Hugo Weaving: "This isn't a job for me, this is what I love. I've never thought of acting as being a job." Photo / Getty Images
Hugo Weaving: "This isn't a job for me, this is what I love. I've never thought of acting as being a job." Photo / Getty Images
From an elf, to an evil agent, a cricket captain, a drag queen and everything in-between, Hugo Weaving's brimming resume continues to surprise.
At 61, the British-born, Australian-raised actor has carved a wonderfully diverse career in showbiz, from big-budget blockbusters to small theatre productions.
The Lord of the Rings andThe Matrix actor admits he's not one to meticulously plan what roles he's going to take to further his career, he just wants to connect with the script and go from there. Though that's easier said than done.
Hugo Weaving is very well known, especially for his roles in 1999 movie The Matrix (pictured) alongside Keanu Reeves and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Photo / Getty Images
"Unless you write your own material, it's hard as an actor, there's a lot of stuff that's not particularly good …" he admits.
"I'm always on the lookout for something interesting, and I never know what it's going to be. Some actors might dictate their future more than I do. Sometimes I wish I could but I just try to choose things that interest me and will take me on a different course.
"This isn't a job for me, this is what I love. I've never thought of acting as being a job.
"Is it something that provides me with money? Of course it does. But it's the exploration of a character and of a world that interests me. It's always a great holistic workout. I'm fascinated in human psychology."
As someone who is interested in human psychology, Weaving relished the chance to feature in a raw family drama for Australian streaming service, Binge, Love Me, which will premiere the full six episodes on Boxing Day.
Weaving plays Glen Mathieson, a father of two adult children who loses his partner later in life and is pushed to open his eyes to new intimacies like love and romance.
Hugo Weaving: "This isn't a job for me, this is what I love. I've never thought of acting as being a job." Photo / Getty Images
It's quite the far cry from his own journey, having been in a relationship with his partner Katrina Greenwood for 37 years. But Weaving says he didn't need to have direct shared experiences with Glen to relate to his pain.
Although Love Me was produced by Binge in Australia it is likely to land on NZ screens not long after.
