Michael Bay Responds to Hugo Weaving's Comments Regarding His Voice Work in the Transformers Movies
Thursday, October 18th, 2012 2:28PM CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People NewsPosted by: El Duque Views: 48,685
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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 wasn’t ‘artistic enough” or “fulfilling enough”? I guess The Hollywood Reporter thinks so.
What happened to people who had integrity, who did a job, got paid for their hard work, and just smiled afterward? Be happy you even have a job – let alone a job that pays you more than 98% of the people in America.
I have a wonderful idea for all those whiners: They can give their “unhappy job money” to a wonderful Elephant Rescue. It’s the David Sheldrick WildlifeTrust in Africa. I will match the funds they donate.
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Posted by reflector7 on October 18th, 2012 @ 2:37pm CDT
Posted by TheForgottenTaxi on October 18th, 2012 @ 2:38pm CDT
Posted by Homerjay14522 on October 18th, 2012 @ 2:41pm CDT
Posted by Sabrblade on October 18th, 2012 @ 2:42pm CDT
No more Megatron, please!Homerjay14522 wrote:Maybe Bay will be a bit smarter this time around and listen to Fans and Cast Frank Welker for Megs, we all know he's grateful for what the role has done for him.
Posted by RodimalToyota on October 18th, 2012 @ 2:50pm CDT
While most of America is falling into a debtful slump, these artists still get paid athlete money for short stints of work, where as production crews work for 9-12 months at a time for anywhere from 25K to 60K, Weaving made 137K an hour doing his job for less then two hours.
You can dislike Bay's movies, and how he directs them.
But you can not say he isn't the hardest working director in the Business.
Unless you want to look ignorant. This guy deserves every penny he has ever made. He's never worked Easy since his career started.
Posted by Blackstreak on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:00pm CDT
Posted by OptiMagnus on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:16pm CDT
In all honesty, I don't think Hugo realizes how much the Transformers community appreciates him as the voice of Megatron and as an essential figure in the series. Just because he isn't in the tabloids all the time or isn't being interviewed by Oprah doesn't mean he's not appreciated.
Posted by SlyTF1 on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:17pm CDT
reflector7 wrote:What can I say? Michael Bay, a rich untalented director, poking fun at people who he is just like? I never thought what Mr Weaving said was ungrateful. I do, however, think Michael Bay has no credibility with his words. Considering his idea of finding a talented actress to play his lead is having her wash his car in a bikini.
Untalented? I'd like to see you go out and do better.
Sabrblade wrote:No more Megatron, please!Homerjay14522 wrote:Maybe Bay will be a bit smarter this time around and listen to Fans and Cast Frank Welker for Megs, we all know he's grateful for what the role has done for him.
NO! There can be no Transformers without the glory of Megatron!!!

Posted by 1111111222233333 on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:20pm CDT
Posted by King Kuuga on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:38pm CDT
Posted by Burn on October 18th, 2012 @ 3:50pm CDT
Hugo Weaving is one of the best actors in the industry. He's worth the money, but all good actors need good scripts, so maybe fork out a bit of extra money for some better writers?
Posted by User897 on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:00pm CDT
KenjaminLinus wrote:Not once did Hugo Weaving say or imply that he was ungrateful for the role or money. He just said it didn't mean anything to him, which is perfectly understandable given the reality of what his role was and required of him. That was apparently lost on Bay, who of course jumped at the chance to look like the peoples' champion and play to the whole recession thing. Bad form, Michael, bad form. (But it was funny, lol)
^^ This.
Plus, let's not forget that Mr. Weaving was provided with NOTHING regarding the character he was playing. No motivation, no description of things that he did not understand, probably not even a sketch in the booth for him to look at! That poor preparation falls on Bay and Co., not Mr. Weaving. He did what he could with what he had. If he were given the slightest clue of what that incarnation of the character was about, he would have had more appreciation for what he was doing. Plain and simple.
Posted by Lord Onixprime on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:05pm CDT
Posted by RodimalToyota on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:07pm CDT
I'll gladly do a meaningless Job for $137K an hour.
Posted by Mindmaster on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:26pm CDT
Posted by King Kuuga on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:36pm CDT
RodimalToyota wrote:Calling a Job Meaningless FYI is the same as not appreciating it.
I'll gladly do a meaningless Job for $137K an hour.
Well Mr. Weaving isn't exactly starved for money. He said he recorded for Megatron in his off-time on some other projects. He's getting a large paycheck from somebody regardless. If he doesn't feel this role was fulfilling, then his loss is much less significant than if one of us were to do it (or not do it).
Posted by whacko on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:39pm CDT
I mean I didn't care that Hugo Weaving was Megatron. You could barely tell it was him after the effects were added to his voice, and Megatron has less than 30 lines throughout the franchise anyway.
Bay needs to stop taking everything so personally and maybe focus on the TRANSFORMING CHARACTERS with his next Transformers movie instead of making them all one-line delivering accessories to his human characters.
Posted by The Variable on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:53pm CDT

As for Frank Welker, he DID do Galvatron in the TV series...
Posted by buddhaquest on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:53pm CDT
Posted by Evil_the_Nub on October 18th, 2012 @ 4:59pm CDT
On the other hand it was an easy gig, so I can understand how the role wouldn't mean much to him. Especially considering how involved his other roles have been.
This is just some he said-he said kind of thing. Hopefully Weaving will respond and clear it up before it gets too ugly.
Posted by amtm on October 18th, 2012 @ 5:08pm CDT
Posted by Flashwave on October 18th, 2012 @ 5:21pm CDT
OptiMagnus wrote:I don't know what Hugo Weaving should be complaining about. He provided the voice for the central villain for three enormous blockbusters, plus those aren't even the only big films he's done, and I see him more big roles now after his involvement in TF. I suppose I understand why he feels unappreciated though. The person who was probably the least talented in the first two movies is 50 times more famous than Hugo Weaving just because she's attractive. She most definitely got paid more, too: And for what? Looking pretty?
In all honesty, I don't think Hugo realizes how much the Transformers community appreciates him as the voice of Megatron and as an essential figure in the series. Just because he isn't in the tabloids all the time or isn't being interviewed by Oprah doesn't mean he's not appreciated.
I'm not sure the tf community knows how much the tf community appreciates Weaving's work, given that this and everynthread explodes with All Hail Welker!
Here's whT Weaving is griping about. What if Picasso or Van Gogh release a painting. Everyone bids onit because its from them, but even though they painted it, they liked enough to release it, it really din't tirn out the way they wanted it too. But the public doesn't care, its a Picasso. Should Picasso be proud of a painting because it made him a lot of money, even though in his eyes its not the painting he had hoped to paint, and may in fact be a bit of a failure to him?
Should Mr. Weaving put any less pride or faith into the art he paints with hos voicebecause we the public se e a success, but he sees the flaws and thenfailings?
Personlly, I iked his Megatron, and given some good scripting and a bettr opportunity, i think he could get a corner of the franchise lke Kaye did in thenaftermath of Welker's performance.
Posted by Zetatron on October 18th, 2012 @ 5:53pm CDT
Posted by Megatron Wolf on October 18th, 2012 @ 6:08pm CDT
Posted by noodles2go on October 18th, 2012 @ 6:21pm CDT
SlyTF1 wrote:reflector7 wrote:What can I say? Michael Bay, a rich untalented director, poking fun at people who he is just like? I never thought what Mr Weaving said was ungrateful. I do, however, think Michael Bay has no credibility with his words. Considering his idea of finding a talented actress to play his lead is having her wash his car in a bikini.
Untalented? I'd like to see you go out and do better.
I work in the same movie industry as Bay, I deal with directors and VFX. I have to agree with reflector7, he is rich and untalented. He's a terrible director in my opinion.
As much as I hate his movies (that I still paid to see...

That aside, he likes to film explosions and half naked women, that's about the extent of his abilities.

Posted by jordie5150 on October 18th, 2012 @ 6:39pm CDT
hugo weaving also said the same things of his role as the red skull in captain america.
he played some major villians and yet, he is whinning about them. seems like the only thing he really cares about is screen time. has he made any complaints about his role in the matrix? not to my knowledge. or the lotr trilogy?
could it be that he only feels worthy of trilogies or has he not said anything about lotr because of the hobbit movies being currently filmed?
there are many out of work actors who have proven their work on screen yet havent got a decent part in years.
hugo needs to realize that if he wants any future, he wont piss off the directors. example, wheres megan fox after jennifers body?
Posted by freetouch on October 18th, 2012 @ 6:43pm CDT
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
Posted by jordie5150 on October 18th, 2012 @ 6:44pm CDT
Zetatron wrote:Meh, I've heard worse from a lead actor in a Transformers movie. Orson Wells hated the animated movie. Granted he was a living legend in the entertainment industry doing the voice for a cartoon planet eating monster in a 90 minute toy commercial, but I think we'll get over this dis just like we got over that one. Frank Welker will always be the voice to beat when it comes to Megatron, with David Kaye in a close second, and as long as they stay loyal to the fans what do we have to complain about?
wells was the size of a planet when he voiced unicron, and he got alot of bad press for the weight gain. lol. it seems like an irony to me.
Posted by Burn on October 18th, 2012 @ 7:15pm CDT
freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.

Posted by BATTOUSAIXD on October 18th, 2012 @ 7:30pm CDT
Posted by Gauntlet101010 on October 18th, 2012 @ 7:35pm CDT
Weaving critisized the part. Bay made it personal. IMHO, Bay just comes off as worse for it. He didn't have to make it personal or take it as a personal attack.
Posted by ausbot on October 18th, 2012 @ 8:02pm CDT
Posted by Sentinel Maximus on October 18th, 2012 @ 8:05pm CDT


Theres Shia's little rant as well, but who cares about him.
Posted by Evil_the_Nub on October 18th, 2012 @ 8:06pm CDT
Burn wrote:freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.
Can I join you?
Posted by Sodan-1 on October 18th, 2012 @ 8:09pm CDT
KenjaminLinus wrote:Not once did Hugo Weaving say or imply that he was ungrateful for the role or money. He just said it didn't mean anything to him, which is perfectly understandable given the reality of what his role was and required of him. That was apparently lost on Bay, who of course jumped at the chance to look like the peoples' champion and play to the whole recession thing. Bad form, Michael, bad form. (But it was funny, lol)

Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on October 18th, 2012 @ 9:28pm CDT
How is the role supposed to mean anything to him when he knows nothing about the character he was supposed to voice?
He was probably given a script with lines for a robotic villain named Magatron, and told to sound intimidating and cruel. Weaving probably doesn't know anything more about TF's than Bay did before the latter's "TF boot camp" at Hasbro's headquarters.
Maybe Bay feels it puts him in a bad light for not providing the necessary information on Megatron, but I don't think Weaving meant to do so.
Just my two cents' worth.
Posted by MINDVVIPE on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:12pm CDT
Posted by Seibertron on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:13pm CDT
Posted by MINDVVIPE on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:16pm CDT
Evil_the_Nub wrote:Burn wrote:freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.
Can I join you?
You're the ones professing your disagreeal with the negative comments, yet your taking the time to post here. You could be reading a book too. By suggesting our lack of anything better to do, you are suggesting the same for yourselves. And to a worse degree as it is in an attempt to one-up us and further segregate the fanbase.
Posted by Ultra Markus on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:19pm CDT
Posted by Seibertron on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:22pm CDT
Ultra Markus wrote:well maybe Mr. Bay should have hired someone more familiar and appreciative of the franchise in the first place, some one currently playing megatron who does a killer job at it and does sound more bad ass than the G1 version and would make the movie megatron sound better ....you know who... lets hear it for Frank Welker!!
Amen to that!
Posted by Evil_the_Nub on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:39pm CDT
MINDVVIPE wrote:Evil_the_Nub wrote:Burn wrote:freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.
Can I join you?
You're the ones professing your disagreeal with the negative comments, yet your taking the time to post here. You could be reading a book too. By suggesting our lack of anything better to do, you are suggesting the same for yourselves. And to a worse degree as it is in an attempt to one-up us and further segregate the fanbase.
We're just sick of seeing the exact same hyperbolic whining for the last 5 years. You don't like the movies, we get it. Nobody is forcing you to see them yet you do anyway. Even though you know you won't like them. You just can't let anyone enjoy something you don't. Every time there's a news story about the movies you guys crawl out of your holes to ruin it for everyone with your stale antagonism. Let it go already.
Posted by kuarsingh on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:40pm CDT
Posted by Burn on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:44pm CDT
MINDVVIPE wrote:Evil_the_Nub wrote:Burn wrote:freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.
Can I join you?
You're the ones professing your disagreeal with the negative comments, yet your taking the time to post here. You could be reading a book too. By suggesting our lack of anything better to do, you are suggesting the same for yourselves. And to a worse degree as it is in an attempt to one-up us and further segregate the fanbase.
• I was on a 10 minute smoko break. If i'm going to read a book, I like to settle down and get comfortable for a minimum of half an hour.
• I'm a member of the staff, have to read things to make sure there's no nasty name calling going on and whatnot.
• The fanbase has been segregated for a very long time. Truck, monkey, flames, no flames ... don't see any of it changing any time soon for better or for worse.
And again, bring on Welker, but don't expect too much from him. He still has to read off a questionable script.
Posted by MINDVVIPE on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:47pm CDT
Evil_the_Nub wrote:MINDVVIPE wrote:Evil_the_Nub wrote:Burn wrote:freetouch wrote:I could have sworn this was 2012... It seems as if I stepped into a time warp and when all the way back to 2008.
You crybabies still upset about michael bay? Time to let it go. You could all be reading a book right now.
I like you. Others won't though. But I like you. You and I? We can laugh at them together.
Can I join you?
You're the ones professing your disagreeal with the negative comments, yet your taking the time to post here. You could be reading a book too. By suggesting our lack of anything better to do, you are suggesting the same for yourselves. And to a worse degree as it is in an attempt to one-up us and further segregate the fanbase.
We're just sick of seeing the exact same hyperbolic whining for the last 5 years. You don't like the movies, we get it. Nobody is forcing you to see them yet you do anyway. Even though you know you won't like them. You just can't let anyone enjoy something you don't. Every time there's a news story about the movies you guys crawl out of your holes to ruin it for everyone with your stale antagonism. Let it go already.
Hyperbolic whining? No one is forcing you to see them? Wow, thanks, I never knew these things.
The subject is regarding Bay being a moron. We're just members of a transformers board speaking on topic. Just because you don't like what we say, you get all personally offended (i'm sure). Theres enough hate thrown out there for hasbro, for animated, theres hate on just about anything on this forum. Stop tryin to act enlightened for having "moved on", which you haven't because, if I remember correctly, you like the movies.
There might be lots of different views on stuff in the fandom, truck not monkey, no flames, as you said, but this is about the only area where people seem to complain about the complainers at such a magnitude, and I am sick of reading it. Especially when many of us didn't even diss the movie, we were just dissing bay for what he said. WHICH IS ON TOPIC.
You don't see Ryan complaining about the complainers. People say their part and shovel on, if you can't do the same, thats your problem. I won't say anything else since this has been a huge derailment. I just wanted to bring light to it so you don't get away with your snarky quips that do nothing but hurt the fandom.
Posted by TulioDude on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:58pm CDT
Posted by romeostarkiller on October 18th, 2012 @ 10:59pm CDT

Posted by Burn on October 18th, 2012 @ 11:20pm CDT
TulioDude wrote:I think Michael wrote that in the heat of the moment,wich he must have regreted it,because he delete it shortly after.
And had the website not caught it, we wouldn't have known any better.
Be interesting to see if Bay makes another statement in a day or so.
Posted by President-prime on October 18th, 2012 @ 11:26pm CDT
Posted by mooncake623 on October 19th, 2012 @ 12:21am CDT