Lilly Wachowski Discusses Her Response to Elon Musk and Ivanka Trump

Few directors have experienced their work becoming a focal point in political culture wars quite like Lilly Wachowski. Since co-creating ‘The Matrix’ with her sister Lana in 1999, the film’s central metaphor about awakening from a manufactured reality has evolved into a term that Wachowski never intended to be associated with.

This tension peaked in 2020 when Elon Musk tweeted a cryptic message urging his followers to “take the red pill,” directly referencing the choice Neo faces early in the film. Ivanka Trump quickly responded with a one-word reply: “Taken!”, transforming a movie reference into a viral political moment almost instantly.

Wachowski’s reaction was straightforward and immediate, responding with a blunt two-word reply: “F*** both of you.” Now, years later, she provides a more comprehensive explanation of why that exchange affected her so profoundly, reflecting on the moment in a recent conversation about the film’s legacy.

In an interview with Variety, Wachowski explained that she cannot realistically walk every viewer through the film’s actual meaning. She argued that Musk and Trump were not genuinely confused about what ‘The Matrix’ represents. She characterized their use of the “red pill” reference as a deliberate act of co-opting rather than a misunderstanding, likening it to tactics used by fascists who appropriate progressive messages, a sentiment she shared in comments reported by Variety.

Wachowski noted that this kind of appropriation extends beyond her own film. She pointed out how similar tactics have been used to reshape the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., arguing that certain groups have redefined antisemitism to align with their messaging.

The “red pill” reference had already taken on a complex life before Musk’s tweet, having been adopted by online communities linked to men’s rights activism and, later, broader right-wing movements. This evolution is part of what made the exchange between Musk and Trump feel particularly pointed to Wachowski, especially given how far the phrase had drifted from its original context within the film.

Wachowski didn’t stop at defending the film’s original meaning; she also criticized the broader entertainment industry for not doing enough to support trans actors and creatives. She drew a direct connection between Musk and Ivanka Trump’s political messaging and a larger trend of powerful figures reshaping progressive ideas for their own agendas.

For Wachowski, revisiting this moment years later is not merely about rehashing an old Twitter spat. It reflects a broader pattern of her pushing back whenever ‘The Matrix’ is co-opted into political messaging that she believes contradicts the film’s true intent.

This stance has made her one of the more vocal filmmakers in correcting the narrative surrounding how her work is interpreted, especially as ‘The Matrix’ continues to be referenced in online political discourse more than two decades after its release. Few films from that era have had their imagery so thoroughly divorced from the filmmakers’ original intent, and Wachowski has made it clear that she will not let that happen without comment.

Whether her insights will change how people continue to use the “red pill” reference remains uncertain, but it provides a clearer understanding of why the moment resonated with her long after the initial exchange faded from the headlines. For a filmmaker whose work has become deeply embedded in political shorthand, it seems unlikely that she will stop weighing in on its usage anytime soon.

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