‘The Matrix’ Will Smith Explains Why He Turned Down The Role of Neo

The Matrix could have been a very different movie than the epic film that people love so much today that we’re all legitimately looking forward to the upcoming fourth chapter. While it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Keanu Reeves in the role of Neo, the Wachowskis really wanted Will Smith in the role, with Val Kilmer taking up the part of Morpheus instead of Lawrence Fishburne. It turns out that Smith turned it down because he basically thought the directors were nuts when they pitched him the film. So, he went and made Wild Wild West instead, a film that used a shelved concept for a giant robot spider from a Kevin Smith Superman movie that never happened.

In the end, Smith did just fine. Variety just reported that he was paid $40 million to play the father of Venus and Serena Williams in the upcoming film King Richard. As an added bonus, his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith was not only in both of the Matrix sequels, but she’s set to reprise her role as Niobe in the upcoming fourth film.

Source: CBM