birth of her daughter was scary.

Rachel's first role back after giving birth saw her filming for Marvel movie 'Black Widow' - in which she makes her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut - and has admitted she was nervous about the upcoming blockbuster.

She said: ''I think all women would recognise that as daunting. I didn't have my core, shall we say. It was a good incentive to do some Pilates and dance cardio.''

But the actress took the role in her stride, as she said she was no different to the ''centuries'' of working mothers that have come before her.

She added: ''Isn't that just what all mums do all the time? And we've been doing it for many centuries. Hats off to working mums!''

And Rachel also paid tribute to the women who are currently working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, who are risking their lives despite many of them having their own children at home.

She said: ''I'm not a nurse or a doctor or a dustman or a teacher. They're the real superheroes. I'm useless. I can't help save anybody's life right now - but I can maybe help to cheer people up.''

Despite being nervous to star in 'Black Widow', Rachel is excited about bringing a female-heavy superhero movie to screens, because she believes the world needs ''more stories about women''.

The 'Disobedience' actress told Harper's Bazaar magazine: ''The '80s and '90s were really s**t for women. But I used to watch a lot of black and white movies with my mum - Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, they were very powerful in the narratives. Bette Davis didn't have superpowers but she's powerful as hell. I do think it's important for girls growing up to see stories where women are front and centre and to see a female politician, or a female prime minister. It's about identification, it's seeing possibilities. We need more stories about women. We need more role models!''