Michael Bay’s Thinly Veiled Response To Hugo Weaving: ‘Be Happy You Have A Job’

Film producer Michael Bay took to his website today and penned a thinly veiled response to actor Hugo Weaving’s recent comments regarding his role as the voice of Megatron in Bay’s Transformers franchise.

As previously reported in The Inquistr, Weaving has been on a sort of “Bite the Hand that Feeds Him” blitz, not only criticizing his work in the Transformers films (most notably calling his voice work “meaningless” and that he “didn’t care about it”) but dismissing his role as Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger as well (basically saying he would only reprise his role if he was contractually forced to do so).

Weaving isn’t the first actor to take a jab at Bay’s Transformers work. Actress Megan Fox was in a very public and nasty little war of words with the producer over her role in the first two films. She was subsequently let go and replaced in the third installment. Her costar Shia LaBeouf has also said less than stellar things about his work in the films.

While Bay’s words today on his website may have been prompted by Weaving’s remarks, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that he was speaking to all of them collectively. Bay’s comments have since been removed, but the beauty of the interwebs is that, once it is out there, it is very difficult to undo.

His statement in full reads:

“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 Wildlife Trust in Africa. I will match the funds they donate.”

You know, Bay very well could be a nightmare to work with. I have no idea, but the man has a valid point. I suggest Weaving take a cue from his Transformers costar LaBeouf: If he isn’t proud of the work he does on big-budget popcorn flicks, oh I don’t know … stop making them? After reading Michael Bay’s thinly veiled rebuttal to Weaving and suggesting on his website that these actors donate their money to a worthy charity, I can’t help but admire the man. Does it make us squaresies for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning? Sorry, Mikey, no dice.