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Before Elrond, King of the Elves, and before the hyper-cloning computer virus ass-kicker known as Agent Smith, Hugo Weaving was an Aussie character actor. Hailing from the land that brought us Yahoo Serious, witness the stoic majesty of Weaving's deliciously vertical forehead in these pre-blockbuster performances.
• The Interview (1998)--Enjoy maximum Weaving face time with this finely crafted psychological thriller. Hugo plays an otherwise unassuming, unemployed Everyman who is absconded from his apartment by the police and interrogated relentlessly in regards to a series of brutal murders. Superbly acted, edge-of-your-seat modern noir; and the ending will fuck you up.
• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)--Weaving received deserved accolades for this cross-dressing cross-categorical romp through the Australian outback. Hugo plays a drag queen with a dirty little secret--(s)he has a wife (!) and son (!). Girlfriends Terrence "The Limey" Stamp and Guy "Memento" Pierce help him quantify his moral dilemma in this brilliantly acted, supremely costumed bird of paradise.
• Proof (1991)--Hugo shares the screen with a young Russell Crowe in this award-winning first step toward greatness by both actors. Blind since birth, Weaving's character, Martin, takes pictures of a world he can't see. When he thinks he can trust Andy (Russell Crowe) to interpret them for him, he finds that Andy just wants to practice "reading Braille" on his housekeeper.
• Reckless Kelly (1993)--If Jim Carrey and Carrot Top were genetically combined and divided by 2.5, the result would be Yahoo Serious, the star of this absurd, modern-day take on the legend of Australian outlaw, Ned Kelly. Weaving attempts a save as austere Sir John, an evil corporate banker intent on selling off Australia's national parks to who else? The Japanese! Gun-slinging, bank-robbing hijinks ensue as Serious, in a far-reaching stretch of the imagination, foils Weaving in a high-octane showdown. LANCE CHESS
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