With several notable movie roles to his name, Hugo Weaving has established himself as one of the most successful actors to ever come out of Australia. He is well known to moviegoers for his performance in hit films like The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Though this might sound strange to many people, Weaving was actually given birth to in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa, on the 4th of April 1960, at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, Ibadan. We get to unravel several other interesting facts about this movie star.
Hugo Weaving – Bio
As rightly stated above Hugo Weaving was born on the 4th of April 1960 at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. His mother and father are both English. His mother Anne was a school teacher and she later worked as a tour guide while his father Wallace Weaving was a research scientist in the field of Seismology. He has 2 siblings, a sister – Anna Jane Weaving and a brother named Simon Weaving.
One year after they gave birth to him, Weaving’s parents went back to England. There, they first settled in Bedford and after a while, they moved to Brighton. The family later lived in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney and also spent a short while in Johannesburg, South Africa before moving back to England. While in England, Hugo Weaving attended The Downs School, located in a village called Wraxall. His entire family ultimately relocated to Australia in 1976 and there, he attended the highly prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1981.
Movies and TV Shows
Immediately he graduated from NIDA, Hugo Weaving went in search of acting jobs and first, he landed a small acting role as a student in the movie …Maybe This Time in 1981 and subsequently a few other small roles in films like The City’s Edge (1983) and For Love Alone (1986). His acting career moved to the next level in 1984 when he was given a role to play in Bodyline, an Australian Television Series. He acted as an English cricket captain, Captain Douglas Jardin. In 1988, he got a lead role in the telefilm Dadah Is Death where he played the role of Geoffery Chambers.
Weaving’s recognition in the industry started in the early 90s as a result of the roles he played in the movies Proof (1991) and Reckless Kelly (1993); these two movies gave him a worldwide exposure for the very first time. Also in 1993, he starred in the movies Frauds and The Custodian. 1994 came with a major breakthrough in his career after he appeared in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert which earned him an even greater international exposure.
In 1999, Hugo Weaving was offered the role of Agent Smith in the Sci-Fi action film The Matrix. He also reprised the role of Agent Smith in the film’s sequels The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003) which earned him so many awards. Weaving is also well known for his portrayal of the character Elrond in 2 of the highly successful film trilogies The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014). Other notable film credits include V for Vendetta (2005), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Black ’47 (2018) and several others.
Family Facts
Hugo Weaving has a family with his longterm lover and partner Katrina Greenwood. The duo started dating back in 1984. They have been together for more than three decades and have two children together. Their first child Harry Weaving was born in 1989 and in 1993 they gave birth to their second child Holly Weaving. Apparently, Weaving is not the only one in the acting profession in the family. His son Harry and niece Samara Weaving are also professional actors.
As a teenager, Hugo Weaving suffered epilepsy, but the condition seized when he was 18 years of age. That notwithstanding, the fear of the sickness has made him refuse to drive even up till now.
Net Worth
No doubt Weaving’s hard work and talent have brought him the fortune he enjoys today. Though the journey has not been easy for him, he has much wealth to show for it. His net worth is estimated to be currently about $30 million. Sometime in 2016, it appeared as if his career was in a very bad shape, but he has since bounced back.
Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.
