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Will Smith is one of the finest actors of his generation. In the late 90s, he was at the peak of fame and fortune. Everything he touched, became gold. At the time, he was Midas of acting, giving performances likeBad BoysandEnemy of the State.When everything was looking up for Will Smith, he made one grave decision that proved to be a big misjudgment on his part.
Before Keanu Reeves landed the role of Neo inThe Matrix, the Wachowski Brothers had pitched the movie to Will Smith. Although it is strange to imagine anyone other than Reeves playing the computer wizard, it would have been interesting to see the star ofThe Pursuit of Happynessplay The Anomaly.
The Matrixbecame a cultural phenomenon and a massive box office hit. Proving that Smith had passed up on the opportunity of a lifetime. Decades after making this grave mistake, Smith explained the thought process that led him to that decision. He emphasized that several factors contributed to his choosing to turn down the film. Read ahead to find out.
The Wachowskis’ ill-pitching
Will Smithhas made some of the best choices in his career which led him to unprecedented heights in the 90s. Turning downThe Matrixwasn’t one of them. This was always quite known but Smith more or less dodged the questions around this subject. In 2020, Smith posted a video on hisYouTubechannel, explaining his reasons.
Smith said the primary reason he turned down the film was because he did not understand the script. Which was mainly because of the way it was pitched to him. The way Wachowskis presented their film to him was far from convincing. And in addition to a poorly made pitch, they were also novices in the filmmaking business. As Smith said in the video:
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The Wachowskis, they came in and it was like, they had only done one movie…They came in, and they made a pitch for The Matrix… As it turns out, they’re geniuses, but there’s a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting.
In the video, theAliactor elaborates that the pitch he was presented with was focused on filming action sequences and camera work instead of the storyline. This led to Smith turning down a golden opportunity for a movie that became a box office bomb,Wild Wild West.
Will Smith’s reluctance to science-fiction movies
When Smith was offered to play Neo, he had already done a few science fiction movies. In an industry where it is easy to get typecasted, Smith didn’t want to risk things for himself. Although he was at the pinnacle of success, he did not want to limit himself to a single genre. Having doneIndependence Daya year prior, Will Smith wanted to make a movie different from his previous works. He mentions this in hisYouTubevideo as well, saying he did not want to be “the alien movie guy“.
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He even rejectedMen In Blackfor this reason. However,he was later convinced by Steven Spielberg who flew him in in a helicopter. But his luck was not quite as favorable withThe Matrix. In an attempt to avoid getting typecasted Smith ventured into a somewhat foreign territory for him. He turned to Western filmsand made Wild Wild Westa decision he said is “not proud of” making.
Will Smith feared he’d ruin the film
Like the millions of fans ofThe Matrixfranchise around the world, Smith is also of the opinion thatKeanu Reeveswas too perfect a Neo to even imagine someone else for the part. In his video, Smith also mentions that had he accepted the offer to play Neo, the role of Morpheus would have gone to a white person. And quite possibly Val Kilmer, not Lawrence Fishburne would have played Morpheus. Smith believes he did everyone a favor by refusing the film.
Due to the trilogy’s exceptional box office performance, critical acclaim, and universal fame, it became an integral part of pop culture. Hence, it is strange to imagine anyone but Reeves and Fishburne as the main characters of the film.
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Although it is not easy to consider, it cannot be denied that it is a bit interesting to imagine Will Smith in the long black coat doing all these unprecedented action sequences. It would have made for good entertainment. But Keanu Reeves was certainly a better fit for the stoic character of Neo.
Smith, on the other hand, is better at playing animated, energetic, and lively roles. He is much more suited for doing some passion-filled, emotionally demanding characters. Had Smith said yes toThe MatrixNeo probably would have been different than how the world has come to know him and love him.
However, it is notable that Will Smith’s latest social media post is cryptic yet very Matrix-coded. Fans initially assumed that Smith would be in the much anticipatedMatrix movie, but it was later confirmed byDeadlinethat the post is a promotional gimmick for Smith’s latest music endeavors.
Arpita Joshi
Articles Published :73
Arpita Joshi is an Evergreen Content Writer at FandomWire. With almost two years of experience, she has learned intricate details of writing in different niches, particularly entertainment.
