The Wachowskis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Wachowskis
Lana Wachowski in 2025 at the opening of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival
Born	Laurence Wachowski Andrew Paul Wachowski Lana: (1965-06-21) June 21, 1965 (age 60) Lilly: (1967-12-29) December 29, 1967 (age 57) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	Collectively: The Wachowskis The Wachowski brothers (before 2010) The Wachowski sisters
Occupation	Film and television directors, writers, producers
Years active	1994–present
Notable work	Bound The Matrix series V for Vendetta Speed Racer Cloud Atlas Jupiter Ascending Sense8
Spouse(s)	Lana: Thea Bloom ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 2002)​ Karin Winslow ​ (m. 2009)​ Lilly: Alisa Blasingame ​ (m. 1991)​
Relatives	Laurence Luckinbill (uncle)

Lana Wachowski (born June 21, 1965) and Lilly Wachowski (born December 29, 1967) are American sisters who are famous film and television directors, writers, and producers. They are both trans women.

Known together as the Wachowskis, the sisters have worked as a team for most of their careers. They first directed the movie Bound in 1996. They became world-famous for their second film, The Matrix (1999). This movie was a huge success and won them the Saturn Award for Best Director. They also wrote and directed its two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003).

After the Matrix series, the Wachowskis wrote and produced the 2005 film V for Vendetta. In 2008, they released Speed Racer, a live-action movie based on a Japanese anime series. Their later films include Cloud Atlas (2012) and Jupiter Ascending (2015). They also co-created the Netflix series Sense8 (2015–2018).

Recently, the sisters have worked on separate projects. Lilly worked on the TV series Work in Progress. Lana directed the fourth Matrix film, The Matrix Resurrections, which was released in 2021.

Early Life and First Jobs

Lana was born in Chicago in 1965, and Lilly was born there two and a half years later in 1967. Their mother, Lynne, was a nurse and painter, and their father, Ron, was a businessman. Their uncle is the actor and producer Laurence Luckinbill.

The Wachowskis went to Kellogg Elementary School and then graduated from Whitney Young Magnet High School. In high school, they enjoyed playing Dungeons & Dragons and were active in the school's theater and TV programs. After high school, they both went to college but left before graduating. They then started a house-painting and construction business in Chicago.

Before making movies, they wrote comic books. Starting in 1993, they wrote for Marvel Comics' Ectokid series, created by the horror writer Clive Barker.

Film and Television Career

Starting in Hollywood

In the mid-1990s, the Wachowskis began writing for movies. Their first sold script was for the film Assassins (1995). However, the director had the script rewritten so much that the sisters tried to have their names removed from the movie. This experience taught them that they needed to direct their own movies to protect their vision.

Their first film as directors was Bound (1996). The movie was praised by critics for its unique style. Because Bound was so well-received, they were given the chance to direct their next big idea: The Matrix.

The Matrix Franchise

The Matrix was released in 1999 and became a massive hit. The science fiction action film stars Keanu Reeves as Neo, a hacker who discovers the world is a simulated reality. The movie was famous for its groundbreaking special effects, like "bullet time," and it won four Academy Awards. The Matrix had a huge influence on action movies that came after it.

The Wachowskis at the 2004 San Diego ComicCon

The success of The Matrix led to two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, which were both released in 2003. Reloaded was a box office giant, while Revolutions had a more mixed reaction from critics and audiences.

Lilly Wachowski has said that the themes of identity and transformation in The Matrix are connected to her and Lana's experiences as transgender women.

Later Team Projects

The Wachowskis' next big project was V for Vendetta (2005). They wrote and produced this film, which is based on a famous graphic novel. The movie is known for popularizing the Guy Fawkes mask, which was later used by the online group Anonymous.

In 2008, they directed Speed Racer, a colorful, family-friendly movie based on a 1960s Japanese anime. The Wachowskis wanted to make a film their nieces and nephews could enjoy. To make the movie look like an anime, they shot it digitally and added many visual effects. While it wasn't a box office hit, it has since become a cult film loved by many fans.

Lilly (left) and Lana Wachowski at Fantastic Fest in 2012

Their next film was Cloud Atlas (2012), which they co-directed with Tom Tykwer. Based on a complex novel, the film tells six stories set in different time periods. It was a very ambitious and expensive independent movie. The Wachowskis have said it was the hardest film they ever made and the one they are most proud of.

After that, they wrote and directed the science fiction film Jupiter Ascending (2015). They also created the Netflix series Sense8 (2015–2018), which followed eight strangers from around the world who become mentally and emotionally linked.

Working Separately

Since Sense8, the sisters have worked on their own projects. Lilly was a writer and director for the comedy-drama series Work in Progress.

Lana returned to the world of The Matrix by directing The Matrix Resurrections, which came out in 2021. She co-wrote the script with authors David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon.

Personal Lives

The Wachowskis grew up with a father who was an atheist and a mother who was an "ex-Catholic turned Shamanist." The sisters have described their own beliefs as non-denominational, meaning they don't follow one specific religion.

Lana's Transition

For many years, there were rumors that Lana was transitioning. She is a very private person and did not speak about it publicly for a long time. After the release of Speed Racer in 2008, she began to live openly as Lana. In 2012, she made her first public appearance as Lana in a video about Cloud Atlas. She was the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender.

In a speech in 2012, Lana received the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign. She explained that she wanted to be a role model for others. She said, "If I can be that person for someone else, then the sacrifice of my private civic life may have value."

Lilly's Transition

In March 2016, Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman. She released a statement after a reporter tried to pressure her into an interview about her transition. In her statement, she said, "I am one of the lucky ones. Having the support of my family and the means to afford doctors and therapists has given me the chance to actually survive this process."

A few weeks later, she accepted an award for Sense8 and spoke about her journey. She said she wanted to use her platform to help others.

Works

Films

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Hermanas Wachowski para niños

• List of transgender film and television directors