After 20-plus years. Keanu Reeves reprises his role as Thomas Anderson aka Neo in The Matrix. For years, rappers and singers like Ne-Yo would the computer programmer and hacker who Morpheus believed was “The One.” Thee days, it feels like we are living in a real life “reign of the Machines” with the avent of VR, Meta Worlds and incessant escapism like hyper realistic video games. Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss aka Trinity dropped they dropped The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003 and now have released The Matrix Resurrections, a film helmed by Lana Wachowski.
Check out this AllHipHop exclusive interview with the pair.
AllHipHop: So good to see you. Now, of course, Matrix is such an iconic film, but how much convincing did it take for you guys to rejoin, and what made you both say yes?
Carrie-Anne Moss: Zero. Convincing zero, zero convincing. After the shock wore off at the thought that we’re doing this again, it was just nothing but a yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Keanu Reeves: Same for me. It was just, yes, there was a yes, and then, what are we doing?
AllHipHop: Right. Now, in the film, it sort of pokes onto this idea that this film would’ve been made, regardless if you guys were involved. So I have to note that, because you both are involved in reprising your role of Neo, and of course, Trinity, did you get any input or allowances in being able to cultivate the character this time around?
Keanu Reeves: The director is really collaborative in terms of the emotions and trying to understand what the character is saying, what the character is doing, but I don’t know about making any substantial changes or additions to it.
Carrie-Anne Moss: For me, I feel like I become of service to her vision, and my goal and my desire is to fulfill what her vision of the character, of the movie, and it’s quite lovely to sort of trust the filmmaker that much, and you really can do that with her.
AllHipHop: Absolutely. Now, obviously first time around, these were new characters, we’re getting to know them. This time around, they have history. So what personal connections did you make this time around to both Neo and Trinity, and was there anything that you took from your real life and added to the character? Carrie-Ann, obviously the mother thing, I think, was one substantial thing. I was like, oh, Trinity’s a mom.
Carrie-Anne Moss: That was interesting to kind of embrace that and embrace that whole questioning of that, and how she was in her matrix. That was pretty interesting.
AllHipHop: And any personal connections you made to your character, and what your experiences have been coming back to it?
Keanu Reeves: For me, it was perfect, because I was questioning mortality, what is my life, what’s going on? And that fit right in with Thomas Anderson.
AllHipHop: Okay. Now, before we go, I have to talk about all those fight sequences and being able to be at this point. Obviously in your life, even for me to do stuff I did 20 years ago, I’m like, are you kidding me? How challenging, or even fun, was it to get back into that action-packed, fueled moments there?
Keanu Reeves: Lots of fun, challenging, just survive, do the best you can, have fun.
Carrie-Anne Moss: It was great. It was amazing. That’s how we kind of start movies, is with this training time. So there’s a lot that happens in there. You’re learning your fights. You’re getting in shape. For me, I had to lose weight and I had to really get strong, and then you’re also developing the character within that, learning all this stuff and having fun, laughing, seeing your screen partner over there, killing it over there with all the-
Keanu Reeves: Oh, my back, oh, my knee.
Carrie-Anne Moss: And you’re getting inspired by watching him.
Keanu Reeves: Oh, my shoulder. Oh, oh.
Carrie-Anne Moss: Sitting in the ice, kneed together, sitting there, recovering together.
Keanu Reeves: Oh, it’s so good.
Carrie-Anne Moss: It’s a partnership.
AllHipHop: I love it. You guys pulled it off brilliantly. Congratulations. Can’t wait for the continuation.
Carrie-Anne Moss: Thank you.
Keanu Reeves: Thank you.
Interviewer: Candice Williams
