Jada Pinkett Smith and Keanu Reeves played different - albeit both important - roles in the making of the Wachowskis' The Matrix hit movie series. Keanu memorably portrayed Neo, the main protagonist in the story, a role for which he reportedly earned a mammoth $250 million.
Jada, on the other hand, was only introduced as the character Niobe in The Matrix Reloaded, the second installment of the franchise. She would also reprise the role in Revolutions, which was released in the same year as Reloaded (2003), and more recently in 2021's Resurrections.
Before this entire history, however, Jada was not the first member of the Smith family to cross paths with the Wachowskis and their unconventional story. Before the turn of the millennium, her husband Will was reportedly offered the role of Neo, but he turned it down.
The Independence Day star felt that the film-making siblings were too green for his liking, and instead opted to commit himself to the steampunk sci-fi Western of 1999, Wild Wild West. This is said to be the biggest regret of Will's career.
So, just how did Jada Pinkett Smith and Keanu Reeves get on behind the scenes? It turns out that they had non-existent chemistry, although that never got in the way of work.
Jada Pinkett Smith Auditioned For A Different Role In 'The Matrix'
The Matrix Reloaded is set in a time about six months after the events of the original film. Jada Pinkett Smith is introduced as Niobe, described as 'a member of the Resistance and the captain of the [ships] Logos and Logos II'.
The part of Niobe is said to have been written specifically for Jada, after she had failed her first audition, for the first Matrix movie. The star of NBC's classic sitcom A Different World had tried her luck at landing the role of Trinity, but failed to succeed.
The character was instead portrayed by Carrie-Ann Moss, in that inaugural picture of the franchise, and every sequel that has followed since. Trinity is an operative of Zion, the only remaining known human city on earth, as well as a love interest - and later lover - of Neo.
Jada does not harbor any ill will towards the producers or Carrie-Ann Moss for this choice, and has been on record insisting that the Canadian actress deserved the role.
What Happened Between Jada Pinkett Smith And Keanu Reeves On 'The Matrix'?
The poor chemistry between Jada Pinkett Smith and Keanu Reeves was a major reason why she missed out on the part of Trinity in the first place. She revealed this during an interview that she did on The Howard Stern Show in 2015.
The conversation evolved from the discussion about Will Smith refusing to play Neo in the original Matrix. Jada suggested that while she was blown away by the story and 'imagery' of the Wachowskis' vision, Will was not at all convinced.
According to her, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it opened up a path for her to eventually audition for the part of Trinity. Although she was not successful with that, the character Niobe was apparently, specifically written for her.
As to what was the reason why she never really got going with Keanu, Jada couldn't really place a finger on it. "I don’t think it was his fault. I think it was as much my fault as anybody," she said. "It wasn’t just Ke, it was me too."
What Is The Relationship Between Jada Pinkett Smith And Keanu Reeves After 'The Matrix'?
Jada Pinkett Smith was honest when asked whether she wished she could have landed the role of Trinity. In hindsight, though, she also acknowledged that she could not have been able to deliver in the same way that Carrie-Ann Moss did.
"I do wish [I had gotten the part], but I look at Carrie-Anne and I just go, 'she’s freaking amazing,'" Jada said. "There’s no way in the world [that I would have brought that."
Despite being denied the dream role by her poor chemistry with Keanu, the actress insisted that the pair ended up becoming good friends afterwards. "Keanu and I didn't click [during the audition]," she continued. "At that particular time we didn't, [but] we actually became really good friends after I played Niobe."
Jada's first Matrix film ended up being the most commercially successful in the franchise, with a box office return of $741 million, against an original budget of about $150 million.