'Matrix' Director Lilly Wachowski Talks Films' 'Trans Narrative'

Lilly Wachowski – one half of the Wachowski siblings, both of whom are trans – appeared on a "Netflix Film Club" clip to discuss the "trans narrative" of the "Matrix" movies.

The films themselves don't have any trans elements – though they were originally intended to hint at that – but viewers are seeing themselves represented in the sci-fi franchise's exploration of identity and its theme of fitting (or not fitting) into a ready-made world where others have expectations of who and what each person should be.

"I'm glad that people are talking about... the 'Matrix' movie with a trans narrative," Wachowski says as the clip begins. "I love how meaningful those films are to trans people, and they come up to me and say, 'These movies saved my life.'"

Wachowski goes on to say that she is "grateful I can be throwing them a rope" in the form of a sci-fi franchise that resonates with deep personal themes of identity.

" 'The Matrix' stuff was all about the desire for transformation, but it was all coming from a closeted point of view," the filmmaker reveals.

Wachowski goes on to relate how the films were originally envisioned as including a character, Switch, who would be one gender in the computer-generated world of The Matrix, but the other gender in the dystopian real world. That, however, was not to be, because "the corporate world wasn't ready for it." Switch ended up being female in both worlds.

Speaking of her attraction to sci-fi and fantasy, Washowski noted that making such films "freed us up as filmmakers because we were able to image stuff at that time that you didn't necessarily see on screen."

The Wachowskis have reunited with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss, who starred in the original trilogy, for the upcoming "Matrix 4," directed by Lana Wachowski. Out actors Jonathan Groff and Neil Patrick Harris are also reportedly attached to the project.

Watch the four and a half minute clip below.