Laurence Fishburne Recalls Painful Memories from ‘The Matrix’: ‘I Was in Pain All the Time’

Laurence Fishburne recalls the intense physical challenges he faced while filming The Matrix. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and I were among the first Western actors to adopt the Hong Kong action style, he explains. Martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping was concerned we might not manage it, so he pushed us like professional athletes. It was during that regimen I realized why athletes are paid so highly: they are in constant pain, not just the temporary soreness you get from the gym.

The rigorous preparation paid off, evident in the movies legendary fight sequences. Fishburne still feels the physical imprint more than twenty-five years later. Its all still in the body, he laughs. We each had two trainers, and they pushed us incredibly hard.

At the Marrakech Film Festival, Fishburne reflected on a career built on transformation. Over a lively 90-minute discussion, he recounted his journey from a wise-ass street urchin in Brooklyn to starring in Apocalypse Now, King of New York, Boyz N the Hood, and The Matrix. He emphasized his drive to defy expectations. I always want to surprise the audience, he says. I aim to shift details, create a character you dont instantly recognize, someone who surprises you or reflects someone you know.

This approach shaped his portrayal of Jimmy Jump in Abel Ferraras King of New York. Drawing on the archetype of a reckless, dual-wielding gunslinger from Westerns, Fishburne added modern cultural nuances. Jimmy Jump is, to me, the first hip-hop gangster on film, he explains. I drew inspiration from New York neighborhoods, hip-hop shows, graffiti writers, and breakdancers. I even knew a self-proclaimed hip-hop gangster with ambitions to rap and a side hustle. It made sense to bring this character to the screen.

Fishburne also experienced deep audience impact through his role as Furious Styles in John Singletons Boyz N the Hood. I was in Venice, California, when a young man approached me, tears in his eyes, simply to thank me, he remembers. Co-star Roger Guenveur Smith added perspective: Playing Furious Styles, you essentially became a father figure for a generation of boys who didnt have one.

Throughout the festival talk, Fishburne maintained calm and warmth even amid technical issues, addressing the audience with appreciation: Youre all so beautiful. Thank you for being here.

Author: Sophia Brooks