Hugo Weaving: 'Transformers' was 'meaningless'

Hugo Weaving, best known for his roles in "The Matrix," "Lord of the Rings" and "Captain America: The First Avenger," was asked about his work voicing "Transformers' " top baddie Megatron on the big screen.

Let's just say it wasn't his favorite role.

The actor told Collider.com:

"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. I don’t regret doing it, but I very rarely do something if it’s meaningless. 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."Weaving is only the latest "Transformers" actor to criticize the film series over the years, after original stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox.

"Of course, it’s a massive film that’s made masses of money," Weaving continued.

"I just happened to be the voice of one of the iconic villainous characters. But, my link to that and to ['Transformers' director] Michael Bay is so minimal. I have never met him. I was never on set. I’ve seen his face on Skype. I know nothing about him, really. I just went in and did it. I never read the script. I just have my lines, and I don’t know what they mean. That sounds absolutely pathetic!"

Bay, who's never shied away from speaking his mind, replied on his website, without naming names.

"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?" he asked, in comments picked up by New York Magazine's Vulture.

 "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 percent of the people in America."

Bay - who said he would match funds for a wildlife charity to any actor who wanted to donate their pay - later deleted the statement from his website.

We're going to guess that Weaving won't be taking part in "Transformers 4." The good news is the original Megatron actor might very well be available.