Salma Hayek Recalls Losing ‘Matrix’ Role Because ‘I Was Lazy’

Jada Pinkett Smith paid a virtual visit to the latest episode of “Red Table Talk” to chat with longtime pal Jada Pinkett Smith.

When Gammy asked how they came to meet, they revealed it was when they were both in the running to play Trinity in “The Matrix”, which ultimately went to Carrie-Anne Moss (Pinkett Smith would eventually wind up in the franchise when the Wachowskis wrote the role of Niobe in the sequels just for her.

“We were one of the four finalists for ‘The Matrix’,” she recalls. “We’d jumped through many hurdles, screen testing, and many auditions. They brought these stunt coordinators from Asia. It was the physical test. I’m flexible and agile, but I’m lazy,” admitted Hayek.

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“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. Here comes Jada, a mean, lean, sexy machine! Oh my God! She was so good! It was so embarrassing! 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,’” Hayek recalled.

However, both actresses now believe that the right person got the part.

“I always tell Carrie-Ann that she was perfect for that one,” Pinkett Smith said.

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The lesson that Hayek took away from the experience: “Every time I’m going to do action [roles], I say, no, I better start getting some stamina and practice the routines, you’ve got to be like Jada!” she joked.