Laurence Fishburne Reveals 'The Matrix' Shooting Was Grueling: "Always in Pain"

At the recent Marrakech Film Festival, Laurence Fishburne, who played Morpheus in The Matrix, candidly discussed the challenges he faced while preparing for the movie.

He described it as a journey of constant pain and physical limitations that helped create iconic action scenes which have made cinematic history.

Laurence Fishburne Shared His Training Experience for His Role in 'The Matrix'

The actor admitted that working on The Matrix was a true athletic challenge for him and his fellow actors. Fishburne said:

“We were essentially the first Western actors to work in the Hong Kong style. And so [martial arts choreographer] Yuen Woo-ping was very concerned that we weren't going to be able to [pull it off].

So he trained us really hard – training us like professional athletes. And it was in the middle of that training I realized why they pay professional athletes so much money: Because professional athletes are always in pain.”

Lawrence admitted that this intensive training had literally "grown" into his body – he still feels the movements he honed a quarter century ago.

Yuen Woo-ping Initially Wanted to Turn Down Work on 'The Matrix'

Yuen Woo-ping, the legendary Hong Kong choreographer who set the incredibly high physical standard for the project, was initially reluctant to participate.

He hoped the Wachowskis would back down by charging an exorbitant fee and demanding complete control over all fight scenes and the actors' training. However, impressed by his work on Fist of Legend, the directors accepted all his conditions.

Thus, Woo-ping was thrust into stunt coordinating, which ultimately brought him worldwide fame and opened doors in Hollywood, which included a collaboration with Quentin Tarantino on Kill Bill.

The Stunts Were So Complex That Hugo Weaving Was Seriously Injured During Filming

Even the most prepared actors found the rigorous approach challenging. On the very first day of filming, Hugo Weaving, who played Agent Smith, injured his leg while performing a complex stunt.

The injury was so serious that he required surgery. The filmmakers even considered rewriting the role, but ultimately decided to adjust the filming schedule to accommodate Weaving's recovery.

The Shooting Scene Was Filmed Without the Use of Visual Effects

One of the most impressive and technically challenging scenes in The Matrix was the three-minute shootout between Neo and Trinity and dozens of agents.

To achieve maximum realism, the Wachowskis decided to film it practically on location with minimal use of CGI. This scene, which set the standard for many subsequent action movies, took approximately ten days to film.

Every shot, set piece, and actor movement was meticulously calibrated and rehearsed to create intense, merciless, yet believable action.