Will Smith Turned Down ‘The Matrix’: 9 Actors Who Passed on Roles That Went to Someone Else

Hollywood history is full of near misses. A famous role looks inevitable once the movie is a hit, yet many of those parts were offered to somebody else first.

Some actors said no because of scheduling, some because they didn’t get the script, and a few simply made a different bet. These nine cases are among the best documented, and each one changed a career, or two.

Will Smith and Neo in The Matrix

Smith has said openly that he was offered the role of Neo in The Matrix and passed. He chose to make Wild Wild West instead, a 1999 Western comedy that was a commercial disappointment and widely criticized.

Keanu Reeves took Neo, and the film became one of the defining science fiction hits of its era. Smith has described the decision as a mistake in his own interviews, which is part of why the story is so well known.

Will Smith and Django Unchained

Smith is on this list twice. He has said he was considered for the title role in Django Unchained and decided against it, reportedly because the character was not the lead in the way he wanted.

Jamie Foxx played Django in Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 film. Foxx’s performance became one of the most discussed of his career.

Tom Selleck and Indiana Jones

Tom Selleck was the first choice for Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He had signed on to the television series Magnum, P.I., and CBS held him to that commitment, so he could not take the film.

Harrison Ford stepped in, and the part became his second signature role after Han Solo. Selleck’s series then ran for eight seasons, so the trade wasn’t a total loss for him.

Sean Connery and Gandalf

Sean Connery has been widely reported to have been offered the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings films, with a deal that included a share of the box office. He reportedly said he did not understand the story and passed.

Ian McKellen played Gandalf and earned an Oscar nomination for The Fellowship of the Ring. Connery was also reported to have turned down Morpheus in The Matrix, which Laurence Fishburne ended up playing.

Burt Reynolds and Terms of Endearment

Burt Reynolds turned down the role of the retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment. He later spoke about regretting the choice, and he made Stroker Ace around the same period.

Jack Nicholson took the role and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film itself won Best Picture at the 1984 ceremony.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Clarice Starling

Michelle Pfeiffer was offered the part of FBI trainee Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs and declined. She has said she found the material too dark.

Jodie Foster played Starling and won the Oscar for Best Actress. The film swept the top five Academy Awards in 1992.

Winona Ryder and The Godfather Part III

This one is more of a withdrawal than a refusal. Winona Ryder was cast as Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III but left the production just before filming, reportedly because of exhaustion and illness.

Sofia Coppola, the director’s daughter, took over on short notice. The performance was harshly reviewed at the time, though she has since built a respected career as a filmmaker.

Dougray Scott and Wolverine

Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine in X-Men. Production on Mission: Impossible 2, in which he played the villain, ran over schedule and he had to leave the superhero film.

Hugh Jackman, then little known in Hollywood, was brought in at short notice. He went on to play the character for roughly two decades, across multiple films.

Nicolas Cage and Aragorn

Nicolas Cage has said he was offered the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings and turned it down. He explained that he did not want to spend long periods away from his family.

Stuart Townsend was first cast and then replaced, and Viggo Mortensen took over early in production. Mortensen’s work in the trilogy became a major part of the films’ success.

Final Thoughts

Each of these refusals, withdrawals and scheduling conflicts opened the door for another actor. Reeves, Ford, Nicholson, Foster, McKellen, Jackman and Mortensen all built major moments of their careers on parts first meant for someone else.