Will Smith’s denial of the role of Neo in The Matrix franchise is well known. The actor has previously revealed how and why he rejected the sci-fi action and rather chose to star in the lackluster, Wild Wild West, a movie he admitted he’s not too proud of.
However, his rejection also cost Val Kilmer the key role of Morpheus, which was later portrayed by Laurence Fishburne in the sci-fi action film that went on to become one of the most popular franchises.
Will Smith’s rejection of The Matrix cost Val Kilmer the major role in the science-fiction classic
Released in 1999, The Matrix grew into a blockbuster film series, with Keanu Reeves becoming the face of the franchise as Neo, a role Will Smith revealed he was initially offered.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, he explained that he turned down the offer for The Matrix. While reflecting on his decision, he also revealed that the filmmakers had initially considered Val Kilmer for the role of Morpheus.
“I was going to be Neo, and Val Kilmer was going to be Morpheus,” Smith shared in the video, suggesting that his rejection of Neo may have led the filmmakers to rethink Morpheus’ casting as well, ultimately leading to Laurence Fishburne landing the role.
If I had done it, because I’m Black, then Morpheus wouldn’t have been Black because they were looking at Val Kilmer.
However, he also shared that his decision was likely for the best as both Reeves and Fishburne were great in their respective roles. “Keanu was perfect. Laurence Fishburne was perfect,” he said.
Kilmer, best known for Batman Forever and Top Gun, ultimately missed out on what could have been a career-defining performance, as The Matrix went on to be a groundbreaking sci-fi classic.
Val Kilmer reflected on turning down a major role
While Will Smith revealed in his short storytime video how The Wachowskis approached him for The Matrix, Val Kilmer never directly addressed losing or rejecting the role or the movie.
However, the actor seemingly reflected on the topic during a Reddit AMA when a fan asked if he ever regretted turning down a role.
Kilmer responded,
It’s not fair to the actor that ended up with the role, as they probably don’t know they weren’t the first choice, so I have to be supportive to my fellow actors and not ever say…
While the Batman Forever star did not appear to have publicly acknowledged being considered for The Matrix, reports suggest that the filmmakers were also looking at him to potentially lead the movie.
According to Screen Rant, the producers of The Matrix were keen on having Kilmer in the movie. And he was among some of the initial choices for the role of Neo along with Brad Pitt.
However, he reportedly turned down the offer, initially for the role of Neo and later for Morpheus, to star in the 1999 romantic drama, At First Sight.
The Matrix is available to watch on Max.
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