Until 1994, Randall Duk Kim worked exclusively on the legitimate stage, specializing in Shakespeare and other classical works. He received many accolades, and participated in numerous award winning productions, including the Tony Award Winning Broadway revival of The King and I. Since beginning to accepting film and television offers, he has appeared in The Replacement Killers, Anna and the King, and perhaps his most well-known film role as The Keymaker in The Matrix: Reloaded. Ian "PhroG" Taylor had the oppourtunity to discuss with him his background, time spent on the Matrix film and game sets, and his thoughts on The Matrix Online.

First off, tell us a bit about your background. I know you were a co-founder of the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. How did you first get into the profession? Was it what you always wanted to do?

I have spent most of my working life as a stage actor, devoting much of my effort to classical drama, especially the pays of Shakespeare. I made my debut in 1960 in a Honolulu Community Theatre production of Macbeth. Becoming a character in a story has held my imagination since childhood.

How did you make the leap from stage actor to feature films?

I declined all offers for movies and television for 20 years so that when I decided to give them a try, it was with "fear and trembling". . . and an overriding curiosity.

How was the audition for The Matrix sequels? Did you have any trepidation or nervousness getting involved in such a huge phenomenon?

Mali Finn, the Casting Director (who had been trying to get me to read for a movie since 1985) and the Wachowski Brothers were very kind to me and probably amused by my excitement. When I heard that they wanted me to be a part of it, I was ecstatic --and the thrill lasted throughout the entire shoot.

Did you know you were going to be doing Enter the Matrix as well when you signed on to do the film?

Yes, and participating in the creation of the Matrix game added to the excitement of the adventure.

Do you play any video games? Have you had a chance to play through the sections you are involved in in Enter the Matrix? What did you think of that game, and how it turned out?

Like film, I am also a novice when it comes to video games. My nephews have been introducing me to that genre and I am astonished by the "Brave New World" of story telling.

We know you can't say much if you are involved, but is there any chance we might be seeing The Keymaker in future Matrix games, perhaps The Matrix: Online?

I'm not sure, but I suspect that the Keymaker fulfilled his destiny and will not be seen again.

Do you keep in touch with your Matrix cast mates? If so, who, and why them?

Adrian and Neil Raiment, as well as Anthony Wong. We had some great converstations and experiences during the shoot.

How much of The Keymaker is Randall Duk Kim, and how much is the Wachowski Bros. vision? The Wachowskis are allegedly very specific about what goes on in their movies/games.

The Keymaker was really a creation of collaboration, with one exception: the Keymaker's peculiar walk/run, his “scurry", was an inspired idea of the Wachowski's.

How different was it, acting with all the motion capture equipment for the game, as opposed to traditional stage or film acting? Was it difficult to adjust?

I find there is little difference because all acting springs out of the imagination which has the power to create something out of nothing. There was no difficulty in making the adjustment, only a great deal of fun in using new tools.

What do you think of the concept of The Matrix: Online?

It is astonishing to think that thousands of players can be active participants, indeed, creators, of new stories in The Matrix.

If you were to play The Matrix Online, would you align yourself with Zion, the Machines, or the Exiles and why?

I am partial to the Exiles. . . .Wildcards keep things agitated and exciting!

Would you do another video game, Matrix or not, if approached?

I believe video games are a new way to tell stories and even at this early stage, the technology blows one away. If approached, I would definitely do more. (In fact, I recently did some voice work for a game yet-to-be-released called Red Ninja.)

What did you think of each of the Matrix movies, and the trilogy as a whole?

I, like so many others, was stunned by The Matrix; it was beautiful, exciting and philosophically provocative. But it was a fabulous prologue to Reloaded and Revolutions, Acts I and II of a bigger story. The entire trilogy will hold its unique place for a very, very long time -- it is a great creation.

What projects are you currently involved in? Anything Stratics readers should be on the lookout for?

I'm about to do a little work with my good friend, Terrence Malick, and, after that, perhaps, but not definitely, a character in Memoirs of a Geisha.

Thank you very much in advance for taking the time out to answer these questions. It has really been a joy to hear about your experiences and opinions. Best of luck, and I’m sure our readers will be keeping an eye out for you in future projects.

To all the fans of the Matrix, I, like you, am so grateful to the Wachowski Brothers for the great gift they have given us.

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