Jack Black reflects on the one movie role he regrets turning down

Jack Black says Syndrome, the villain in Pixar’s 2004 animated hit The Incredibles, is one role he wishes he had not passed up in his career.

In a recent interview with Capital FM, the actor, 56, was asked to name a film role he turned down that he later came to regret.

Black explained that he was offered the role before the film’s release but declined after questioning the character and the creative direction. 

At the time, he said, he was unfamiliar with director Brad Bird and felt the character lacked depth. He recalled asking for changes to the script, a request that ultimately ended the conversation.

Looking back, Black said the decision taught him an important lesson. When The Incredibles premiered to widespread acclaim and went on to become one of Pixar’s most celebrated films, he realised he had misjudged both the project and the creative team behind it. 

The film grossed more than $600 million worldwide and later led to a successful sequel, with a third installment now in development.

Black acknowledged that his instincts were off and said he regretted being overly critical at an early stage. Seeing the finished film, he said, made it clear that the role and the story were far stronger than he had anticipated.

Despite missing out on The Incredibles, Black’s career continued to thrive, as around the same time, he starred in School of Rock and went on to appear in films like King Kong, Nacho Libre, and The Holiday. 

He later found major success in animation, leading the Kung Fu Panda franchise and voicing Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.