Hugo Weaving Once Called His Work in the ‘Transformers’ Films ‘Meaningless’
Actor Hugo Weaving has starred in a couple of blockbuster films during his long career. At one point, Weaving added Michael Bay’s Transformers to the list of commercial hits he featured in.
But looking back on his work, Weaving couldn’t help feel like his performance in Bay’s movies might not have amounted to much.
Hugo Weaving once shared he’s had enough of blockbuster films
Weaving wasn’t one to shy away from large-scale movies. The actor can be recognized in some of the biggest films to grace cinema. In addition to playing Keanu Reeves’ nemesis in The Matrix films, he’s also starred in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as Transformers. He once even lent his talents to Marvel by portraying the Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Over the years, however, Weaving has contemplated moving away from blockbuster movies altogether. Instead, he’s gravitating towards much smaller projects.
“I thought The Matrix was very funny, but didn’t know if I wanted to be involved. After all the Marvel stuff, I’ve realised that’s what people think I do. I prefer being on the road in the outback with a small crew and a funny little script,” he once said in an interview with The Guardian.
Hugo Weaving once called his work in ‘Transformers’ meaningless
Out of all the big-budget projects he featured in, Weaving wasn’t too pleased with his inclusion in Transformers. The actor voiced the villainous Megatron in the first movie, but chose not to stick around for the sequels. Instead, well-known voice actor Frank Weller reprised his Megatron role for the sequels.
In an interview with Collider, Weaving once opened up about his experience in the role, and why he chose not to return.
“That’s a weird job for me because it honestly was a two-hour voice job, initially. I was doing a play and I actually didn’t have time, anyway. It was one of the only things I’ve ever done where I had no knowledge of it, I didn’t care about it, I didn’t think about it. They wanted me to do it. In one way, I regret that bit,” Weaving once said.
Weaving went on to clarify that he didn’t regret doing the part altogether. But at the same time, he was very selective about his work based on how meaningful he found a potential role. Megatron in Transformers didn’t really fit his criteria.
“It was meaningless to me, honestly. I don’t mean that in any nasty way. I did it. It was a two-hour voice job, while I was doing other things. Of course, it’s a massive film that’s made masses of money. I just happened to be the voice of one of the iconic villainous characters,” he said.
Michael Bay once responded to Hugo Weaving’s comments
Although Weaving may have meant no harm, Bay didn’t take too kindly to the actor’s remarks. The Hollywood Reporter once got hold of Bay’s written response to Weaving’s interview, in which the Bad Boys director didn’t mince words.
“Do you ever get sick of actors that make $15 million a picture, or even $200,000 for voiceover work that took a brisk one hour and 43 minutes to complete, and then complain about their jobs? With all the problems facing our world today, do these grumbling thespians really think people reading the news actually care about trivial complaints that their job isn’t ‘artistic enough’ or ‘fulfilling enough?’” Bay wrote.
The director also felt actors should’ve been thankful for the work they were able to do given the fortune that came with it.
“Be happy you even have a job – let alone a job that pays you more than 98% of people in America,” he added.
It was noted that Bay took down his response soon after posing it.
