Chatterbox: NZ link to Matrix

First time around, New Zealand had a presence in the Matrix trilogy cast: Anthony Ray Parker and Julian Arahanga played Dozer and Apoc in the rebel team that introduced Neo (Keanu Reeves) to the horrific realities of cyber-rule. But just as they were starting to enjoy Neo's ever-developing super-skills, they got whacked over the phone by Joe Pantoliano's Cypher.

In The Matrix Reloaded, the directors, the Wachowski brothers, have expanded their equal opportunities policy, employing a mixed race cast - and a couple of New Zealanders pop up in there again as well.

Former Shortland Street star Rene Naufahu makes a brief run as a Zion gate operator, while veteran actor Nathaniel Lees - who unrecognisably played Ugluk the Orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - is fully visible towards the end as good guy Captain Mifune, leader of the group assigned to protect Zion, the last human city on earth.

Lees' appearance in Reloaded is brief but his character in instalment three, The Matrix Revolutions, will be much more significant. Here's what Lees has to say about the Matrix experience:

"Working with the Wachowski brothers was an incredible and energising experience. As an actor and a director to work with people who have that kind of vision was extraordinary. To watch and see that energy gave all the cast huge motivation.

"Working on a production that has so much money was also another experience for me. We come from an industry in New Zealand where everybody pitches in to do one job or another to make the project happen but on a project like Matrix where there was so much money, to see what they were able to achieve was a real eye-opener.

"My role was an interesting, man - Captain Mifune. When I first talked with Larry and Andy Wachowski about the character - the image we had of him was like a Samurai - this man was totally dedicated to his cause which is protecting Zion and he leads the defending group. I control the team that do the defending.

"There is a lot more to say about this character but it will have to wait until Revolutions when it will be more relevant."

A beat up

It's good news for P-Money for sure, but it brought a smile to our faces. P has just sold a track to a Ludacris homeboy named 1-20 who is going to use it for an upcoming "project" to be released on Def Jam South (We're guessing "project" means a track). It's official because even though no one is sure when the "project" will take place, his label has received the invoice for "the beat".

So let's get this straight, P-Money has sold "a beat"? Next time you are banging a fork on a biscuit tin or impatiently drumming your fingers on the bar waiting for that drink maybe you should have a tape recorder handy. You never know, someone famous might like your "beat" and want to use it for a "project".

Very, very frightening

Kiwi performers Annie Crummer and Ross Girven have elbowed aside competition from their Aussie counterpoints, landing lead roles in the Ben Elton/Queen musical We Will Rock You which opens in Melbourne on August 7. The musical is sci-fi cyber-pop fluff tenuously linked by performances of classic Queen songs. Crummer will play Killer Queen, "head of Globalsoft corporation which controls kids' lives with a diet of synthesised pop" (hey! thought this was fiction!), and Girven plays her henchman. The show may be a big deal in Australia, but the Brit critics were sniffy when it opened in London's West End last year. The Guardian called Elton's "premise as sixth-form as it sounds ... ruthlessly manufactured". Never mind. We thought it highly amusing that the show's Australian publicists are bringing Crummer and Girven back home this week to "meet the media". Like, ah, royalty. Heh heh. They do like that in Australian showbiz.

Riding high

Whale Rider has got off to a flying start in its Australian release, reaching No 2 at the box office. The film opened in Australia just over a week ago and took $1.27 million in its first weekend, second only to X-Men 2. Whale Rider opens in the United States on June 6.

Funniest thing we've seen all week

The Flaming Lips being the guest band in a bar scene in TV3's witchypoo telly drama Charmed. About 10 years ago the critically-lauded American art-rock band had a gig on Beverly Hill 90210's own rock venue, the Peach Pit.

Cutest thing we've seen all week

Bic Runga on the drums behind up-and-coming Australian singer-songwriter T.P. Guy at his Auckland gig. Ms Runga is producing the Melbourne-ite's debut album, the recording of which has shifted to this side of the Tasman.