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Before theJohn Wickmovies cemented Keanu Reeves as one of the most badass actors in the industry, it wasThe Matrixmovies that launched him into stardom and revolutionized the sci-fi landscape. Despite being one of the most influential movies of all time, the hype around the IP eventually washed off after the two underwhelming sequels and the failure of the recent film.

However, before things turned worse for the franchise after the sequels, the hype forThe Matrix Reloadedwas enormous, with fans excited to see how Neo’s story unfolds. Among them, one of them was Monica Belluci, who was astonished by the first movie and eventually got a chance to star in the highly anticipated sequel.
Also read:“I could barely stand straight, I couldn’t do the scene” Keanu Reeves Co-star Carrie Anne Moss Was Miserable While Shooting One Particular Scene in The Matrix

Monica Bellucci was enthralled after being offered to star inThe Matrix Reloaded
Following her performance inThe Apartment, which shot her to stardom,Monica Belluccisoon got the opportunity to star in the sequel of one of her most beloved movies. Considering that after watching The Matrix, Monica Bellucci was adamant about making something like that, getting the opportunity to star in its sequel was a dream come true for the actress. After the Wachowskis called her to offer the role of Persephone, Monica Bellucci was fascinated by the opportunity. While reflecting on the experience Monica Bellucci stated,
“I went to see Matrix, the first one, and I came out from the theater and I said, ‘Oh my God, I want to make a movie like that.’ And then, I was in America presenting Malèna, and the Wachowskis called me. They wanted to meet me. And they offered me Persephone. I was so happy. Then I was in Sydney, shooting the movie. That’s the story. That’s the way it is”

Even though the sequel failed to live up to its predecessor’s height, the scene of Monica Bellucci’s Persephone sharing a passionate kiss with Reeves’ Neo remains one of the highlights of the movie. However, it seems that the first movie that ended up leaving a huge impact on the fans and the actress, might not ended up being the case as Keanu Reeves almost lost the role due to injuries.
Also read:“There was so much kissing and all this time in bed”: Diane Keaton Found Keanu Reeves “Hot”, Yet She Was Humiliated While Kissing the Matrix Star

Keanu Reeves almost lost the role of Neo inThe Matrixdue to injuries
Before theJohn Wickmovies,Keanu Reeveswas widely known for the role of Neo fromThe Matrix, but it seems, it might not have ended up being the case, following the actor’s long list of injuries. Considering that the actor was involved in the filming ofSpeedandThey Call Him Bodhiprior toThe Matrix, those movies led the actor to suffer some neck injuries. However, with Reeves adamant about doingThe Matrix, he decided to keep his struggles a secret, which eventually resulted in the actor going through surgeries. Reeves explained the situation by stating,
“I said yes to Matrix and four months into the training, but it was pretty bad so I went to a neck doctor and I also had spinal stenosis, my spine was being mutilated, basically. I never told anyone because I didn’t want to tell anyone I couldn’t do the movie.”

Also read:“Can’t you think of your mother being dead ?”: Keanu Reeves Was Asked to Think of a Horrible Thing After He Struggled to Cry in His Movie ‘Dangerous Liaisons’
Even though the later entries, including the recentThe Matrix Resurrections, never manage to recreate the magic of the first one,The Matrix‘s contribution to the sci-fi genre remains enormous.
The Matrix Reloadedis available to stream on HBO Max.
Source:A.frame
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.