There are some movies that are just so iconic you can’t imagine them being any other way, or featuring anyone else.

But at the same time, those films are so iconic, you can’t believe any actor would turn down the opportunity to star in them.

And yet, Brad Pitt and Will Smith both turned down a role in possibly one of the most iconic flicks ever, and them starring in it could have changed the entire thing.

No, it wasn’t the cinematic masterpiece Moana, or last year’s Barbie, or even one of the big Marvel smashes – it was actually The Matrix.

Pitt and Smith were both offered the role of Neo. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Joining the likes of Madonna to say no to the 1999 film, both Pitt and Smith shook their heads at the chance to feature in the Wachowski sci-fi action classic.

Although, one of them must have turned it down first, as both said no to playing the legendary role of Neo – eventually filled perfectly by Keanu Reeves, of course.

Back in 2020, Pitt was being honoured with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival when he was asked to share a role he had passed up on.

“I’ll give you one, only one, because I really believe it was never mine,” he said.

The Fight Club star said he ‘did pass’ on the Matrix as he joked, he ‘took the red pill’.

Pitt explained: “I come from a place, maybe it’s my upbringing, [where] if I didn’t get it, then it wasn’t mine. I really believe [the role] was never mine. It was someone else’s.”

Imagine if it had been Pitt or Smith instead. (Warner Bros.)

In 2019, Smith also confirmed the long-running rumour that he’d turned down the opportunity of playing Neo to allow him to take on another role – arguably, a far less major, cult-classic role.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Men in Black actor recalled meeting with the Wachowskis, but couldn’t quite get his head around their ideas for bullet-time, or the slow-motion effect that Neo masters in the movie.

“So I made Wild Wild West [instead],” the star admitted – making a reference to the famed flop from the same year as the Matrix that he has seemingly spent the last two decades regretting.

“I’m not proud of it”, he added.

However, Smith did argue he wouldn’t have been quite as effective as Neo compared to Reeves.

“Keanu was perfect, Laurence Fishburne was perfect, so I probably would have messed The Matrix up. I would have ruined it, so I did y’all a favour,” he said.

Will Smith is one of those actors who has seemed to have played every single role you can think of.

From The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Agent J in Men in Black, and Christopher Gardner in The Pursuit of Happiness, he’s played them all.

Despite going on to win a coveted Academy Award (we’ll ignore the slap for today), there is one movie Smith regrets turning down.

Before we reveal, or you scroll down, let’s see if you can guess first.

Smith opened up about the situation recently. (Full Send Podcast)

The movie classic came out in 1999 and it starred Keanu Reeves, who played a normal dude one day finding out that he’s a superpowered messiah sent to free us from a digital prison.

Yep, as you have probably guessed – Smith missed out on The Wachowskis’ The Matrix.

Back in 1998, the casting team were looking for the right man to play Neo.

But Smith claims the way they pitched it to him was not convincing.

On a recent episode of Full Send Podcast, the veteran actor revealed: “So yeah, I had Neo, so it was going to be me, and Val Kilmer was Morpheus.”

However, Smith admits that he wouldn’t have been right for the role.

“But it would have been a whole different thing, when you see it, like Keanu was absolutely a perfect Neo,” he said.

“I would have been trying to do jokes and stuff like that I think I would have messed it up.”

“It was a crazy time in my life,” Smith also said in a 2019 YouTube video on his channel.

“It was like however I threw the ball, it was going in.

“[The Wachowskis] came in and they made a pitch for The Matrix.

“And as it turns out, they’re geniuses! But there’s a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting.

“Imagine you could stop in the middle of the jump.

“But then people could see around you 360 while you stopped jumping.”

It could have worked? (Will Smith/YouTube)

“I had so much success that I started to taste global blood,” Smith told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016.

“And my focus shifted from my artistry to winning. I wanted to win and be the biggest movie star, and what happened was there was a lag—around Wild Wild West time. I found myself promoting something because I wanted to win versus promoting something because I believed in it.”

Will Smith has opened up on his best ever movie and it’s not what you think.

The veteran actor, producer, and rapper – still only 55 – has been in the entertainment industry since the 90s, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Despite the 10 year Academy ban after slapping Chris Rock on stage in 2022, Smith won his first ever Oscar on the night, an accolade to go alongside his four Grammy Awards.

He was awarded Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams in biographical sports drama King Richard (2021) – yet Smith still does’t consider this to be his best ever film.

Now, the Philadelphia-born actor has a resumé many can only dream of, from Men in Black and Hitch, to more serious films like Seven Pounds and Ali.

But none of the above are considered to be his greatest film.

Ahead of the release of Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, Smith appeared on YouTube show Hot Ones when he was asked to choose the four performances that most define his career.

The hit YouTube show sees celebrities test their tolerance to seriously hot, hot wings. (YouTube/First We Feast)

“I think the individual best movie, all around, that I’ve ever made is The Pursuit of Happyness,” he revealed.

“Right behind that is the first Men In Black. The direction, cinematography, and music.”

“If I had to put four of them in a time capsule it would be The Pursuit of Happyness, the first Men In Black, I Am Legend, and probably King Richard.”

Also while promoting the fourth instalment of Bad Boys, his co-star Martin Lawrence has opened up about what it’s like to work together again.

The 59-year-old told the PA news agency: “He [Will] brings out the best in everybody around him. He’s like a star athlete who raises the game of his teammates—everyone knows when they’re working with Will, they’ve got to bring their A-game.”

The pair have reunited for a fourth instalment of Bad Boys. (PA)

“Martin’s comedy is unique because he makes you fall in love with him as you laugh with him,” Smith said.

“He’s vulnerable and finds a way to make that hilarious. I think Martin’s vulnerability is one of the secret ingredients — Mike Lowrey, and the audience, are always with Marcus.

“And because Marcus likes Mike, even though he’s a loose cannon, you like Mike.”

The film is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, with Smith adding: “I’ve made movies with so many great directors, and all of the great ones bring their own aesthetic to the movie.

“And that’s what Adil & Bilall do.

“They take the first two movies we did and build on them, spin them in their own new direction. And that’s why they’re great directors.”

Bad Boys: Ride Or Die is out in cinemas now.

When he’s not slapping the s**t out of Chris Rock or drastically oversharing about his relationship, Will Smith is making people sob by reminding us of what a bloody good dog dad he is.

But it’s a bit of a double edged sword for some fans of the actor, 55, as his recent Instagram post paying tribute to his canine co-star in I Am Legend drudged up a lot of emotions for them.

Although Smith might have been the star of the post-apocalyptic thriller, released in 2007, he was upstaged by his loyal German Shepherd, Abbey, who truly won the hearts of viewers.

Despite all the chaos that unfolds as they’re chased by the cannibalistic mutants, the scenes between his character Robert Neville and the adorable pooch are what really resonated with film fans.

Their interactions were often poignant, sometimes funny, and at that moment we all dread, absolutely heartbreaking.

Although Abbey might have been bumped off by movie producers, it didn’t kill Smith’s affection for her.

Will Smith and Abbey are one of Hollywood’s most iconic duos (Warner Bros)

In fact, the four-legged film star (who is named Samantha in the flick) is actually the reason the Fresh Prince of Bel Air started liking dogs.

Before filming for I Am Legend began, the actor admitted that he never got too close to pooches.

He told Today: “When I was little, I was probably 9, and I had a dog that got hit by a car.

“So I was like, ‘That’s it! I’m not doing it. I’m not doing that whole, fall in love with dogs thing no more.'”

But when that massive German Shepherd bounded over to him on set, his doubts about dogs quickly melted away.

Smith previously told Dogs Monthly Magazine: “Abbey and I spent a lot of time together. She was big and bouncy, but looked great, and I wanted to get close to her.

“Abbey’s owner and trainer, Steve Berens, patiently introduced us and gave us confidence in each other. That was it!

“I was with her all the time and we became the best of friends. I liked having her around and when the movie production ended, I wanted to keep her. I was no longer nervous of any sort of dog and kind of fell in love with her.

The actor shared a sweet tribute to his canine co-star online (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

“Steve was also attached to her, though, and so she stayed with him,” Smith said. “He did say that we had bonded really well, which was nice to hear.

“It was the end of the movie, but the start of a different approach to dogs for me.”

Well, how bloody wholesome is that. No wonder we all loved that dog so much.

Berens previously told LADbible that Abbey ‘really knew nothing’ when she first walked onto the set for I Am Legend, but she ‘learned fast’ and took to the role like a duck to water.

He admitted that even he had picked up on their close bond, saying: “I think that she really liked him, and that made a difference.

“I think that’s one thing in the film I was very happy with, and very proud of – the relationship was really solid.”

So I’m sure you can understand why people were absolutely inconsolable after Smith shared a sweet tribute to Abbey in an Instagram post to celebrate the National Pet Day in the US on Thursday (11 April).

Take a look at this:

He shared a short video montage of clips from their I Am Legend antics – such as her being his absolute ride or die during the film and them posing on the red carpet together at the premiere – alongside the words ‘never just a dog’.

Throw in some sad background music and Smith captioning the post ‘the goodness girl’ and you’ve got a recipe for a really intense sobbing session.

Social media users flooded the comment section to vent their emotions, while dubbing Abbey the ‘best dog on screen’.

One wrote: “The last time I cried at a movie was when Samantha died.”

Another said: “I can’t rewatch that movie because of that scene.”

A third added: “Dude, you made us cry like crazy with her.”

A fourth commented: “Best dog on the screen.”

While a fifth chimed in: “Samantha. She captured our hearts in your movie.”

Those scriptwriters better find a way to bring her back for the I Am Legend sequel pronto.