Hugo Weaving is my new favorite actor, but I have heard a lot of people say he can’t act. In particular, they say all his characters are really Agent Smith, and Elrond was played too dark. Anyone else disagree? Yesterday, I watched bits of Bedrooms and Hallways and was blown away.
The character he played in Strictly Ballroom was definitely not Agent Smith. And, if you ever see him speak in an interview using his natural voice, you will realize that he sounds nothing like Agent Smith in real life. It’s just a darn fine acting job.
Also, I liked the way Elrond was played in the LotR movies (well, the two I’ve seen so far).
Ugh. Not Strictly Ballroom. I meant Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. This is what I get for posting before I have my morning coffee.
You should watch The Interview, he is awesome in it, and his character was nothing like Smith or Elrond.
You haven’t seen The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert???
Go out and rent it RIGHT NOW!!! Hugo Weaving is GREAT in it.
Actually, I haven’t rewatched the movie since I’ve gotten to know Hugo Weaving, Guy Pierce, and Terrence Stamp from their more recent more high profile works. I keep meaning to. I think it will be pretty great to watch their performances from a new perspective now that I’ve seen them each do such different work.
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I have watched it, and that is one reason he became my favorite actor. My favorite seen was when he was wearing “normal” clothes so he could be with his son. He looked as if wearing the clothes gave him a rash.
My daughter and I were watching Two Towers, and when Hugo Weaving was arguing with Viggo Mortensen, I leaned over to her and whispered, in an Agent Smith voice: "Mr. Aragorn!.
Cracked her up…
Check him out in “Proof” and “The Interview.”
No Agent Smith to be found there.
I think it’s more that all his “non-Australian” accents end up sounding like Elrond or Smith.
The Interview was great, though a tad Usual Suspects for my liking.
Mrs. Chastain will argue with me until the cows come home, but I still maintain that Agent Smith is the finest movie villain in recent history, second only to Darth Vader.
I loves me some Hugo Weaving.
I agree… his Agent Smith is so memorable, and instantly recognizable. It was the best thing about Matrix: Reloaded.
He’s a great actor, has a lot of versatility and really kicked ass in Revolutions
*That’s a nice set of …
… keys.*
I love that movie, although the ending is a little strange.
Probably just a phase.
Holy shit! I never made the connection that that’s the same guy in Pricilla!
THAT’s the mark of a good actor.
This may not be exactly on topic, but in the past few years, with 3 Matrix movies and 3 Ring movies to his credit, Hugo Weaving may have had more people pay to see movies he has been in than any other actor in Hollywood. I wonder if someone is keeping track of things like that?
Bolding, mine.
You mean like this? 
Agreed that Agent Smith is the most memorable villian in the last twenty or so years. Judging by my multiple viewings of the first Matrix in the theaters he had a cult following even then.
Think about it - Hugo had to create a character without the use of his eyes as tools of expression(Smith wears sunglasses except when they haven’t been kicked off his face) and he did so admirably. The vocal inflections alone make Smith an excellent bad guy.
BrotherCadfael, that’s hilarious. I’ve heard people do that before, but “Mr. Aragorn” is much better than “Mr. Frodo” because of the sound-alike issue. I’m gonna be doing that all day now.
Weaving did it himself on the set for ROTK, had the Smith glasses on too. That’s the rumour anyway.
I think Harrison Ford wins the all time box office actor contest.
However, if you only include 2003 movies, HW wins. (with Matrix 2 +3 + ROTK)
Brian