Many of your friends commented that Neo is very similar to you - is that true?
"I believe that our views on the world are similar. The Wachowskis were questioning reality and all the forces that govern our world; they explored the idea of who we are as individuals. This is exactly a part of my worldview. What’s more, I played an outsider."

With Tai Chi and 47 Ronin are you using your old Matrix skills or all new ones?

[Laughs] I had some wonderful training in the Matrix films so that gives me a bit of a foundation, but you know I’m older. I got older knees, so my older knees are standing on that foundation. But I have a good Kung Fu fight in Man of Tai Chi and in Ronin I get to do ( Read more... )

 

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Did you hold on to any of the costumes?

"I have no swag. I have no Matrix swag. I don't have the cassock, I don't have any glasses. Only my scripts. I have the scripts. Yes, nice."

Regarding changing his body so quickly for the out of sequence scenes, in filming the Matrix.

"I know there was a time that Larry and Andrew [Wachowski] just said 'How did you do that?'  Because I had to be like, skinny, concave Thomas Anderson.  I  just remember that there'd be chunks of time...Like  OK, I've got 2 weeks until I'm fighting. OK so I ( Read more... )

Discussing his physicality when shooting the Matrix

"Coming out of the pod, so I've gotta lose another 8 pounds and uh, it's a lot of physical...(and) diet.  Um, and really letting what the story is doing...  Where am I in the story?  Letting that almost uh, help me embody what I have to do."

When asked how he kept track while shooting out of sequence.

"I had charted this particular picture [The Matrix].  Every scene that I was in, typed out,  and just had done every scene that had a key phrase or image or anything.  And so I had literally, a chart.  So then I would ya know...as I was working over the months, it's just that I could see ( Read more... )

"The directors Andrew and Larry Wachowski told me to watch Ninja Scroll, Ghost in the Shell and I had seen Akira.  So that was the animes that they asked to see which were fantastic.   Really good."

Reeves has a saying for the tough moments:
"It's mind over Matrix," he said, grinning. "I don't know what happens when I put on Neo's big black overcoat. I think that coat informs the character. I feel like such an icon when I have it on," he said, referring to 23 versions of that coat hang in his dressing room closet, with each one crafted for ( Read more... )

Were you injured (while filming the Matrix)?

"I had one or two cuts, a few bruises and sometimes my arms and legs were sore. I like when it hurts a bit..."