by Paul Fischer
by
Paul Fischer
Carrie-Anne Moss
was looking radiant in her pregnant state. Clearly relishing 
impending
motherhood, the 36-year Matrix star says that she plans on taking it easy
and enjoying what she hopes is the first of many. "Not sure how many
but one at a time," she smiles, adding how much she loves being pregnant.
"I never thought it would be quite as hormonally challenging just
in terms of emotions," she says. "One minute you're happy and
then the next, 'What do you mean you don't have chocolate ice cream???'"
Though she's not sure what qualities will make her a good mother, Moss
says that "First of all I'm really excited to be one and meet this
person that's going to be my close companion for 18 years. I'm also excited
about learning from my kids and I hope not to project too much onto them
as to whom or what they should be." Having children also affects
the actress's professional choices, she admits, including where to make
movies. "Now that I've done the hardcore location, being away for
two years of your life in Australia, I won't do that again," she
admits. Yet she has no regrets about the experience of filming The
Matrix trilogy in Sydney. "It was awesome. I made a conscious
choice to enjoy and experience it. I created an environment there that
was really supportive of my experience. I lived in a great place and surrounded
myself with great people. My husband visited and I went home. I had friends
visit and family visit and it was incredible. But would I do that again?
Well, it's one thing to commit to your work for a few hours a day or 9:00
to 5:00 or a few months if you're an actor but I'm ready to make other
things a commitment now," she insists.
It was an unknown Carrie-Anne who audiences took to their hearts as the
tough but complex Trinity in the 1999 blockbuster hit The Matrix.
Between The Matrix and its two sequels, the actress has certainly
evolved, she says. "I'm much stronger this time around! Physically
it was challenging. I'm always up for a challenge -- even so, this is
hard in this case. It was such an experience to show up everyday for 2
years and to give all I could to Trinity and to the Wachowski Brothers.
It was very intense and a great experience in my life." It was also
clear why Moss and her other cast members were eager to return to the
Matrix environment, even before reading the scripts for both Reloaded
and Revolutions. "We love the movies. We'll never be able
to articulate to you where that comes from. You'd really have to be part
of it to understand it. Everyone on the movies was inspired to give everything
-- from the set painters, to the catering, assistants and everything,
because of the brothers. They really set the tone and really inspired
people to want to show up for them." Moss was drawn to the Trinity
character, because she was able to identify with her on a personal level.
"[She] believes in things such as faith and strength, strongly. If
I believe in something or in someone, I'll argue with anyone and yet at
the same time I'm really completely the opposite and really soft, squishy,
emotional and a big cry-baby."
Moss was sent scripts for both sequels
simultaneously and her response was immediate. "I sat down I read
them and I wept, not only because of the stories but because I was like:
Oh my God I'm so lucky that I get to be in this movie that I believe in.
For an actor that just doesn't happen very often and it happened to me
three times with these movies and these ones had so much more of the philosophy
in the films," she says with genuine elation.
But working on Matrix:Reloaded and Matrix: Revolutions
was also a painful experience for her. Before the 
commencement
of principal photography, "I was on the wire, had a bad landing and
I broke my leg." The actress says that the accident taught her a
painful lesson. "It made me aware that even in a movie you could
hurt yourself. Making this movie was quite dangerous at times on the set,
especially when we were doing the motorcycle and driving." For one
of the film's more hair-raising stunts, Moss pilots a motorcycle at high
speed down a highway, weaving between cars and trucks, all without protection
of helmets or pads. Unlike stars Fishburne and Reeves, Moss has always
had a deep fear of motorcycles, a fear that she was able to finally confront.
"It is wonderful to overcome a fear, to actually do something in
spite of your fear. My fear is still there and I wouldn't do it again
but I understand loving them, like loving the wind in your hair and the
freedom but I prefer to drive fast in a car." Another scary moment
in The Matrix Reloaded, but on a different level, was a hot and
heavy sex scene between Moss's Trinity and Reeves' Neo. "It was more
the leading up to it that was nerve-wracking. In the end it was tastefully
done. There was no nudity on the screen, which was important to me. It's
a beautiful scene and it's important for the story, because it was significant
to see the deep sense of love between them. But it's easier when you like
and respect the person and so doing it with Keanu made the whole thing
easier than with a stranger. I had never done a love scene before. I'm
nervous about it and it's not something I'm comfortable with," Moss
admits.
No wonder that part of her training involved regular Pilates sessions
which helped her enhance a different side to Trinity. "I wanted to
have a softer energy around the character this time. Pilates gives you
an incredible amount of strength in your core, but it doesn't really give
you the bulk that weights do. Then when I broke my leg I rehabbed doing
Pilates, which was great. I'm a huge advocate of it."
As action-oriented as the Matrix films are, Carrie-Anne believes that the films' popularity have as much to do with the story's philosophy as with its slam bang kung fu sequences."The morals of the films are that making choices that support your destiny and being responsible for the choices that you make; believing in something that you're willing to fight for, that you think is important; and believing that unless you have a choice then there's no freedom. Having a choice gives you freedom and then it's being responsible for that choice." Or, to simplify everything, she says, "Love Conquerors All.