Can You Believe Will Smith Said No To The Matrix?
Actor Will Smith is known for major Hollywood blockbusters like Men in Black, Bad Boys, and Independence Day, and he nearly starred in another gigantic franchise–The Matrix. The franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary this year (and is back in theaters, too!), and with that in mind, we’re looking back at the story of why Smith elected to pass on playing Neo in The Matrix.
The story comes first-hand from Smith, as he recalled the account in an update on his YouTube account five years ago. “This is one of those stories I’m not proud of, but it’s the truth. I did turn down Neo in The Matrix,” Smith explained.
Saying no to Men in Black came first
Smith was a shining star in the late ’90s, having starred on the TV series Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996) and the films Bad Boys (1995) and Independence Day (1996). He was a bonafide Hollywood megastar, and he was fielding all kinds of pitches for his next movie. One of these was Men In Black, a film he didn’t originally want to make. Having already starred in Independence Day, Smith said he felt hesitant about being typecast as “the alien guy.”