Every Actor Who Played Agent Smith In The Matrix Movies

Agent Smith is the best villain in The Matrix and one of the most iconic science fiction film villains of all time, but he is not always played by the same actor. Although Smith is in all Headquarters film, he gradually transforms as the series progresses. The character creates a common thread throughout the franchise and serves as an enemy of Thomas “Neo” Anderson, Keanu Reeves, and the other fugitives from The Matrix. Not every actor who inherits the role adds something new to Agent Smithsince the man who originated the paper did such a good job that he is often considered worthy of imitation.

Agent Smith is a sentient computer program, also known as the Embedded Program. The Matrixbut it eventually becomes a virus. This category of characters is largely restricted to the digital world, but Smith goes far beyond being a traditional Program. Although Smith begins the saga as a loyal servant of the Matrixhe eventually separates himself from his fellow Agents and goes rogue, apparently more concerned with his own self-preservation. However, his hatred for humanity doesn’t go away, so he never becomes a true ally to Reeves’ protagonist – despite a brief and uneasy alliance in 2021. The Matrix Resurrections.

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Hugo Tecelagem

The original Matrix trilogy (1999-2003)

Weaving was the actor initially cast as Agent Smith in 1999. The Matrix. Although the film ends with Smith’s code seemingly erased, Weaving makes a shocking return and reprises the role in the 2003 film. The Matrix Reloadedand again later that same year in The Matrix Revolutions. The version of Agent Smith from the original trilogy is the iteration of the character that most people will be familiar with, and Weaving’s face tends to come to mind whenever the subject of Smith comes up in general conversation..

THE Headquarters the franchise isn’t known for its big, dramatic performancesespecially not in the original trilogy. Almost all of the characters deliver their lines in an elegant and calm manner, which doesn’t leave much room for quirks. Weaving managed to find a way to brilliantly balance this dark tone, delivering a performance as Agent Smith that was almost at odds with the rest of the cast. It’s by no means a comedic portrayal, but it certainly stands out for all the right reasons.

As the creator of paper, Hugo Weaving’s opinion on Agent Smith influenced the character’s future and all Weaving predecessors. Weaving’s Smith’s mannerisms are very recognizable, but they stand out just enough that other actors would fill in for him and do a good enough job of covering for Weaving’s absence. Without the actor’s efforts to bring the character to life so solidly in the first three films, Agent Smith may not have gained such legendary status. Even if he did, it would certainly be very different.

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Ian Bliss

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Agent Smith underwent a compelling and unconventional recasting process in the original’s final film Headquarters trilogy. Hugo Weaving was still in the role and actually played numerous versions of Smith within the Matrix itself. Despite Weaving’s increased workload, there was an iteration of Smith that it wouldn’t have made sense for him to play The Matrix Revolutions. A version of Smith’s character found a way into the real worldwith his code inhabiting the body of a human character who had to die to accommodate the villain’s presence. Said ship was Ian Bliss’s Bane.

Bliss was introduced to the franchise as Bane in Reloadedbut he was a pretty standard human character. It wasn’t until Smith took control of her body in the following film that the reason for casting Bliss became apparent. In addition to sharing a passing physical similarity with Weaving, Bliss was able to perfectly imitate Weaving’s performance as Agent Smith. Seeing another actor do such a perfect impression of a colleague’s work is as impressive as it is disturbing, but it also makes perfect sense within the context of the story.

Bliss’s time as Agent Smith only lasts the runtime of Revolutions. Although he arguably assumes the role in Reloadedhe is unconscious for almost the entire film after Smith’s takeover and therefore cannot really reveal what happened to him. Bliss’s performance as Weaving’s Smith is so good that it becomes very confusing that the other characters don’t know what’s going on – even though it’s an unusual setting. Regardless, the human Smith is killed by Neo before the new iteration of the bad guy can be fully explored.

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Jonathan Groff

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Groff was one of many attempts to Resurrections to explain Hugo Weaving’s absence. Although the original Smith actor was interested in returning to reprise his role in the legacy sequel, he had other professional commitments that writer/director Lana Wachowski was unable to resolve. As such, the filming schedule of Resurrections could not accommodate Weaving’s attempts to negotiate a return as Agent Smithand the character had to be recast. That’s why Jonathon Groff plays Smith in the 2021 film.

Initially, Groff’s version of Agent Smith is unaware of his true identity. Not only does he have a completely new physical appearance (and style of dress), but his entire demeanor is also very different from that of Weaving’s Smith. Groff’s Smith is much less intimidatingand there appears to be no conscious effort on the actor’s part to incorporate elements of Weaving’s performance into the updated version of the villain. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it definitely separates the two iterations. In fact, it looks like Groff is playing an entirely new character in Resurrections.

Like Smith from Bliss, Groff’s version of the character also only appeared in one film. Unlike happiness, Jonathon Groff could easily return to play the character again now this The Matrix 5 has been confirmed. Alternatively, the fluidity of physical appearances in Headquarters the franchise could easily allow Hugo Weaving to reclaim his role in the upcoming sequel, or both actors should share the cast, as Weaving did with Bliss in The Matrix Revolutions​​​​​​. With so little information about what the new film will be like, anything can happen.

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Just as Jonathon Groff was introduced to Resurrections as a direct replacement for Hugo Weaving, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was brought in to explain the absence of Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus. Abdul-Mateen is much more meta casting than Groffhowever. The actor isn’t actually playing Morpheus, but rather a Program built by Reeves’ character, with Neo creating the new Morpheus as part of a video game project. Neo subconsciously bases his character on Morpheus, but also incorporates elements of Agent Smith’s code, creating a digital hybrid of sorts.

Although his main task was to replace Fishburne, Abdul-Mateen also had to allow Weaving’s time as Smith to influence his performance. It wouldn’t make sense for the Morpheus Program to simply imitate Fishburne’s mannerisms, as the script called for something a little more – and a lot more unusual. Instead, there are flashes of Abdul-Mateen’s Morpheus abandoning the serious veneer sported by his predecessor and instead engaging in less formal forms of speech—and even jokes.

Along with Neil Patrick Harris as the new villain, the Analyst, and Jonathon Groff as Smith, Abdul-Mateen completes a trilogy of actors brought in to try and fill the huge hole left by Hugo Weaving. Although everyone did their job well, Weaving that wasn’t part of the formula was still incredibly noticeable. The film is a testament to the fact that while the character of Agent Smith is brilliant, some bad guys can only really be brought to life with enough brilliance by a very specific actor.

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Other actors voiced Agent Smith in the Matrix franchise

Agent Smith has also made canon appearances in the Matrix games and other forms of media.

Weaving’s version of Agent Smith has occasionally been required to appear in other areas of the franchise. Interestingly, the character is not always played by Weaving when this is the case. For example, 2003 The Entertainer is a canon anthology that overlaps with the other films, and although Agent Smith has a cameo in the project, he is voiced by Matt McKenzie instead of Hugo Weaving. Smith’s presence in The Animator not especially prominentSo it makes sense why Weaving wasn’t called back for such a brief role.

Weaving’s character was also required to return in 2005. Matrix: Neo’s Way video game, which largely followed the same plot as the original trilogy, but with additional content that took place between the events of The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded. Despite Smith’s strong presence in Neo’s Pathand the Wachowskis’ involvement, another actor stepped in to voice the character – the appropriately surnamed Christopher Smith.

The voice actors playing Agent Smith followed in the footsteps of Ian Bliss’ version of the character. That is, they simply turned to Hugo Weaving’s performances and used that to directly inform their own representations. They were essentially hired as impressionists, and given the size and popularity of the character, they did a fantastic job. That being said, so many actors who had to return to film Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith prove that he is still the best and most iconic actor to play the most revered villain of all time. The Matrix.