Neil Rayment
Neil Rayment | |
|---|---|
| Born | Neil Rayment 14 May 1970 Minster‑in‑Thanet, Kent, England |
| Occupation | Actor · goldsmith · television presenter |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Known for | Portraying one of the Twins in The Matrix Reloaded |
| Relatives | Adrian Rayment (twin brother) |
Neil Rayment is an English actor and award‑winning artisan goldsmith.[1] He came to international notice alongside his identical twin, Adrian Rayment, for playing the ghost‑like Twins—henchmen of the Merovingian—in The Matrix Reloaded (2003).[2] Away from acting, Rayment established **Neil Rayment Goldsmiths**, a Cardiff‑based studio where he designs and hand‑crafts bespoke fine jewellery—work that has attracted regional media coverage and commissions such as elements of the 2024 National Eisteddfod Crown.[3]
Early life and training
[edit]Rayment and his twin brother were born on 14 May 1970 in the Kent village of Minster‑in‑Thanet.[4] Leaving school at 16, Neil undertook formal tuition in silversmithing and jewellery design, winning the “Young Designer of the Year” accolade at the UK Jewellery Awards while still in his early twenties.[5]
Career
[edit]Acting
[edit]Rayment’s screen career began with modelling, a music‑video appearance for Iron Maiden and minor film roles, including a cameo in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).[6] In 2000 he and his brother joined the ITV home‑improvement series Better Homes as on‑screen carpenters nicknamed the “Handy Hunks”.[6]
The Wachowskis cast the siblings as the dreadlocked Twins in The Matrix Reloaded after an audition in Los Angeles; the role required extensive martial‑arts and wire‑stunt training.[7] Their characters—listed in the credits simply as “Twin #1” (Neil) and “Twin #2” (Adrian)—became cult figures, frequently highlighted in round‑ups of pop‑culture twins.[8]
Subsequent screen appearances by Neil include the short film The Interrogation (2005), the independent feature Intergalactic Combat (2007) and the Welsh comedy A Bit of Tom Jones? (2009).[9] Coverage of the twins’ later careers notes that Neil’s last credited acting work was in 2015.[10]
Jewellery and business
[edit]Parallel to performing, Rayment continued goldsmithing, launching his first London atelier aged 23 and founding Neil Rayment Goldsmiths in Cardiff Bay in 1999.[11] The studio specializes in bespoke engagement rings, remodeling of heirloom pieces and ethically sourced precious metals. Rayment’s workshop has hosted public demonstrations and provided props and settings for television productions filmed in Cardiff.[12]Among notable commissions, he crafted bespoke wedding bands for his Matrix co‑star Laurence Fishburne during principle photography in Sydney.[13]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Tomorrow Never Dies | Guard (uncredited) | Feature film[6] |
| 2000 | Doctors | Gerry Bowers | Episode: “First Aid”[14] |
| 2002 | iBrotha | Copland | Short film[15] |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Twin #1 | Feature film[7] |
| 2003 | Enter the Matrix | Twin #1 (voice) | Video game[7] |
| 2005 | The Interrogation | Lionel | Short film[16] |
| 2007 | Intergalactic Combat | George Long | Feature film[15] |
| 2009 | A Bit of Tom Jones? | Thompson | Feature film[15] |
| 2011 | Casimir Effect | Cromwell Jackson | Feature film[15] |
| 2015 | Dispossess | The Vicar | Television film[15] |
Personal life
[edit]Rayment is based in Cardiff Bay, Wales, where his workshop doubles as a public studio and retail space.[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Our Story". Neil Rayment Goldsmiths. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "What we learn from the Matrix Reloaded trailer". Entertainment Weekly. 11 April 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Eisteddfod crown designer discusses her feelings of responsibility and excitement". Nation.Cymru. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Matrix squared". London Evening Standard. 10 April 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Meet our team". Neil Rayment Goldsmiths. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Matrix squared". London Evening Standard. 10 April 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "What we learn from the Matrix Reloaded trailer". Entertainment Weekly. 11 April 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Twins in pop culture". Wonderwall. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Neil Rayment filmography". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Whatever Happened to "The Matrix" Twins Neil and Adrian Rayment?". TVOvermind. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Our Story". Neil Rayment Goldsmiths. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Eisteddfod crown designer discusses her feelings of responsibility and excitement". Nation.Cymru. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Meet our team". Neil Rayment Goldsmiths. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Neil Rayment filmography". Who’s Date Who. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Neil Rayment filmography". Who’s Date Who. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "The Interrogation (2005)". IMDb. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ "Neil Rayment Goldsmiths – homepage". Neil Rayment Goldsmiths. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Neil Rayment at IMDb
- Neil Rayment Goldsmiths on Instagram