Injuries Plague Matrix Rehearsals

January 18, 2001 -- Keanu Reeves was able to dodge bullets in The Matrix, but he's apparently not immune to real-world injuries.

Filming on the Matrix sequels hasn't even begun, but already there are problems. While training for the strenuous martial arts fight scenes in the sequel to the sci-fi blockbuster, both Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss have suffered sidelining injuries.

Moss, who plays cyber-babe Trinity, bruised her knees and required crutches for six weeks, reports New York's Daily News. Then Reeves began complaining of pain in his left ankle after the rehearsal of a tough stunt.

An MRI and an X-ray failed to turn up the cause of the pain, but Keanu's footsie was slapped into a cast to be on the safe side, the actor's rep tells the Daily News.

The extent of his injury was already fodder for several sci-fi and movie Web sites, which spread rumors that the star's ankle was actually broken. Initial denials about any injury to the screen star instead spun a conspiracy story of sorts, with one Web site analyzing photos of Reeves outside a Beverly Hills, Calif., imaging clinic to see whether the photos had been retouched.

Apparently, the photos were real, as was the injury — just not quite as serious as Webspinners would have it.

Keanu is expected to appear at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards ceremony without a cast.

Yeoh Nixes MatrixIn other Matrix news, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Michelle Yeoh told the New York Post last week that she has passed on the chance to join the sci-fi franchise.

"I'm a great fan of the Wachowski brothers, but some things are more important," the high-flying actress says. "I just started my own production company and the filming of [the Matrix sequels] conflicted with my movie. I believe it is time to do other things, stories coming from Asia. At the end of the day, you have to do what's really important to you."

If Larry and Andy Wachowski want an Asian martial arts star in their films, they're going to have to go with someone less famous — and less busy. They'd already approached Romeo Must Die's Jet Li, but his asking price was out of their price range.