Photo: instagram
She's a successful Aussie actress.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jun 08, 2019
If you grew up in the 1980s, you’re probably familiar with Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Starring Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, and the late George Carlin, it wasn’t exactly a smash hit at the time, but has continued to be a cult classic. The movie spawned a sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, video games, comic books, a theme park, and two television series.
And recently, Reeves and Winter teamed up to make an announcement: there will be yet another installment. Bill & Ted Face the Music will begin filming this summer, and be released August 21, 2020!
Other actors have already signed onto the production, including Reeves and Winter reprising their roles, as well as Bridgette Lundy-Paine and Samara Weaving. Lundy-Paine stars in the show Atypical, alongside Keir Gilchrist, Michael Rappaport, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. She will play Ted’s daughter, Billie Logan.
But who is Samara Weaving?
1. She’s from Australia.
Samara was born in Adelaide, and grew up in Indonesia, Singapore, and Fiji. She moved to Canberra with her family in 2005, became drama captain at Canberra Girls Grammar School, and was involved in their theater productions.
2. She’s starred in a number of films.
While she was cast as Thea Preston, the daughter of Bill, in the new Bill & Ted installment, she’s also appeared in many other television and movie roles. She got her start in the soap operas Out of the Blue, and Home and Away. Recently, she starred in The Babysitter, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and SMILF.
She’s also slated to appear in Guns Akimbo, with Daniel Radcliffe, and Ready or Not, alongside Andie MacDowerll and Mark O’Brien.
3. Her uncle is famous.
If Samara’s name sounds familiar, you may know of her uncle, Hugo Weaving, best known for playing Agent Smith in The Matrix, and Elrond in The Lord of the Rings. Weaving is the brother of Samara’s father, Simon Weaving.
4. She recently left SMILF.
The Hollywood Reporter announced Weaving breached her contract and left the show after an argument with the show’s creator, Frankie Shaw, regarding a nude sex scene and his alleged inappropriate handling of it. Weaving alleged that Shaw insisted the outside video monitors be kept on while Weaving filmed a sex scene, even though the set was supposed to be closed.
Said Kristin Calabrese, script supervisor, “It was completely unprofessional. They should have made it known immediately to our actors and our director. I know there were past incidents that led up to this being such a sensitive situation but on any show, if an actor is feeling unsafe or uncomfortable with something, it’s our responsibility to make them feel safe.”
Weaving also alleged previously she was asked to film a sex scene naked with less than one hour’s notice. She refused and Shaw allegedly “pulled her into a trailer” and “yanked off her own top and demanded to know why Weaving had a problem being nude when Shaw had no such concerns.” She reported his behavior to Showtime, ABC Signature Studios, and the Screen Actors Guild. Co-star Rosie O’Donnell also brought the issues to executives.
An internal investigation found that there was no wrongdoing on Shaw’s part, and Weaving was released from her contract.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Shaw said, “I work daily to create an environment in which everyone should feel safe, and in which I can continue to grow as a leader and manager. I am now and always have been open to hearing and addressing all concerns and issues that fall within my control. It pains me to learn that anyone felt uncomfortable on my set. I sincerely hope we can work together to resolve any and all issues, as I am committed to creating a workplace in which all people feel safe and heard.”
5. She’s engaged.
Despite her issues on the set of SMILF, Weaving recently became engaged to creative producer Jimmy Warden. The two have been dating since 2016, and she made an announcement on her Instagram:
“So here goes! Jimbo and I are engaged!! Let’s party my loved ones!! P.S you know you’re loved when you can eat a ham and cheese toastie in bed and your fiancé says that’s beautiful,” she captioned the photo. She also included photos after being proposed to, the ring, and images of the couple together.
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.