'The Matrix' Co-Director Lilly Wachowski Comes Out As Transgender Woman 4 Years After Lana

Four years after Lana Wachowski made her first public appearance as a transgender woman after being known throughout her life as Larry, her The Matrix co-director sister is following her brave footsteps: Lilly Wachowski, previously known as Andy, has revealed to the world she's a trans woman. Unfortunately, however, Wachowski was forced to come out in her true gender identity.

Wachowski, 48, released a statement through Windy City Times explaining that she, like her sister before her, is also a transgender woman. The reason she came out this week wasn't on her on doing: she'd been basically threatened to be exposed by the media.

In her statement, Wachowski, who's already transitioned, reveals she'd dreaded being outed by the media for the last year, though most outlets who'd threatened to publicly say something had drawn back. While she was obviously planning to come out at some point, she wanted to have time to be comfortable in her skin before than, but this period was cut short.

According to Wachowski, a reporter from UK's The Daily Mail, who insisted the outlet wasn't a tabloid, said he wanted to interview her and take her picture to show the world her inspiring story, a year after Caitlyn Jenner came out as trans to wide acceptance.

Feeling threatened over the possible exposition of her gender identity, Wachowski decided instead to speak to a local Chicago LGBT outlet and tell her own story. The Daily Mail denies having coerced Wachowski in any way.

"We were not the first media group which approached her and we made absolutely clear at several points in the conversation that we were only interested in doing the story with her cooperation and had no intention of publishing anything without her consent," said a rep for the British outlet. "Our reporter was extremely sympathetic and courteous at all times."

Matrix director Lilly Wachowski comes out as a transgender woman: https://t.co/PW5ofGS6nG pic.twitter.com/bClQwomJFa

— E! News (@ENews) March 9, 2016