Keanu Reeves has established himself as one of the best actors in Hollywood with roles like Neo in The Matrix and John Wick in the eponymous film series. Having debuted in the entertainment industry with the television series Hangin’ In in 1984, he earned the reputation of an action star through roles in movies like Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994).
While it is no secret that Keanu Reeves worked immensely hard to deliver a good performance in these movies, he also has another A-list Hollywood actor to thank for his roles in two major franchises. These were Speed and The Matrix. The actor who turned down these roles in these movies is another other than Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp.
Keanu Reeves Was Not the First Choice for Neo in The Matrix
Keanu Reeves gained stardom with his role as Neo in The Matrix. It is safe to say that he owned the role, which is one of the primary reasons fans keep revisiting that franchise even after so many years. What is noteworthy here is that the odds of him getting the role were relatively low.
In an interview, Don Davis, the composer of The Matrix, revealed that Reeves was far from the first choice for the role of Neo. In fact, Johnny Depp was the first choice of the director of the movie, Wachowskis. He said:
“As far as casting goes, Keanu Reeves wasn’t Larry and Andy’s first choice, Johnny Depp was their first choice for Neo. Warner Bros. was going for this thing where they didn’t want Johnny Depp, they wanted Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer. They told Larry and Andy if Brad Pitt would do the picture, they’d green light it right then.”
Both Val Kilmer and Brad Pitt rejected the role which led Warner Bros. to reconsider Johnny Depp. Reeves seemed to be in tune with the concept of the character so the role went to him. The franchise went on to earn $1.79B worldwide.
Johnny Depp Also Turned Down the Lead Role in Speed
Johnny Depp was still in the early years of his career as an actor when he was offered the role of LAPD cop Jack Tavern. At the time, he was riding the high of his role as Edward Scissorhands in the eponymous movie. However, he went on to star in another iconic film, the biographical comedy-drama Ed Wood.
That being said, Depp was not the only actor considered for this role. The first choice for this role was Jeff Speakman, who is well-known for his martial arts skills. This was when Paramount Pictures was going to produce the film and John McTiernan was going to direct it.
When Paramount let go of the project, Speakman was also dropped. The movie was eventually directed by Jan de Bont and produced by the Mark Gordon Company and grossed $283 million worldwide.
The Matrix is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Speed is available for streaming on Disney+.
