Jada Pinkett Smith Had One Condition to Join The Matrix After Will Smith Rejected Neo’s Role

Imagine an alternate universe where Will Smith is Neo and Jada Pinkett Smith is Trinity—sounds wild, right? Well, that almost happened.

While Will Smith famously turned down The Matrix, Jada also auditioned for a major role but ultimately had to wait until The Matrix Reloaded to officially join the franchise.

And when she did, she had one condition before accepting the role of Niobe.

Jada Pinkett Smith Originally Auditioned for Trinity

Back in the late ‘90s, the Wachowskis were in the process of casting actors for what would become one of the most revolutionary sci-fi films of all time.

Keanu Reeves’ Neo, Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus, and Carrie-Anne Moss’ Trinity became iconic characters, but the casting could have been completely different.

Jada Pinkett Smith auditioned for the role of Trinity, but ultimately lost out to Carrie-Anne Moss, whose performance remains legendary.

Meanwhile, Will Smith was offered the lead role of Neo, but after an infamous pitch that didn’t quite convince him, he turned it down in favor of Wild Wild West—a decision he later regretted.

The Role of Niobe Was Written for Jada

Although Jada missed out on Trinity, the Wachowskis were clearly impressed by her and wanted her to be part of their cyberpunk universe.

When they began developing The Matrix Reloaded, they created the character of Niobe—a skilled pilot and Zion resistance leader—specifically for her.

Already a fan of The Matrix, Jada was thrilled when she got the offer.

However, before she officially joined, she made one request to the filmmakers: no nudity.

Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, she revealed:

“What I loved about Niobe was that she was created for me.… I met the Wachowskis for the first ‘Matrix,’ so I really didn’t need to read anything when I was told ‘They created this character for you.’ ‘Really? Any nudity?’ ‘Nope.’ ‘All right then! Let’s get it on!’”

Since the birth of her son, Jaden Smith, Jada had made a personal decision to avoid on-screen nudity, even if a script required intimate scenes.

The Wachowskis respected her condition, and she officially stepped into the role of Niobe, becoming a key character in The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix Resurrections.

She even starred in the video game Enter the Matrix, expanding her presence in the franchise.

Jada Urged Will Smith to Accept the Role of Neo

In what might be one of Hollywood’s biggest “what if” moments, Will Smith’s decision to pass on The Matrix is still discussed to this day.

Jada has since revealed that she tried to convince him to accept the role, recognizing its potential to change cinema forever.

“I knew it would be revolutionary.

I was like, ‘Will, you’ve got to do this movie!’ He didn’t fully get it, but I did.

” (Entertainment Weekly)

While Will stuck with Wild Wild West, which flopped at the box office, Keanu Reeves embraced the role of Neo and made history.

As for Will? He’s since referenced his missed opportunity in music videos and interviews, acknowledging that turning down The Matrix was a huge mistake.

From Almost Trinity to Iconic Niobe

Jada Pinkett Smith’s journey in The Matrix franchise proves that sometimes, things work out exactly as they should.

While she could have been Trinity, she ultimately became Niobe—a character written just for her.

And while Will Smith passed on the biggest role of his career, his wife made sure the Smith family still had a legacy in one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of all time.

Would The Matrix have been the same if Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were the leads? Maybe not.

But one thing is certain—Jada’s badass portrayal of Niobe left a lasting impact on the series and its fans.