Biography for
Peter Weir More at IMDbPro »

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His characters often interact with technology, especially television, in ways that harm them or surprise the viewer, e.g. the church big screen TV in The Mosquito Coast (1986); the living room TV and TV control center in The Truman Show (1998); radio playing in the barn in Witness (1985), and so on.

Trivia

His films very often deal with people, who find themselves in surroundings, where they do not fit in (e.g. a Philadelphia Cop among the Amish or a progressive teacher on a strictly conservative school).

His films often feature a key scene involving a main character fiddling with their radio.

Famous for making well-known comedy and genre actors into credible dramatic actors such as Harrison Ford, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey.

He was a part of the movement dubbed the "Australian New Wave" by the press. They were a group of filmmakers and performers who emerged from Down Under at about the same time in the early 1980's and found work in other parts of the world. Other members included actors Mel Gibson and Judy Davis and directors George Miller and Gillian Armstrong.

Father of Ingrid Weir.

Directed 5 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Linda Hunt, Harrison Ford, Robin Williams, Rosie Perez and Ed Harris. Hunt won an Oscar for The Year of Living Dangerously (1982).

Interviewed in "Directors Close Up: Interviews with Directors Nominated for Best Film by the Directors Guild of America", ed. by Jeremy Kagan, Scarecrow Press, 2006.

He was awarded the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the Film Industry.

Personal Quotes

(Referring to the restroom murder scene in Witness (1985): It was the most violent scene I've ever filmed. I still wonder if it was too violent, but I did want to have an outrage over the violence that occured in front of those innocent eyes [of the Amish boy character].

[On Harrison Ford] Harrison possesses magnetic qualities. He is capable of filling a room with his personality. If he'd been a plumber and came to fix your tap, he's a person you'd notice. We provoke each other. It's no cozy fireside chat.

[On Mel Gibson] Mel is the new Australian. He is going to be a very good star. He is quite different from the Australian everyone knows -- the kind Rod Taylor represents.

Where Are They Now

(January 2009) Palm Beach, New South Wales, California

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