Salma Hayek is not only sought after but impossibly stunning, is married to a billionaire but still gets to kiss people like Ryan Reynolds, is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and seems like a genuinely funny and lovely human being.
While we mere mortals will never know what such a life is like, it’s a relief to know that the actress at least has one trait we can all relate to, and that is laziness.
For us, laziness might mean our dishes and/or hair goes unwashed for a few days longer than is socially acceptable, but for Hayek it meant missing out on a part in one of the biggest film franchises in recent history.
Speaking to Jada Pinkett Smith on a recent episode of Red Table Talk, Hayek revealed that she had been one of the final four actresses — along with Pinkett Smith herself — to be considered for the role of Trinity in The Matrix.
“We’d jumped through many hurdles, screen testing and many auditions,” Hayek said. “They brought these stunt coordinators from Asia. It was the physical test. I’m flexible and agile, but I’m lazy.”
Then in perhaps the most relatable sentence to ever be uttered, she said, “I never really went to the gym, they said, ‘You have to run!’ I go, ‘To where?’ I couldn’t even go around the room once.”
She concluded, “They never called me again after that day.”
The role, of course, ended up going to Carrie-Anne Moss in all three of the Matrix films and who will reprise the part in the upcoming fourth instalment.
While Pinkett Smith also lost out on the plum gig, she at least still landed a role in the films as Niobe — a rebel from Zion and Morpheus’ former partner. It was a part specifically created for her by filmmakers Lilly and Lana Wachowski, and one she, too, will reprise in the fourth movie.
So far, no plot details have been released for the film, which was originally announced in 2019, however, Keanu Reeves did tell Digital Spy in 2020 that the movie has a “beautiful script that is a love story”, adding: “It’s another version of a kind of, call to wake up. It entertains… It has some great action. All will be revealed.”
Praising Pinkett Smith’s handling of the gruelling audition process, Hayek enthused: “She was so fit, she was so focused, she was so disciplined. She was so capable. She was so gracious. And I just looked at this woman, and I thought to myself, ‘That’s who I want to be when I grow up.’”
In fact, Hayek was so inspired by her fellow actor that she took inspiration from her moving forwards.
“Every time I’m going to do action, I say, ‘No, I better start getting some stamina and practice the routines. You’ve got to be like Jada!'” she said.
Hayek can currently be seen in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard while Matrix 4 will land in cinemas in December 2021 and, when it does, the cast will be pretty extraordinary.
In addition to returning stars such as Reeves, Moss and Smith, famous faces such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Neil Patrick Harris will also be appearing. Rounding out the cast — at least so far — will be the recently announced addition of Christina Ricci along with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick, Telma Hopkins, Eréndira Ibarra, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt and Brian J. Smith.
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