Hugo Weaving suffers from epilepsy

Posted on March 28, 2010 by David

Hugo Weaving is best known from his roles in blockbuster trilogies Lord of the Rings and The Matrix, but few know that the star suffers from a chronic neurological disorder – epilepsy.

The actor was diagnosed with the condition aged 13 and has been on medication since. Speaking to smh.com.au, Weaving revealed the effect epilepsy had on him, describing the moments before each seizure as possibly his “last few seconds on Earth”.

He also told the news provider: “I’m a strong believer that all your lows are also your highs … that the things that happen to you which are most awful are often the things you learn most from.“

It is thought that around 60 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy, which causes the patient to have repeated seizures. These fits can occur suddenly and vary from person to person in severity.

Some sufferers experience what is called an aura before having the seizure, whereas others suddenly start convulsing. This aura can come in the form of deja vu, nausea, blurred vision, tingling sensation, numbness or dizziness and make the patient aware of an impending fit. Those who do not experience auras, however, have no way of predicting when they will have a seizure. For this reason, many choose not to drive cars. Hugo Weaving is said to be one of those people.