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Brad Pitt admits he turned down role of Neo in The Matrix which went to Keanu Reeves in first outing since Jennifer Aniston pics


Brad was almost cast as Neo in The Matrix (Picture: Getty)

Brad Pitt has revealed The Matrix film could have looked very different if he hadn’t passed up the chance to star in it.

The actor, 56, revealed he could have starred in the 1999 hit film, but turned down the opportunity and the leading role went to Keanu Reeves instead.

Speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Wednesday. Brad attempted to stay tight-lipped about roles he had passed up on in his illustrious career.

Brad looked back on his career while receiving the Leonard Maltin Modern Master Award, and confessed: ‘I did pass on The Matrix. I took the red pill. That’s the only one I’m naming.’

It was revealed last year that Brad was one of the people considered for the role of Neo, with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura saying others in the running included Sandra Bullock, Will Smith and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Brad added that he was the first choice but that he doesn’t think of what could have been if he hd taken the role: ‘I wasn’t offered two or three. Only the first one. Just to clarify that.

‘I come from a place, maybe it’s my upbringing, if I didn’t get it, then it wasn’t mine. I really believe [the role] was never mine.

The Matrix could have looked so very different (Picture: Getty Images for SBIFF)

‘It’s not mine. It was someone else’s and they go and make it. I really do believe in that. If we were doing a show on the great movies I’ve passed on, we would need two nights.’

Brad also admitted that he struggled to earn a Screen Actors Guild card at the start of his career, as to be eligible for one an actor must say at least one line on screen.

The event was to honour Brad’s stellar career (Picture: Getty Images for SBIFF)

He explained he took a chance while playing a waiter in a movie with Charlie Sheen: ‘I thought, I’m going to try it. And so I went, “Would you like anything else?”

‘And I heard the first assistant director go “Cut! Cut! Cut!” And he said, “If you pull that again, you’re out of here.” So I didn’t get [the SAG card] then.’

Everyone was obsessed with Brad and Jen’s reunion (Picture: Getty Images)

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is Brad’s first public appearance since the SAG awards, where all eyes were on him and his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston.

The couple were pictured together for the first time in what feels like forever, as they smiled and laughed together and Jen put her hand on Brad’s chest while he grabbed her wrist.

The pair have managed to form a good friendship following their split, though sources say they are just friends rather than anything more.



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