For Jessica Henwick, the decision to play Bugs in The Matrix Resurrections was an easy one. "The Matrix affected style and philosophy," she says. "And it started a conversation about technology and drugs."
"I can't quantify how much of an impact the film had," she explains. Plus, it didn't hurt that Bugs was close to Jessica's heart: "She is, like us, a fan of The Matrix and a fan of the legend Neo," she tells WH.
Taking on a starring role in the sequel to a beloved movie might seem intimidating to some actors—but Jessica's already been there, done that. At 29 years old, she's had multiple breakout performances in some of the most popular television shows and franchises to date.
From her role as Nymeria Sands in Game of Thrones to her debut as Jessika Pava in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jessica isn't afraid to make her mark on a well-loved series. So taking the plunge into The Matrix universe only felt natural.
But although she's no stranger to roles that involve lots of combat scenes (more on her Marvel superhero past in a sec), Jessica's The Matrix Resurrections workouts were tougher than most. Here's exactly what went into her long days on the film's star-studded set:
Kickboxing was key.
Training for the movie was filled with "blood, sweat, and tears," Jessica says. "A lot of it was just getting back into shape because outside of work, I'm not great at keeping up to date with my training," she adds.
Going into The Matrix Resurrections, Jessica was used to doing combat scenes and already had experience with taekwondo, aikido, and hapkido from previous roles. But learning to add props to fight scenes was more difficult than she expected.
"The only real new thing I had to learn was how to use weapons, which I'd never done before," she shares. "And that was a task, getting over my psychological block." Then, to build endurance, Jessica did two hours of Thai kickboxing drills every day. After plenty of practice sessions, she was ready to hit the ground running.
Jessica also leaned on her combat knowledge for her Marvel debut.
For her role as Colleen Wing in Marvel's The Defenders back in 2017, Jessica says she had to take on a totally different style of fighting. "It was more focused," she says. "Because The Matrix is set in the future, it could be a fusion of styles."
But Colleen's Japanese and Chinese background meant that Jessica needed to draw on her existing knowledge to help her learn how to use a katana—which she mastered, based on this Instagram video:
Now, Jessica takes barre classes and goes free diving.
All of that combat training comes with a price, Jessica explains. "The unfortunate thing about doing so many stunts on films is you just get injured. And barre has really helped me to fix some of the injuries that I picked up on Matrix."
And when she's looking for something a little more exciting? She goes free diving—a.k.a. diving deep underwater while holding your breath, according to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
It's "exhausting," Jessica says. "I'm pretty sure that half the calories burned are just trying to stay warm. But it's kind of a workout meets meditation for me," she adds. "I love it so much."
She explains that she first found out about free diving while filming near the South Bay in Los Angeles, California. "I was bored and I wanted to try something new," she explains. She bumped into a group of guys hauling in full lines of fish, asked what they were up to—and the rest is history.
Jessica also pairs her workout routine with her favorite Asian meals.
While her food intake varies depending on how busy she is, one thing that's always a constant on Jessica's plate is Asian comfort food. "That's how I was raised," she shares. Seafood, rice, pickled vegetables, and Japanese rice crackers are some of her favorites.
When the day really stretches out on set, Jessica springs for some takeout instead—or the on-the-go snack she really loves: fruit gummies. "I just like the texture," she adds.
Can't argue with that (or with a killer, whole-body combat workout). Pass the bag?
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