Hugo Weaving believes making films in Australia is as important as Hollywood
HOME is most definitely where Hugo Weaving’s heart is. His acclaimed decades-long career has led him to split his time between Sydney and Hollywood, but the actor says he is most excited to work with the often unappreciated talent Down Under.
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HOME is most definitely where Hugo Weaving’s heart is. His acclaimed decades-long career has led him to split his time between Sydney and Hollywood, but the actor says he is most excited by working with the vast and often unappreciated talent Down Under.
And it has long been a passion. When he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in the late 1981, he was already buzzing about working with his Aussie colleagues on home soil.
The 58-year-old is disillusioned by the number of new actors who flee to the bright lights of Los Angeles the moment their acting school diploma is in their hand.
“Now what tends to happen is young actors go immediately to LA. They graduate from the national drama school (NIDA) — or they won’t even go to drama school — and head straight to Los Angeles,” he tells BW Magazine.
“Everything is focused on Hollywood. It is a shame. A young actor coming out of the national drama school … a really fine, internationally recognised drama school and yet these people go straight to LA, we have something really wrong.
“I always wanted to work in Australia, in the film industry here. That has always been my main focus. I think it is important to tell the stories about the place which you live in.”
And Weaving is more than happy to fight for his industry he describes as “a collection of artistic individuals around a very large nation”.
“We don’t really celebrate or support our culture in the way we should,” he says.
“We tend to ape America and other cultures and we don’t really support our own culture.”
In stark contrast to some of his darker performances in box office juggernauts — including hit series such as The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings — Weaving has a warmth and politeness that would make many of his famous characters cringe.
Now on some down time between projects, he is filling his days reading, attending the Sydney Film Festival and escaping to his Dungog home in the Hunter Region.
“I go every day to the film festival at the moment. I am seeing great films,” he says.
This year is shaping up as a good one for the star — he has a major role in BBC production Patrick Melrose, which will air in Australia on Foxtel’s Showtime.
“We shot it in France late last year. It has just screened in the US and UK to great critical acclaim. It is a fantastic series,” he says.
Weaving also plays villain Thaddeus Valentine in Mortal Engines, the new sci-fi epic from The Lord Of the Rings creator Peter Jackson.
“It is a coming of age story of two young people coming from very different backgrounds,” he says. “It is quite dark and it is a great adventure. The script read really well.”
While the film’s young cast members would have been in awe of the man who played Elrond in The Lord of The Rings, Weaving looks at the “newbies” as his equals with whom he enjoyed sharing the odd beer.
“When I first left drama school and started being an actor, one of the things I really loved was how people of all ages can be comrades,” he says.
“I don’t act like the fountain of wisdom. I really enjoyed hanging out with them and going for a drink with them at the end of the day.”
Weaving is also not shy about discussing some of the uglier issues facing his industry — though he’s quick to add the entertainment world is not alone in battling those issues.
He chooses his words carefully, but admits he is far from surprised about the stories emerging from the #MeToo movement.
“I am not shocked — of course I am not shocked,” Weaving says.
“There are some bastard guys out there who are in positions of power who abuse that power — not just through sex but in all sorts of ways. They have always been around.
“The more powerful people are, the more sycophants that will protect them, businesses protect them.
“People can get away with murder because they have their money tied up. It is an issue of power and an issue of equality.”
Weaving shies away from commenting on specific cases, but says he has no doubt there are many more sad stories still to be told and many more “bully men” to be exposed.
“I think it is the tip of the iceberg. There will be many more here,” he says.