The Wachowski Sisters..Has this had an effect on people entering Film School?

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

Hi,

In 2001-2003 I was in Film School. And you could say I was sort of a Film School drop out. I was in the same state as Robert Rodriquez and (cough..excuse me something in my throat) Dr. Phil. Long story short I basically love movies and many different Genres. My favorite genre is of course Science Fiction, in which I love Science Fiction books and authors as well.

So yeah George Lucas. To a lesser extent Ridley Scott. And to a lesser extent Martin Scorsese. Of course there are scores of others but those were like my Big three. I was really inspired by the fact that Ridley Scott was an artist and that he personally drew the storyboards for the First Alien film and that supposedly him doing so and doing so that well garnered an extra two million dollars for the Budget of the film. I mean once he showed it to the big wigs or producers. George Lucas tons of accolades, and I am not really going to go to much into it. Scorsese not really a Science Fiction director, but he is a consistent heavy weight and of the three directors I mentioned I have heard that Scorsese is the most likable to work with — among actors. And like I mentioned with Masters of the Universe (2026) and the issue of humor in movies, I feel like Scorsese has also known how to consistently do that and actually make things funny. When the moments in a film call for it. Someone can argue with me on that if they like.

Lana and Lilly Wachowski..(Formerly Larry and Andy.)
About the time I went to film school, the Matrix and even the sequels were being dubbed as the Next Star Wars. Well I won't go as far as to agree with that assessment, I thought the movies were excellent (Mainly the first one. And it cracks me up when I hear stories about how Will Smith was approached for the role of Neo but he turned it down. Geez, thank goodness.)
Not only did I enjoy the Matrix films — possibly the last time I saw a movie at a Theatre in which I bought into the whole Theatre experience of what a movie is, I also really loved The Matrix as a meme. Like take the Red Pill.

When I first started using the Internet and going on to chatrooms and forums and message boards I ate that up. Anytime someone would throw in a Matrix reference. Like something Morpheus says about what reality is. Or take the red pill (because everything we are told is a lie) I just totally loved it. When done well it was like I was getting a continuation of the Matrix movies but for free.

Now we are in 2026. I am not seeing the Matrix references on Internet forums or chat boards nearly as much. Almost like they have been quelched or stifled. I learned that the Directors of the Matrix movies, a couple of Brothers — known as the Wachowskis got sex changes and were now women. To the extent of that and how it was done and was there an uproar about it or controversy, I don't know. All I know is that I learned this on another forum and when I first heard it I thought it was a conspiracy theory. I didn't believe it. This is the same forum where they say that the Kardashians are witches because everyone they are around or associate with has horrible things happen to them (as you would believe as in the old Medieval belief about what witches are. Sorcery, brooms, spells etc.)

So I didn't believe in the Wachowski sex change story. But I thought it sounded like a good conspiracy theory.
Well it turns out that this conspiracy theory is true!

When I went to film school in 2001 and if I knew that George Lucas or Martin Scorsese or Ridley Scott had a sex change and were women then I would have immediately changed my mind. About going to film school. I would have instead gone into business or archaeology or communications. Those were my other two main interests.

Has the Wachowski brother sister sex change had an effect on people going to Film School? And yeah I don't mean to get into a transgender argument or discussion. I literally believe that people are entitled to their beliefs on this without being called backwards or bigoted and so forth. Without bringing a committee and all of that. Just verbatim or point blank has that had an effect on people wanting to enter film school? The directors of the New Star Wars sensation.

[M.10rda]

I am familiar w/ the place you refer to that Robert Rodriguez is from, and I understand that many people who live in that place might feel concerned about the influence of the Wachowski Sisters on the sexuality or gender identity of impressionable young people.
And yes, I am familiar w/ some crude comments online about the Wachowskis, generally. Ah, the internet.

.......

So, back in the early 80s, my Great-Uncle - a grumpy curmudgeonly guy who'd had a very sad, lonely life, and read Trump's "Art of the Deal" and listened to Rush Limbaugh and talked about how smart they were and what great ideas they had, and yet in spite of all that was an incredibly kind and compassionate person to those around him - learned that I was involved in theatre and wanted to go to film school for college. He solemnly advised my parents that they should reconsider allowing me to pursue these career paths because I might become gay.

Well, I went to film school anyway. There were some LGBTQAI+ folks at my central NY, extremely liberal/hippie college... in fact I asked one out on a date to see THE USUAL SUSPECTS when it opened in September 1995 and it wasn't until the credits started that I realized I wasn't going to get anywhere with her.  In spite of graduating from that film school, working in theatre professionally for 35 years, working with and being friends with countless gay people, being propositioned by gay men, getting drunk in gay bars a lot 20 years ago, and watching plenty of films and plays where men had sex with other men (simulated and real)....... somehow I'm still not gay! I've only ever had intimate relationships with women and I'm just fine with that.

I've unfortunately had to confront the idea that being around LGTBQAI+ will make children LGTBQAI+ now and then while running my theatre summer camp. Alas, correlation doesn't equal causation. Being around gay and trans theatre kids won't make a kid gay and trans....... though, for what it's worth, it also won't stop 'em from being gay or trans, if that's already the path they are on.  One of the primary reasons my program exists is so teens can be themselves around other people like them or people who are tolerant of them. We're very open with parents about this reality and if potential customers have the same fear as my Great-Uncle, no one's forcing them to enroll. Sometimes kids will play around w/ pronouns for a year or two, or identify as gay without actually dating anyone, and then eventually they arrive at a different identity or just settle into their original cishet life. Some of them remain heterosexual forever  which of course is also just fine.

I have a female cousin who never did theatre or studied film and was always into sports. She came out in the mid-00s and another Great-Uncle (the first one's brother) - another kind, loving, nominally Christian man - couldn't restrain himself from telling my cousin's Dad (his nephew, my Uncle) that he disapproved of my cousin's lifestyle. My Uncle never talked to him again and my Great-Uncle died estranged from my Uncle. That's unfortunate, but - y'know - like David Lynch said - "Fix your heart or die!"

[Rev. Powell]

This is a sensitive topic with flame war possibilities, so tread lightly. That said...

I've actually never seen THE MATRIX (I came close when it was on Netflix), and suspect I'll go through my life without ever seeing it. I did see their BOUND, which I remember liking, and CLOUD ATLAS, which was interesting but flawed.

The reason you don't see as many THE MATRIX memes is because the movie is 25 years old, ancient history in pop culture terms. Nevertheless, I still see plenty of them.

I am sure the "bullet time" technique was far more influential than the Wachowski's gender identities.

I am 99.9% certain that no one has ever performed a study on the Wachoski's effect on film school enrollment, so any thoughts about it are pure unfounded speculation. That said, I believe that for every person who was inspired to attend film school because of the Wahcowski's sex change, one person decided not to attend film school because of the Wachowski's sex change, for a net effect of 0.