Considered to be one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies of all time, 1999’s The Matrix was truly a turning point in Keanu Reeves’s career and shot him straight to stardom. The movie went on to make 2 sequels and its popularity has remained more or less intact. However, Keanu Reeves wasn’t the directors’ first choice to play ‘Neo’.
According to a report by The Independent, Brad Pitt was first offered Neo’s role in The Matrix but he declined.
In his recent appearance at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Brad Pitt was asked about the roles that he had rejected in the past. He said:
“I did pass on The Matrix. I took the red pill. That’s the only one I’m naming. I wasn’t offered two or three. Only the first one, just to clarify that.”
The “red pill” which he mentions is a Matrix reference. The protagonist, Neo, is given a choice to take the ‘red pill’ or the ‘blue pill’. The red pill, when taken, makes one “aware of the cruel truths of everyday life”. The blue pill, on the other hand, causes one to “remain living in blissful ignorance”.
“I come from a place, maybe it’s my upbringing, if I didn’t get it, then it wasn’t mine. I really believe (the role) was never mine. It’s not mine. It was someone else’s and they go and make it. I really do believe in that.” he said.
The Matrix was being filmed from March to August 1998 which overlapped with the Brad Pitt starrer Fight Club. While Fight Club didn’t hit big at the box office at the time, The Matrix emerged as a hit film.
According to a report by Mail Online, after Brad Pitt had rejected the offer to star in The Matrix, the role of ‘Neo’ was offered to Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Val Kilmer, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp. There was also a time when the producers allegedly thought Neo could also be a woman and approached Sandra Bullock for the role! Lastly, it was Keanu Reeves who agreed.
While Brad Pitt sure did miss a golden chance for one career-defining film, he did go on to act in several others which made him the star that he is today. And I’m sure fans of The Matrix trilogy would be thankful to Brad for rejecting the role. Because Keanu is Neo forever!