How many actors' resumes can boast roles in both The Matrix and the John Wick movies? Released in 1999, The Matrix made a star of Keanu Reeves, with the actor perfectly suited to portraying the hacker known as Thomas Anderson as he transitions from his fake, computer-generated reality to his true persona of Neo. Although the Matrix's pair of sequels notoriously dipped in quality, Reeves' status as a bona fide Hollywood star was cemented.
Despite enjoying a long and storied movie career, Keanu Reeves has experienced somewhat of a renaissance of late, and this is largely thanks to his success in the title role of John Wick. Slick, lean and satisfyingly intense, John Wick was a breath of fresh air for the action genre in 2014 and rapidly earned a large cult following that has so far spawned 2 sequels. Unusually, both follow-ups are considered more-or-less on par with the original, solidifying the dog-loving assassin as one of Reeves' best ever roles. But Keanu isn't the only actor to exit The Matrix and check into the Continental.
Keanu Reeves
The obvious common denominator, Keanu Reeves is the face of both The Matrix and John Wick, and a major reason behind the success of both franchises. Wick and Neo certainly have a lot in common - the cool but deadly presence, the snappy dress sense (it was fashionable in 1999!), and the innate heroism. But John Wick's main man is a far more human character than his counterpart in The Matrix, and it's this emotional investment in the character's journey that perhaps helped John Wick's sequels succeed where The Matrix's fell down.
Laurence Fishburne
Already an accomplished actor, Laurence Fishburne's star rose considerably following his defining role as Morpheus in the Matrix trilogy. A master of exposition, philosophical musings and kung-fu, Morpheus was every bit as compelling as Neo, and the controversial faith he placed in his protege is arguably the best storyline in the franchise. Reuniting with Keanu Reeves in John Wick 2 & 3, Fishburne plays the Bowery King, a pigeon-loving information broker with his own underground criminal network, existing alongside the Continental's other services.
Randall Duk Kim
Introduced in The Matrix Reloaded, Randall Duk Kim will be most familiar to western audiences as the Keymaker, a human-shaped program in the Matrix capable of building doors and pathways throughout the digitized reality. Essentially a MacGuffin in the second film, a battle erupts between Morpheus, the Agents and the Merovingian for control of the Keymaker. Randall Duk Kim appears in the first and third John Wick movies as the Continental's resident doctor responsible for patching John up.
Daniel Bernhardt
Fans might not recognize him behind the dark shades, but Daniel Bernhardt also made his Matrix debut in Reloaded, playing Agent Johnson, one of the villainous programs designed to protect the Matrix at all costs alongside Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith. An expert martial artist, Bernhardt's presence ensured that at least the action scenes lived up to the original 1999 movie, and he would cross fists with Keanu Reeves once again in the first John Wick effort, playing lead henchman, Kirill.
Chad Stahelski
Although Chad Stahelski doesn't strictly appear in both franchises, he's undoubtedly an integral part of the Matrix and John Wick worlds. Stahelski had an on-screen role in The Matrix as Keanu Reeves' stunt double, sharing the role of Neo with the Bill & Ted star. Some years later, Stahelski made his directorial debut behind the camera of John Wick, later taking charge of the two sequels. He might not feature on-screen, but Stahelski's presence can certainly be felt in John Wick's exemplary action sequences.
