The Matrix: The Roles That Could Have Been
In the late 1990s, the Wachowskis pitched their iconic sci-fi action movie, The Matrix, to several top actors, including Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, and Leonardo DiCaprio. However, all of them turned down the role of Neo, the film’s protagonist. At one point, the Wachowskis even considered casting a female Neo, with Sandra Bullock in mind.
Will Smith was approached to play Neo, but he passed on the role, opting instead for the action comedy Wild Wild West. In a 2019 YouTube video, Smith revealed that he didn’t fully understand the Wachowskis’ concept and had lingering concerns about being cast in back-to-back sci-fi movies.
If Smith had accepted the role, it’s likely that Morpheus would have been played by a different actor. Smith also mentioned that he believed the film wouldn’t have featured two black actors in lead roles, suggesting that Val Kilmer might have been cast as Morpheus.
The Wachowskis’ high-level concept was pitched to many actors, but none of them ultimately took on the role of Neo. The film went on to star Keanu Reeves as the iconic character, and it became a critical and commercial success.