Will Smith | Neo – The Matrix

With four Grammy Awards to Will Smith’s name, this Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor has proven himself capable of being on the big screen as well as on TV. In addition, his films have earned significantly, with 11 of them grossing over $150 million internationally. This speaks volumes of the crowd he could draw to his side. Considering this, Smith is a sought-after actor.

One movie he was supposed to star in was The Matrix, where he would play the character Neo. The role, of course, was eventually given to Keanu Reeves, who has received the highest credit for his portrayal. However, it would have been interesting to see how a Black man could make the movie different. Smith rejected the role because of details he deemed unrealistic—and he admitted to regretting that later on. Nonetheless, both The Matrix and Smith did well, so no love nor money lost there.