Hugo Weaving



Hugo Wallace Weaving (born 4 April 1960) is an Australian film and stage actor. Hugo Weaving was born in Nigeria to parents Wallace and Anne. After spending his childhood in South Africa and the UK, he arrived in Australia in 1976. After graduating from NIDA in 1981, Weaving had his first major role in the television series Bodyline in 1984.

Weaving starred 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.

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 Agent 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-lord Elrond in the three-film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings released between 2001 and 2003.

Weaving lives in Sydney with his wife Katrina Greenwood and his two children Holly and Harry. Despite his career in film, Weaving has continued working as a stage actor, regularly appearing in productions by the Sydney Theatre Company.