Hugo Weaving – Elrond

‘Having agreed to play Elrond,’ says Hugo Weaving, ‘I realised how much had to be worked out about this character: the idea of portraying someone who is immortal, for one thing: plus the fact that he is noble, wise, powerful, good – and Beautiful! I began to think he was altogether impossible to play!’
Although it was the role of the humanoid, Agent Smith, in the American special-effects bonanza, ‘The Matrix’, that brought Hugo Weaving international fame, he was already well-educated in his homeland, Australia, as a star of film, television and theatre.
Born in Nigeria, Weaving lived in South Africa and England before moving with his family to Sydney, Australia. ON leaving school he trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and, within a few years, was cast in a T V mini-series, ‘Bodyline’, playing the central role of controversial British cricketer, Douglas Jardine.
Weaving’s television career continued with ‘Bangkok Hilton’, starring alongside Nicole Kidman. In addition to his T V work and number of challenging stage roles, Weaving was giving award-winning performances in a string of acclaimed films.
‘Proof’, the story of a blind man who insists on taking photographs as ‘proof’ that the world is as others describe it to him, won him the Australian Film Institute ‘Best Actor Award’, as did his performance in ‘The Interview’. This acclaimed movie about a man undergoing a gruelling police interrogation also won Weaving a Film Critics Circle of Australia nomination and the best Actor Award at the World Film Festival in Montreal.
Weaving received a further AFI nomination for best Actor for his portrayal of the drag-artiste, Mitzi, in ‘The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’. Teetering on twelve-inch high stilettos, Weaving and his co-stars Guy Pearce and Terrence Stamp won the hearts of cinema-goers in Australia and Europe and, whilst Hollywood remand Priscilla with American ‘names’, audiences in the United States were soon to discover Weaving’s acting talents when he assumed the role of Keanu Reeves’ nemesis in ‘The Matrix’. The executive producer of ‘The Matrix’ was Barrie Osborne who went on to become producer of ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’
Returning to the difficulties of playing an Elf with immortality, Hugo Weaving says: ‘Elrond is a fount of knowledge and wisdom: he knows a great deal about the history of the Ring and understands not just what has happened, but what might happen. Elrond is well aware that whatever the outcome, the Elves will leave Middle-earth and be forgotten. There is, therefore, a sadness about Elrond which made me decide that – although he is an Elf – he also needed to have humanity, and that is what I tried to bring to my performance.’

Name: Elrond
Date of Birth: unknown
Parents: Eärendil, Elwing
Race: Half-Elven
Weapon: Vilya

"Elrond is one of the most important and oldest figures in Middle-Earth. His adventures go all the way back to the times of Isildur. He is the bearer of the Elvenring Vilya, the Ring of Air. Elrond lived in Rivendell, the Last Homely House. Elrond was a member of the White Council and his home in Rivendell has often been a refuge for council and aid. Elrond has one daughter: Arwen Evenstar who eventually married King Elessar who was partly raised in Rivendell. It was during the Council of Elrond that the Fellowship of the Rings was formed and the plans were made to destroy the One Ring and the power of Sauron. After the war of the Ring, Elrond left Middle-Earth leaving behind his daughter Arwen. "

'This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it?'

Elrond Halfelven is the most powerful person in Middle-earth, sharing his title with his mother-in-law, Galadriel. Although he was born in Middle-Earth, Elrond is but two generations removed from the great rebellion of Feanor, and has fought against the dark powers all of his life, choosing in the First Age to belong to the Firstborn rather than to his mother's people.


He was the standard-bearer of Gil-Galad, who fought against Sauron in the Age of the Forging of the Rings; he has lived through more battles and wars than any being who ever lived, and has seen his brothers and parents fall in death to the evil ones. He has himself been driven nearly to his knees by evil, the realm of his father being destroyed several times. His life has not been one of peace: his exploits nearly fill a book in and of themselves, and hundreds of pages of Tolkien's other works (especially in Silmarillion) have been devoted to the elf lord, who bears one of the fabled Three Rings: Vilya, the Ring of Air.


After the initial defeat of Sauron in which the Ring passed from the possession of the dark lord to the possession of Isildur, Elrond desired to create a haven for the good left in Arda: Imladris, Rivendell, is his creation -- a place of quiet and music in the churning times of Middle-Earth, the last-built stronghold of the mighty Elves, foremost in military strength beyond what even Lothlórien can provide.


Elrond is a timeless figure, his face ageless, his voice stern with experience, his countenance firm yet not intimidating: a figure to be respected and whose counsel is wise. There has not been much joy in his life, but he has been able to create much joy for others. His sons are mighty war-lords, and his daughter, Arwen, is the beautiful last-born elf, Evenstar of her people.


Although he knows that his people's time is fading, Elrond does not withdraw from the final battle of the Eldar, but summons the Council of Elrond, for, as he observes, the Ring contains the fate of all races. It is he who has the idea of destroying the Ring in Mount Doom: he and he alone who is able to recognize it as the wise solution, and its only defender when it is initially put forth. He creates the Fellowship and sends them on their way, supporting them from a distance and coming to battle in the last days.


When the time of his people is over, Elrond has proved a true lord and a true warrior. His stern old heart is finally put to rest as he is given the gift of seeing evil destroyed forever and reuniting with his people in Valinor to end his life of struggle.


Lingering Thoughts:

Although he has been an important figure throughout the millennia, Elrond realizes that this battle is not for his people. "We do not have the strength to fight both Isengard and Mordor," he tells Gandalf. After a mighty history spanning all of The Silmarillion, the time of the Eldar on Arda (Middle-Earth) is running out. They have beaten back Morgoth and his servants time and time again, and shed the blood of tens of thousands of valiant and worthy lives. But Elrond has never taken any of the glory for himself, and never crawled into a hole to lick his wounds. He remains unchanged throughout the strife, sturdy and unfailing no matter what the situation.


We can only ask ourselves, "Is that resolve something that lives within us?" So many times, he had everything taken from him as his world crumbled about, but unlike Saruman, he did not turn or give in. He saw all the injustice that life has to offer and was able to repel it.


Things to Watch For:

Elrond was right. There's no doubt about it -- Isildur should have destroyed the Ring that day, and all the suffering that followed in the next three thousand years was senseless. Throughout his years, Elrond has lived to see more injustice than any other of his race. His bitterness is not unjustified. But he never gives up the fight, and though he is frustrated, he never turns on those who have failed him. He has a great understanding for the weakness of men, although he despises it.


He creates and supports the Fellowship although he doubtless realizes that it is made up of fallible humans and dwarves in a situation practically earmarked for failure. In some ways, his attitude mirrors that of God. Think of how frustrating for Him it must be to see us turn from His wise counsels again and again -- for how can someone with the experience of God Almighty be wrong? But He doesn't give up the fight against the Enemy or stop entrusting the battle to fallible people like us.


He despises our weaknesses, not us, and still intends to refine us and use us as He can. The Fellowship didn't disappoint Elrond -- is God's trust in us as well warranted? It is up to us to decide whether we will make it worth His while or not.


Memorable Quotes

[to Gandalf] "I was there on that day three thousand years ago, and I was there the day the strength of men failed. It could have ended there, but evil was allowed to endure."

[to the Fellowship] "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

[to Sam] "No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."