People believe that all Hollywood actors and actresses live a life of luxury and financial stability. However, the reality can be quite the opposite. Even after starring in blockbuster movies that make them a superstar overnight, some celebrities still face unexpected financial challenges.

One such example is Carrie-Anne Moss. The actress is well-known for her role as Trinity alongside Keanu Reeves in the iconic movie, The Matrix (1999). Despite the film’s tremendous success, Moss still had to struggle financially and considered taking up small jobs. Today, she has established herself as one of the best actresses in the entertainment industry.

The Matrix (1999) made Carrie-Anne Moss a superstar

Carrie Anne Moss

Back in 2007, actress Carrie-Anne Moss revealed in an interview with the New York Daily News that The Matrix (1999) changed her life. She said

“Before that film, I was nobody. Each job I got, I was so excited. Each paycheck I got, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m getting paid to act.’ But the Matrix gave me so many opportunities. Everything I’ve done since then has been because of that experience. It gave me so much.”

Released in 1999, The Matrix made Moss a superstar overnight. Before that, she starred in several movies but didn’t see any growth in her popularity. However, today, she is undoubtedly one of the most popular celebrities in the entertainment industry. As per Celebrity Net Worth, Moss’ net worth is roughly $4 million.

Carrie-Anne Moss was not paid a lot for her work in The Matrix

Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix (1999)

Considering how popular The Matrix was, anyone will assume that the movie made Carrie-Anne Moss a rich celebrity. However, that didn’t happen instantly. The actress struggled to find work in the 1990s and when she finally secured the role of Trinity in The Matrix, she found out that she won’t get paid a lot of money. She once said,

“I had no money. Zero. I had to get an apartment because I’d just broken up with my boyfriend. Somebody told Mr. Spelling, so he advanced me $10,000. I wasn’t paid much money to do the Matrix. It took a year of my life, and I lost my SAG [Screen Actors Guild] insurance because I was working out of the country [in Australia]. I thought, ‘My God, I’m going to have to wait on tables while I have this huge movie coming out.’ I really got to know myself at that time, and I feel that I became more real.”

As the franchise grew, the actress was sufficiently paid. As per sources, she was paid roughly $1.25 million for her work as Trinity in The Matrix Resurrections (2021).

Source: NY Daily News