The Matrix has become one of the best film franchises around, yet one actor in it found inspiration from Clint Eastwood. But how does this work? Is this character shooting up people like “Dirty Harry” Callahan? Yelling at kids like Eastwood did in Gran Torino?

Well, the answer is no to some of the above. Let’s take a look at the situation.

If you have seen a lot of Eastwood’s work, then you know he’s pretty much a stoic type in his films. Not always, but it seems that way. Well, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss try and bring a piece of Eastwood’s characters into The Matrix world.

For our purposes in this story, the focus will be on Moss. She found a lot to tap into by his still, forceful approach to different situations.

“I’ve never been interested in action movies,” Moss told Esquire. “Definitely not interested in sci-fi. So when we were on location, I decided to watch Clint Eastwood. I hadn’t seen his movies since I was a kid and went with my dad and my brother.” The actor took from some of Clint Eastwood’s performances she loved and combined it with her vision for Trinity.

‘The Matrix’ Star Remembers Eastwood’s Stillness  

“But I remembered how still he was. Still but full of strength,” Moss said. “I knew I needed to tap into that because I’m not a very still person. And I knew the brothers really wanted that quiet intensity for Trinity. It’s about her eyes, her voice, the way she moves. Or doesn’t move. And I watched Clint and thought, ‘Okay, Trinity can be still and still very powerful.’”

Trinity, after appearing in four movies, an animated anthology film, and a couple of video games, remains an enduring character in The Matrix universe. She’s a computer programmer and hacker who helps lead the rebellion against the machines. Trinity also forms a close relationship with Neo (Reeves) and becomes one of the franchise’s most important characters alongside Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus.

The Matrix franchise does have enough options to include many of Eastwood’s quirks. But that’s what makes him…well…Clint Eastwood. Whether it’s The Outlaw Josey Wales or the fabled Man With No Name, there are a lot of options for those actors to choose from.

Eastwood has left a litany of outstanding performances for his career. Watching this movie franchise take Eastwood’s work and find room in it for growth is a lot of fun. Probably, Clint Eastwood himself is getting a kick out of it. Moss, Reeves, and the rest of The Matrix team can find something else in Eastwood’s work to hang their hat on now and in the future.