Will Smith's Question To His Younger Self Has To Do With Turning Down An Epic Role

BYErika Marie4.6K Views
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Will Smith
One regrettable decision.

In the action-packed film Gemini Man, Will Smith's character is confronted by a younger, cloned version of himself. The premise has gotten fans thinking about what they would tell, or ask, their younger selves, and on the red carpet premiere of Gemini Man, Fox Chicago reporter Jake Hamilton wanted to know what question the actor would have for 20-something-year-old Will Smith.

"Oooh," Will said as he thought about his answer. "Probably Wild Wild West," he said as the movie set he would go back and visit. "I’d go back to the Wild Wild West [set] and I would say, 'Asshole, why didn’t you do The Matrix?" He then laughed at his own joke, but for those that didn't know, back in 1999, Will was approached by the Wachowskis, who only had one film to their name at the time, to star as Neo. The actor wasn't too impressed with the Wachowski's pitch, so he opted to film Wild Wild West over The Matrix

"It turns out they are geniuses," Will stated earlier this year when he talked about turning down the epic role. "Keanu was perfect, Laurence Fishburne was perfect," he added. "So I probably would have messed The Matrix up. I would have ruined it, so I did y’all a favor."


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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