10 Movie Roles Originally Intended For Other Actors
4. Will Smith – Neo In The Matrix
Keanu Reeves is probably best known for two roles from his career; Ted ‘’Theodore’’ Logan from the Bill and Ted franchise and Neo in the Matrix Trilogy. He's starred in a ton of action flicks besides those, but when it comes to iconic roles for the actor, those are the ones people picture the most.
That being said, he's been in a ton of movies, and many people call Keanu Reeves the "Internet's Boyfriend" resulting from all the stories of what a nice guy the actor is in real life. Regardless, he's a brilliant actor, and when it comes to action movie (other than John Wick), it's the Matrix all the way.
Reeves wasn't the intended target for Neo when the Wachowskis were putting their film together in the late '90s. That distinction goes to Will Smith, who at the time, was one of the hottest stars in all of Hollywood. He passed on the project so he could star in Wild Wild West, a movie that mostly bombed with critics.
You would think Smith regretted that decision, but he has spoken about not playing Neo in interviews and has said it was perfectly cast for Reeves. After watching The Matrix, it's hard to disagree with him, and while the role wasn't written for Keanu, he certainly played it like it was.