Jacki Weaver Talks Career, Animal Kingdom’s Evil Matriarch, Voicing Toy Story 4

Australian star Jacki Weaver’s role as a wicked mom in Animal Kingdom has generated awards buzz since its premiere at Sundance last year. She’s got several nominations to prove it, and a win at the National Board of Review Awards. Sophia Savage sat down for a flip cam interview with the veteran actress:

“That’s gonna take years,” Jacki Weaver replies to a request for a rundown of her Australian acting career, which spans 48 years. “How long have you got?”

Oscar ballots are due today, the Critics Choice Awards are in a few hours (where she’s nominated for best supporting actress) and the Golden Globes are Sunday night. So no, we don’t have time to talk about the 100 plays and 15 films Weaver has appeared in, from Peter Weir’s 1975 thriller Picnic at Hanging Rock to last year’s Animal Kingdom – from first time writer-director David Michôd.

Below, the charismatic blue-eyed blonde talks about finding the humanity in Animal Kingdom‘s indelibly disturbing crime-family matriarch, Janine “Smurf” Cody– a role which will be remembered for its charm as much as its nefariousness.

She just wrapped Uncle Vanya with Cate Blanchett at the Sydney Theatre Company, and it may be coming to the states. The next role she wants? “I’d love to be a voice in Toy Story 4,” she laughs, and admits she’s getting more scripts now than ever before. Next week, she’s meeting with agents around LA. She’d love to work with Michôd – whom she adores and considers an “auteur” – again, and notes that Tarantino (he put Animal Kingdom at #3 on his Ten Best List) and the Coens (“Everything the Coen brothers do is brilliant”) as American favorites. She’s basking in the glow of this new found chapter in her career.