Keanu Reeves Breaks His Brain Explaining Thomas Anderson/Neo Difference

Keanu Reeves has some trouble explaining the difference between Thomas Anderson and Neo, his characters in the Matrix franchise. The newest film in the series, The Matrix: Resurrections, will be released in theatres and on HBO Max on December 22. This is the anticipated return of the sci-fi franchise, which began with The Matrix in 1999 and ended with The Matrix: Resolutions in 2003. In his triumphant return, 57-year-old Reeves did some dangerous stunt work.

The Matrix is about a man named Thomas Anderson who learns that his reality is only a simulation. In the process of learning that his life was an experiment, he learns that his actual name is Neo. There is an iconic scene in which Laurence Fishburne’s character, Morpheus, offers Neo a red pill and a blue pill. The former would reveal the truth about his reality and the latter would allow him to go back into his everyday life in the simulation. Neo chooses the red pill. In the trailer for Resurrections, Morpheus once again offers Neo a red pill and a blue pill and he chooses the red.

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host asked Reeves whether he views the character as Thomas Anderson or Neo. Reeves responded, “He’s Thomas Anderson Neo.” Colbert then asked what the difference between the two men is and Reeves responded, “One is Thomas Anderson and one is Neo.” Reeves then goes on to attempt to give an accurate answer.

“Thomas Anderson is in his real life but he is actually in The Matrix and then Neo exists in a digital computer-generated reality, but then is also living in the real world so it’s Thomas Anderson and Neo. But he was born as Thomas Anderson.”

To be fair, it’s not an easy question to answer, especially since the characters are, in some ways, one and the same. Colbert offered his own interpretation, which Reeves enthusiastically agreed with: while the character may have initially been given the name Thomas Anderson at birth, he wasn’t really “born” until he was freed from the illusion of Thomas Anderson and accepted reality outside the Matrix as Neo. The Matrix films are renowned for their philosophical themes, so the somewhat complicated explanation is in keeping with the franchise’s tone.

Overall, it seems like Reeves was trying to say the differences between Thomas Anderson and Neo have to do with each character’s knowledge, journey, and growth. Is Neo truly a different person than Thomas Anderson, even though they share a body? How much does internal transformation factor into identity? These are some of the big themes that the franchise grapples with, and the Matrix movies don’t always give viewers an easy answer, which could be why Reeves struggled to articulate his answer. But, even though it’s funny to watch Reeves’ brain break a little bit, it proves that the meaning of The Matrix is open to interpretation and there’s no right answer when it comes to how viewers see these characters. The Matrix: Resurrections releases in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22.

Source: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert