Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it would be a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo?

Will Smith is still wondering about how the trajectory of his career would have changed had he taken the role of Neo in The Matrix rather than starring in Wild Wild West. While Keanu Reaves shined ...

"In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time," read the message on ...

As the legend goes, Will Smith was almost cast as Neo in The Matrix back in 1997. He turned it down to make Wild Wild West and Keanu Reeves ended up in the lead role, and the rest, they say ...

Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo?" ...

Smith says in the intro to the clip that he turned down the role of Neo in the 1999 film. That part was in turn taken by Keanu Reeves and the rest, as they say, is history. ("Wild Wild West," the ...