Laurence Fishburne has yet to witness Will Smith embodying Neo in the "Matrix"-themed music video for Smith's solo track "Beautiful Scars," a collaboration with rapper Big Sean. In fact, Fishburne was completely unaware of the video's existence until prompted. "Oh, seriously? I haven't caught that one yet," Fishburne remarked to Variety at the New York City premiere of "The Amateur" on Wednesday evening. "What's the title again?"
In Smith's "Beautiful Scars" video, the actor revisits the role of Neo, which he famously passed on when the Wachowski sisters first offered him the lead in their groundbreaking 1999 sci-fi action flick "The Matrix." Instead, Keanu Reeves seized the opportunity that would define his career. Big Sean takes on the mantle of Morpheus in Smith's video, a role originally immortalized by Fishburne. When queried about his thoughts on the music video's concept, Fishburne responded succinctly, "I think it's pretty cool."
Fishburne is renowned for his portrayal of Morpheus in the first three installments of the "Matrix" franchise. However, he did not reprise his iconic role in the 2021 sequel "The Matrix Resurrections," which featured returning stars Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. Instead, the character was brought to life by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. During a recent appearance on "The View," host Sarah Haines inquired whether Fishburne would consider returning to the "Matrix" universe.
"It all depends on the specifics—who's involved, the quality of the script, and if they make me an offer," Fishburne elaborated. "I did offer my services for the fourth 'Matrix,' but unfortunately, my offer wasn't well-received."
"So, it's not like I didn't express my interest in contributing. I did. And for whatever reason, it didn't pan out. Alright. But that's just the way it is," he added. "We'll see what the future holds."
While Fishburne didn't return as Morpheus in "The Matrix Resurrections," he will once again showcase his combat prowess in the upcoming espionage thriller "The Amateur," co-starring Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, and Jon Bernthal. "I have a pretty significant fight scene in the movie, and I was thrilled about it," Fishburne shared with Variety. "We had to master the choreography—lots of stretching, warming up, and ensuring we stayed safe."
"The Amateur" is set to hit theaters on April 11.
