SinceThe Matrixtrilogy was released, many of its actors have become major stars or moved on to other projects.The Matrixtrilogy was a 1990s and early 2000s cultural phenomenon, with Neo becoming one of theiconic movie characters that defined the 1990s. There arefourMatrixmoviesand a short animated series, with three movies in the original trilogy and aMatrixfranchise reboot in 2021. Now,The Matrix 5has finally been confirmed, and while many of the original and reboot cast members could still return, none have been announced yet.
Yet the original movie about a sentient computer program that has taken over humanity made all its main stars into icons, with many of thecharacters inThe Matrixtrilogystill recognizable to people who have not seen it. Some of the originalMatrixtrilogy stars returned to film the fourth movie in the franchise, while others were neither seen nor mentioned.Of theMatrixtrilogy’s original actors, some are now at the peak of their careers,while others are no longer acting.
20Keanu Reeves (Neo)
From The Matrix (All Three Original Movies)
Keanu Reeves had already appeared in popular movies likeMuch Ado About NothingandBill and Ted’s Excellent Adventurewhen he was cast as Neo, butThe Matrixmade him a household name. While Reeves returned to play Neo inThe Matrix: Resurrections, it is unknown whether he will reprise his role inThe Matrix 5,partially due to his other major movie franchise.
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Reeves has become an action and sci-fi megastar, though he still appears in movies of other genres, like the video-game-inspiredSonic the Hedgehog 3.The success of theJohn Wickfranchise has made Reeves one of the biggest and most in-demand stars working today, and it appears that he is also returning to some of his older movies, withConstantine 2now in pre-production.
19Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity)
Before Carrie-Anne Moss played Trinity inThe Matrix, she had a lead role in an unrelated TV series coincidentally calledMatrix. However,The Matrixintroduced her character as a 1990s and 2000s cultural icon, and her career grew from there.Moss has become a bigger action star sinceThe Matrix, and while she played Trinity once more inThe Matrix: Resurrections, she also portrays Master Indara inThe Acolyteand appears in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action seriesFUBAR. Moss’s most recent movie,Die Alone, shows her playing a post-apocalyptic survivalist.
18Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus)
Laurence Fishburne was already a well-known actor in the 1990s, butplaying Morpheus inThe Matrixtook his career to the next level. Possibly resulting inMorpheus' badly received role inThe Matrix: Revolutions, Fishburne was not approached to play Morpheus in the reboot, but this is unlikely to have affected his career, which has only flourished. Fishburne has had major roles inHannibalandJohn Wick: Chapter 4, the latter of which reunited him with Keanu Reeves. He currently has eight upcoming projects, includingThe WitcherTV series, in which he will play the fan-favorite character Regis.
17Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith)
Hugo Weaving has had one of the most varied and successful acting careers since playing thepowerful Agent Smith inThe Matrixmovies. WhileThe Matrixkickstarted his career,Weaving became even more famous after playing the elven Lord Elrond in Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy.
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Weaving has continued to star in major movies, likeThe Transformers,V For Vendetta, andThe Hobbit. He is also set to reprise his role asTick in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert 2, though no release date has been announced yet. Weaving could also still appear in anotherMatrixmovie, as the Agents often change their physical forms.
16Jada Pinkett Smith (Niobe)
From The Matrix: Reloaded & The Matrix: Revolutions
TheMatrixtrilogy’s Zion-born pilot, Niobe, is played by Jada Pinkett Smith, who has had an extremely varied career before, during, and afterThe Matrix. Pinkett Smith voiced Gloria in theMadagascarfranchise and is currently producingKarate Kid: Legends. Outside of her acting career, Pinkett Smith has worked as a presenter and philanthropist. Her talk show,Red Table Talks, won a Daytime Emmy Award, andTime Magazinenamed her one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2021.
15Harold Perrineau (Link)
Harold Perrineau was known for playing Mercutio in Baz Luhrmann’sRomeo and Juliet,who is still considered one of his best characters, before he was inThe Matrix. He has appeared in many critically acclaimed productions sinceThe Matrix. For instance,Perrineau starred as Michael Lawson inLost, Damon Pope inSons of Anarchy, Calvin Shaw inCriminal Minds,and Boyd Stevens inFrom.He is an exceptional character actor and was praised for his role as the drag queen Rhea Ranged in 2018’sDumplin'.
14Monica Bellucci (Persephone)
Persephone is the wife of the Merovingian who, like the mythological Persephone, is taken to the “underworld” where she marries someone with control over death. Persephone is not seen with the Merovingian inThe Matrix: Revolutionsand it is possible that Agent Smith absorbed her, though this is not confirmed. As for the actress who played her,Monica Bellucci most recently appeared as Delores inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, and starred alongside Daniel Craig inSpectre,making her theoldest Bond Girl in historyat age 50.
13Helmut Bakaitis (The Architect)
The Matrixmovies were a relatively rare project for Helmut Bakaitisas he usually acted in a live theater setting. However, his performance was vital to rendering the mystery of the Matrix; his character, known only as the Architect, created the first ofthe Matrix’s eight cycles, intending for it to be a paradise for humans. Bakaitis has continued to pursue different acting opportunities, last appearing in the TV miniseriesStatelessin 2020, and playing Walter Silverstein in the stage play,Liberty, Equality, Fraternityin 2013. He then reprised this role in an Australian online performance in 2020.
12Randall Duk Kim (The Keymaker)
From The Matrix: Reloaded
The Keymaker is one of the many programs in theMatrixtrilogy, and his job is to open up the door for The One. His actor Randall Duk Kim’s voice may now sound familiar, as he veered into voice acting followingThe Matrix. He notably voices Master Oogway in theKung Fu Pandamovies and Wan Shi Tong in 2024’sAvatar: The Last Airbender.Duk Kim also reunited with Keanu Reeves in 2019 when he joined the cast ofJohn Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum,although he has only a small role in this movie as the Continental Doctor.
11Neil & Adrian Rayment (The Twins)
TheMatrix’s Twinswere instantly distinctive and memorable, but they were killed early, leaving audiences wanting to know more about them. Unfortunately,it does not look as though The Twins will be returning forThe Matrix 5, as the real-life twins do not appear to still be acting.
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Adrian Rayment was last seen onscreen in the movieIntergalactic Combat, where he and Neil played twins again. Neil Rayment continued acting for longer; between 2015 and 2017 he played the Vicar in the TV seriesDispossess.
