Hugo Weaving

Hugo Wallace Weaving (born April 4, 1960) is a Nigerian-born English-Australian film and stage actor.

Biography

Early life

Hugo Weaving was born in Nigeria to English parents Wallace and Anne. He spent his childhood in South Africa and then moved to the United Kingdom in his teens. While in England he attended the prestigious, academically selective boarding school Queen Elizabeth's Hospital, commonly known as QEH school in Bristol. He arrived in Australia in 1976 and attended Sydney's Knox Grammar School. Weaving then graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art, or NIDA, in 1981.

Career

Weaving's first major role was in the television series Bodyline in 1984, as the English captain, Douglas Jardine. Weaving appeared in the Australian film The Dirtwater Dynasty in 1988 and later starred opposite Nicole Kidman in the 1989 film Bangkok Hilton. In 1991 Weaving received the Australian Film Institute's award for "Best Actor" for his performance in the low-budget Proof. He also appeared as Sir John in the 1993 Yahoo Serious comedy, Reckless Kelly, a lampoon of the famous Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. However, Weaving first received attention overseas with the international hit Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994. In 1998, Weaving received the award for "Best Actor" from the Montreal Film Festival for his performance in The Interview. Also he played Poseidon in the mini-series adaptation of the Odyssey. Weaving was also a voice actor in the cartoon film 'The Magic Pudding'.

It was his role as the enigmatic Agent Smith in the 1999 blockbuster The Matrix which made Weaving a globally recognized face. Weaving reprised the role of Smith in the 2003 sequels to The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Weaving has continued his success in the role of the elf Elrond in the three-film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings released between 2001 and 2003.

Weaving was the main actor in Andrew Kotatko's Everything Goes (2004) and plays the title role in the 2006 film V for Vendetta, in which he was reunited with the Wachowski brothers, creators of The Matrix trilogy. It was rumored his casting was as a last minute replacement for actor James Purefoy, who pulled out four weeks into filming. It has since been revealed that Weaving was the original choice, but was unavailable. Purefoy was replaced when Weaving became available. However, Purefoy plays the role of V in several of the movie's scenes. The sections filmed with Purefoy were later voiced over by Weaving.

Weaving also provides the main voice over for The Lord of the Rings PC game, The Battle for Middle-earth II.

In addition to his career in film, Weaving has continued working as a stage actor, regularly appearing in productions by the Sydney Theatre Company. In 2006 he is working with Cate Blanchett on a reprise of the STC production of Hedda Gabler to be restaged in New York City.

Personal life

Weaving lives in Sydney with his partner Katrina Greenwood and their children Harry and Holly. The international press likes to state that they are married to keep up an image of propriety, when in truth Weaving has often brought up his dislike for marriage.

In an interview he stated that he "occasionally smokes and seldom drinks."

It isn't widely known, but Weaving also has epilepsy, since approximately the age of 15; he rarely speaks of it in interviews, aside from an anecdote about a seizure while performing on stage. This condition has kept him from getting his driver's license.

Filmography (partial)

V for Vendetta (2006), as V
Little Fish (2005), as Lionel Dawson
Peaches (2004), as Alan
Everything Goes (2004), as Ray
The Return of the King (film) (2003) as Elrond
The Matrix Revolutions (2003), as Agent Smith
After the Deluge (2003), as Martin Kirby
The Matrix Reloaded (2003), as Agent Smith
The Two Towers (film) (2002), as Elrond
The Fellowship of the Ring (film) (2001), as Elrond
Russian Doll (2001), as Harvey
The Old Man Who Read Love Stories (2001), as Rubicondo (Dentist)
Strange Planet (1999), as Steven
Little Echo Lost (1999), as Echo Man
The Matrix (1999), as Agent Smith
Pig in the City (1998), as the voice of Rex the Male Sheepdog
Bedrooms and Hallways (1998) as Jeremy
The Interview (1998), as Eddie Rodney Fleming
The Kiss (1998), as Barry
True Love and Chaos (1997) as Morris
Halifax f.p: Isn't It Romantic (1997), as Det. Sgt. Tom Hurkos
"Frontier" (1997), as Governor Arthur
"Naked: Stories of Men" - Episode "Coral Island" (1996) as Martin Furlong
"The Bite" (1996), as Jack Shannon
"Bordertown" (1995), as Kenneth Pearson
Babe (1995) as the voice of Rex the Male Sheepdog
Exile (1994), as Innes
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), as Anthony 'Tick' Belrose/Mitzi Del Bra
What's Going On, Frank? (1994), as Strange Packer in Supermarket
Frauds (1993), as Jonathan Wheats
Reckless Kelly (1993), as Sir John
The Custodian (1993), as Det. Church
"Seven Deadly Sins" (1993), as Lust
Road to Alice (1992), as Morris
Proof (1991), as Martin
...Almost (1990), as Jake
"Bangkok Hilton" (1989), as Richard Carlisle
Dadah Is Death (1988), as Geoffrey Chambers
"The Dirtwater Dynasty" (1988), as Richard Eastwick
The Right Hand Man (1987), as Ned Devine
"Melba" (1987), as Charles Armstrong
For Love Alone (1986), as Johnathan Crow
"Bodyline" (1984), as Douglas Jardine
The City's Edge (1983), as Andy White
...Maybe This Time (1980), as Student 2