How Keanu Reeves' career was revitalized and his position as a major star was solidified by The Matrix

 How Keanu Reeves' career was revitalized and his position as a major star was solidified by The Matrix

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Did you know that Brad Pitt was originally a candidate for The Matrix's main role? Keanu Reeves was cast for the part, which ultimately altered his career path.

One of the celebrities whose image quickly brings to mind the beloved Matrix film, which debuted 25 years ago, is Keanu Reeves. However, did you know that The Matrix was the one that genuinely brought the actor's career back to life after a string of underwhelming horror flicks had destroyed him? The 1999 release, which has cult status, is credited with ushering in a significant change in the genre of science fiction. (Also read: The Matrix turns 25: A rare science fiction film without any dumbing down—Keanu Reeves' groundbreaking work)

Ensemble Cast of The Matrix

Its casting journey is a whole other achievement. A number of the top young actors of the day, including Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith, and Johnny Depp, were considered for the starring part of computer programmer Thomas Anderson, a hacker going by the nickname "Neo." Furthermore, according to a report by The Wrap, the producers first proposed that the film be remade with a female protagonist because they were having such trouble finding a male actor for the major role. They wanted Sandra Bullock to play the role.

After the massive success of Titanic, Leo was not in the mood to work on another film with a lot of special effects. The same magazine was also informed by producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura that Brad Pitt turned down the offer. According to him, Brad Pitt was the first movie celebrity to accept the offer. He was filming "Seven Years in Tibet," and after he finished, he said, "I'm way too exhausted to take this on," so he left.