Morpheus, Neo and Trinity. The main characters of the cyberpunk blockbuster Wachowski

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Even now, Wachowski's cyberpunk blockbuster The Matrix is considered one of the best in the genre despite the fact that the excellent picture was released in 1999. A successful and multifaceted movie that combines the style of cyberpunk and Hong Kong action movies, gave the world the unforgettable heroes of Morpheus, Neo and Trinity. In virtual reality, they are endowed with many talents, from brilliant martial arts to the ability to fly. The characters are like supermen when they operate in the computer world. To date, no one has been able to come up with a more effective visualization of hacking.

Neo

Now the media claim that the directors initially saw programmer Thomas Anderson, aka Neo's hacker, Keanu Reeves as the lead actor. In fact, everything was not so. The question of an actor suitable for the role of Neo was decided for a long time. The Wachowskis wanted to shoot Johnny Depp, but he went to Tim Burton in Sleepy Hollow, the studio bosses could not choose between Brad Pitt and Val Kilmer. In parallel, the candidacies of Nicolas Cage and Will Smith were considered. By the way, they wanted to give the role of Trinity to JanetJackson. Now it is difficult to imagine Neo and Trinity as African Americans. But when they failed to reach an agreement, Keanu Reeves was approved for the role.

The Wachowskis believed that Neo should be an ordinary guy with "loser" tendencies, as in the process he must develop: from weak and dumbfounded to confident and invincible. The studio stood up for the traditional image of the courageous protagonist. And Reeves turned out to be a real compromise - textured, athletic, with experience in leading heroic roles in "Speed" and "Point Break". At the same time, the actor did not look like Superman, and organically fit into the image of a modest programmer, albeit with high hidden ambitions.

Trinity

"The Matrix" can not be called a romantic drama, although according to genre canons it has a love sensual line connecting Neo and Trinity, an associate and "right hand" of Morpheus. The name of the character "Trinity" is taken from Christian theology.

When the famed black pop star turned down the project, the studio gave the chance to then little-known Canadian actress Carrie-Anne Moss. Since the performer did not have star status, her audition turned into a three-hour physical test. So the creators checked whether the actress could handle the action scenes of the film. By the way, the three-minute shootout scene between Neo and Trinity in the lobby was filmed over 10 days. Trinity is the most important character, without whom the whole philosophy of the tape will collapse.

Morpheus

Thomas Anderson learns about living in virtual reality from Morpheus, the leader of those living outside the computer world. The creators and studio bosses did not have a specific set of what race this character should be. They were looking for an impressive performer who would be convincing as Neo's physically strong, powerful and assertive mentor. Among the contenders for the role were Chow Yun-Fat, Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson. As a result, the character was embodied on the screen by Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne.

The name "Morpheus" (that is, "Morpheus") was taken by the authors from ancient mythology, modeled after N. Gaiman, the creator of the cult comic strip "Sandman".

Key character details

Neo and Trinity's costumes from The Matrix not only inspired leading fashion designers, but also influenced street fashion in the early 2000s. True, unlike Trinity's leather attire, Neo's raincoat was made of cheap woolen fabric. Costume designer Kim Barrett bought it in New York for $3 a meter.

A catastrophically little is written about Trinity's appearance and clothing in the Wachowski script - "a woman in black leather." K. Barrett had to work out such a restrained characterization. Moss later admitted in an interview with the media that she liked the decorations so much that as soon as she put on a stage costume, she began to feel not the dreamy and modest Carrie Ann, but the cool Trinity. Until now, on the fashion catwalks, the reincarnation of this character is found every now and then. Designers do nothing but interpret and shuffle her looks.

Unlike Neo and Trinity's functional clothes, Morpheus's wardrobe had to emphasize his status. The noble posture of the hero favorably complements his official attire. Purple boots and a tie, a raincoat and, of course, glasses play a key role in creating a charismatic look.