Keanu Reeves reveals why he nearly said goodbye to 'The Matrix' role

"It has been over two decades since The Matrix premiered in cinemas worldwide, and the role of Neo, the film's main protagonist, seemed destined for Keanu Reeves.

However, Reeves may have jeopardised the role and his own well-being due to a hidden secret.

In an interview on 'The Art of Action' podcast, the actor disclosed the events leading up to the start of filming for the iconic science fiction movie.

Reeves mentioned that he had recently completed filming projects like 'Speed' and 'They Call Him Bodhi,' which resulted in some neck injuries.

These injuries nearly forced Reeves to bid farewell to The Matrix.

"I had been struggling with it for a couple of years, experiencing tingling sensations," he shared.

During the filming of 'Chain Reaction,' he even resorted to pinching himself to endure the discomfort.

"I had a bulging disc and a ruptured disc, and I started losing sensation and balance," he explained.

Following this, he had a meeting with the Wachowski sisters, who informed him that he needed to undergo martial arts training in Hong Kong. Despite the challenges, Reeves accepted the offer.

"I said yes to The Matrix and began training for four months, but the situation worsened, so I consulted a neck specialist. I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, essentially the mutilation of my spine," Reeves revealed.

After undergoing surgery to fuse two vertebrae and have a plate inserted in his neck, he chose to keep it a secret.

"I never disclosed it because I didn't want to admit that I couldn't proceed with the film," he confessed during the podcast.

"They inserted the neck plate and instructed me to start moving immediately.

"I had to train for The Matrix while wearing a neck brace."