Hugo Weaving

Born: April 4 1960
Where: Austin, Nigeria

Weaving has the distinction of appearing in two of the biggest movie franchises around - as Agent Smith in the Matrix series and Elrond in Lord of the Rings.

During his early years his family spent most of their time travelling between Africa, Britain and Australia thanks to his father's job in the computer industry.

After a spell at school in Bristol, he relocated permanently to Australia in 1976 and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art.

His early career consisted of small film roles and TV work and he first gained recognition when he won an Australian Film Institute Award for best actor for Jocelyn Moorehouse's Proof.

Subsequent high profile roles included Anthony "Tick" Belrose in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and the movie True Love and Chaos.

He provided the voice of Rex the sheepdog in both Babe movies - Babe and Babe: Pig in the City - as well as starring in Bedrooms and Hallways.

In 1999 he was cast as Agent Smith in The Matrix and appeared in Strange Planet and Russian Doll, before Peter Jackson cast him as the Lord of Rivendell in Lord of the Rings.

Most of his time was taken up alternating between sequels for both franchises before he was cast as V in the sci-fi thriller V for Vendetta in 2005.