“So I just said, ‘No.’
Ben was like, ‘I gotta do it.'”
At the time I wasn’t.

Tom Maelsa/AP
He hasnt ruled out playing Bond if it comes back to him, however.
and teach the world about Baldwins and Monets.
It eventually went to George Clooney after Downey Jr. realized what actually went into making the astonishing film.

Steve Granitz/WireImage; Jay Maidment
So its a shame the two of them couldnt work together.
In the pitch, I just didn’t see it, Smith toldWired.
I watched Keanu’s performanceand very rarely do I say thisbut I would have messed it up.

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage; Everett Collection
I would have absolutely messed upThe Matrix.
At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be.
Whereas Keanu was smart enough to just let it be."

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage; Everett Collection
Despite the interest of stars like Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks, the role eventually went to Tim Robbins.
While some questioned what really went into Hunnams decision, he insisted it was purely an overload of responsibilities.
“I felt like I let myself down.

Han Myung-Gu/WireImage
I let those people down onFifty Shadesthat Id grown to really love and respect.
Its just a really unpleasant period of time for me.

Getty Images; Ron Batzdorff

Kypros/Getty Images; Phillip Caruso

Getty Images; Everett Collection

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage; Everett Collection

Michael Caulfield/WireImage; Francois Duhamel

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage

Pam Francis/Getty Images; Everett Collection

Alessio Botticelli/GC Images; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images