With the fourth installment of The Matrix franchise holding steady in theaters and streaming on HBO Max for a new generation to dive into the mind bending action, fans of the original trilogy may find this the perfect time to revisit the groundbreaking films. Franchise star Keanu Reeves is certainly thinking back to the original films, as he fondly recalls the memory of the first day of filming The Matrix and a sweet moment he witnessed between the Wachowski sisters.
During a segment for The Reel Rejects where The Matrix Resurrections star answered trivia questions, Keanu Reeves drops the memory of an adorable moment between Lana and Lilly Wachowski on the first day of filming The Matrix so many years ago. According to Reeves, day one of filming went so well that the Wachowskis shared a sly, instinctive high five that he was lucky enough to catch. Here’s what he says, exactly:
First day of filming on The Matrix was in the office. It’s when Agent Smith is coming in. The Wachowskis were working with a Steadicam that day ’cause they had a lot of shots to make. And I remember it was at the end of the day and they were walking away. I was walking behind them. They were both walking and they, without even looking at each other, they just went bam and gave each other like a low high-five. And I was just like, ‘Right on.’ Right on, we made our day, we did it.
There is a ton of work that goes into a film way before the first day of filming ever even happens, so once that day came for the Wachowskis on a film like The Matrix I can only imagine how strong feelings were on set that day. I would think that seeing their vision come together and being put on film would turn into a pretty powerful core memory.
Keanu Reeves wasn’t even a participant in the high five, and it seems to have been a memory he cherishes, and it certainly meant something to him. It sounds like it signified a job well done, and it really set the tone for a successful filming experience.
While Keanu Reeves certainly wasn’t a newbie in the movie business when he was cast in The Matrix, he wasn’t nearly as accomplished as he is now, and being a part of the franchise actually helped really catapult his career. The Matrix made him into the action star he is now, and it’s hard to say if he would be John Wick without the role of Neo. That successful first day of filming end-capped with that sweet Wachowski high five could have been a pretty defining moment for the actor.
Both Wachowskis may not have been involved in the making of the newest Matrix film, but that’s not to say the sisters didn’t have some off-set high fives in celebration of the throwback sequel. You can check out The Matrix Resurrections in theaters if you haven’t already, or you can stream it at home on HBO Max right along with the other films in the franchise.
