Lana Wachowski’s Moving Speech About Growing Up Transgender

The co-director of The Matrix trilogy and Cloud Atlas shares how she got past childhood trauma — including a high-school suicide attempt — in her acceptance speech for the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award.

1. Over an emotional 25 minutes, the notoriously reclusive director talks about her difficult journey from Larry to Lana, even revealing her plan to jump in front of a train in high school:

Wachowski in 2003.

Image by Fred Prouser / Reuters

2. It wasn’t all tragedy, though. Here’s what happened after she came out to her mother:

Earlier this year.

Image by Daniel Boczarski / Getty Images

3. And here’s why Wachowski is speaking out now:

Also earlier this year.

Image by Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images

4. Watch her full remarks:

And read the full transcript at The Hollywood Reporter.