Hugo Wallace Weaving (born April 4, 1960) is a respected and successful 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 U.K, he arrived in Australia in 1976. After graduating from NIDA in 1981, Weaving's first major role was 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. 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 being released between 2001 and 2003.
Weaving lives in Sydney with his long-term partner Katrina Greenwood and his two children Holly and Harry.