Actresses Janet Jackson and Drew Barrymore recently reflected on their acting careers and opened up on why they passed on certain films. The singer appeared on the recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, and in a teaser clip, Jackson revealed which iconic superhero she nearly played. After being asked whether she intended to feature in The Matrix, she replied, “No.” Jackson went on to say that she couldn’t recall the film’s name but knew who got the job after she declined the same
“It was … this is horrible,” the Good Times alum said. “I can’t remember the film, but Halle Berry played Storm.” Barrymore exclaimed in response, “X-Men?” “I couldn’t because I was just embarking on the Janet tour,” Jackson continued. “But I think that’s what you’re confusing it with. It wasn’t The Matrix.” Berry made her debut as the superhero Storm in the 2001 film adaptation of the Marvel comic book, and she returned for X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, and X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Barrymore, who can relate to Jackson since she has also turned down projects she subsequently regretted, went on to recollect another huge film she passed up in favour of something else at the time. “It’s so hard when you are thinking of doing a film and then you don’t end up doing it,” she explained. “I have so many of those experiences. I’ve never said this out loud, Boogie Nights. There was a moment where we were talking about Boogie Nights and I think it’s when I did Ever After (A Cinderella Story) and I went in a very different direction.”
While the 50 First Dates actress didn’t share which role she was considered for, the 1997 film Boogie Nights ultimately starred Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds and Heather Graham. The Poetic Justice star hasn’t appeared on the big screen in more than a decade, so when asked if she would be open to returning, she responded, “I would for sure.”