“You can do three thousand sit-ups a day, it won’t change anything!” : This Matrix actor chose a radical solution and the producer didn’t like it

When we think of The Matrix, we obviously think of the famous trio of Neo, Morpheus and Trinity, played by Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss respectively. However, it’s a little too soon to forget just how important Joe Pantoliano is to the team.

Dressed as Cypher, he is the only member of Nebuchadnezzar’s team who regrets taking the famous red pill. Not enjoying the real world (which, admittedly, isn’t exactly glamorous…), Cypher betrays her team by making a deal with Agent Smith to erase her memory and return to her old life.

“You can do three thousand sit-ups a day, it won’t change anything!”

In order to master the many fighting techniques and movements using cables (for many of the film’s stunts), the lead actors had to undergo intensive martial arts training that lasted six months (from October 1997 to March 1998) before filming under the direction of Yuen Wu Ping. Keanu Reeves, who was injured in the neck area, still had to train at a similar pace to his partners and follow these lessons with a neck brace!

Joe Pantoliano had a little problem… a weight problem, literally. His character should be lean and muscular. If the pre-production phase gave the actors time to physically prepare and train, Joe Pantoliano believed that he would never reach his goals in time.

He told Brian Rafter, the author of the book How the big screen blew up in 1999 (and fixed slash film) How Wachowski’s demands were met.

“No alcohol, eat steamed vegetables, exercise. I’m a character actor! The trainer told me, ‘You can do three thousand sit-ups a day, it won’t change anything!'” So I talked to my friend, a plastic surgeon, and decided to get liposuction for $7,800.

After which he sent an invoice to Lorenzo di Bonaventura, then Warner’s chief executive, who was considering liposuction. “Research and Development” For the role, on its own terms. But the studio never agreed to pay him. “He called me and said, ‘Are you completely crazy or what?’ There’s no way we’re going to pay for that!” said the actor on the microphone The Hollywood Reporterin 2020.