Jack Black has admitted to walking away from Pixar’s The Incredibles remains the biggest “what if” of his acting career, revealing that he turned down the chance to voice the film’s villain and instantly regretted it once the film hit the screens.
During an interview with Capital FM, the comedian and actor reflected on why he said no and why he still questions that decision today.
Black said he was originally offered the role of Syndrome, the ambitious antagonist who went on to become one of Pixar’s most memorable villains.
At the time, however, he was unsure about the project and unfamiliar with director Brad Bird.
“I was offered and I regret it when I said no… I was offered syndrome in the amazing film The Incredibles, one of my all-time favorites, by the way,” Black said.
He explained that his hesitation came down to creative doubts and a lack of faith in the director’s track record.
“And I said no because I was like, ‘Uhhh, Brad Bird? Never heard of him!'” Black recalled, adding that he felt the character needed more depth.
He admitted that he asked for changes, saying: “‘This character that you’re offering me is like a villain, but he’s a bit one-dimensional. I’m interested, but I’d like to see a rewrite. Do you want to add some dimensions to this character?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, you’re done’.”
When the film was finally released, Black said reality hit hard.
“I learned a valuable lesson because when the movie came out, it was one of the best movies ever made,” he said.
“I thought, ‘Why was I so difficult?'”
The role eventually went to Jason Lee, and The Incredibles won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and became one of Pixar’s most famous films.
Its successor, Incredibles 2arrived in 2018 and earned $1.2 billion worldwide, with a third film now in development.
Despite the regret, Black has since built a hugely successful voice acting career, finding a global audience as Po in Kung Fu Panda and Bowser enters The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
He returns as Bowser again The Super Mario Galaxy Moviewhich hits theaters on April 3.
