An article in the NYT about Cornel West's cameo in "The Matrix". I don't know much about West other than his flouncy departure from Harvard last summer (?) over a conflict with the university president about race. And his sole speaking line that has "already been spotted on T-shirts in Los Angeles" I have no memory of. The line is a little creepy: "Comprehension is not requisite for cooperation." But it sounds as if in West the Wachowski brothers have found a kindred spirit:

While in Sydney for the movie shoot, Dr. West said he and the Wachowskis had bonded over "wrestling with the meaning of life and the purpose of human existence." They share an affinity for plucking ideas from religion, philosophy, pop music, television and movies, and synthesizing them into a prophetic, liberating message. They want to make the world a more philosophical place.

Guess it depends on your definition of "philosophical."