Matrix squared

The Matrix Reloaded is set to be one of the biggest blockbusters of all time, rocketing its ruthless baddies, the Virus Twins, to overnight stardom.

Yesterday they celebrated their 35th birthday at a glitzy dinner in Cannes, but in real life British identical twins Neil and Adrian Rayment are struggling to comprehend their sudden and unlikely transformation.

Only three years ago they were virtual unknowns, doing DIY chores as the cheesy Handy Hunks on Carol Vorderman's Better Homes. They were living in onebedroom flats in Crouch End and Brixton, and beginning to give up on their dream of stardom.

"We thought there was a possibility of making it when we got into the industry, but we found out how hard it was to become famous," Neil explains. "There are a lot of talented actors in the UK working their socks off who never get anywhere." But now they can boast of being Hollywood's wickedest twins, following their incredible break starring alongside Keanu Reeves as evil albino clones who act as bodyguards in a computerdominated world 800 years in the future.

On set they got to know Keanu well. "He was a cool guy," Adrian says. "He's a consummate philosopher, extremely wellread and loves playing chess - we went for steak-and-beer dinners with him."

Not bad for the boys who left school at 16 and then gained qualifications in silversmithing (Neil) and ornamental wire work (Adrian). By the age of 30 the only bits of showbiz work they had had was a music video for Iron Maiden, the odd day of modelling and cameo roles in the Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies.

So they were overjoyed to be asked to co-present the DIY programme Better Homes. It was in 2000, just as they had signed a contract for a fifth series, that their agent rang to tell them to attend a casting that afternoon for the sequel to The Matrix.

"We couldn't believe it. We were like 'The Warner Brothers' Matrix' or the something else Matrix?' Then we had a casting in LA, in front of the film's directors, Andy and Larry Wachowski."

Two weeks later their agent rang in tears. They had the parts. Fortunately they are happy to work together. "We do get along, which is not always the case

with twins," Adrian says. "Neil and I are quite different, and we've always been slightly better at different things. Neil was better than me at school because I had dyslexia, while physically, I've always been a bit stronger."