> At a Glance
> – Jack Black revealed he turned down the role of Syndrome in Pixar’s The Incredibles
> – The actor said he didn’t know director Brad Bird and thought the character was “one-dimensional”
> – Jason Lee ultimately voiced the villain in the 2004 hit film
> – Why it matters: Black’s story shows how even A-list stars can misjudge future classics
Jack Black’s biggest career regret isn’t a box-office flop-it’s a role he never took. In a candid interview, the Kung Fu Panda star admitted he passed on voicing Syndrome in Pixar’s The Incredibles, a decision that still stings two decades later.
The Offer He Refused
During a Dec. 25 chat on Capital FM, Black said he was offered the part but hesitated. “I was like, ‘Uhhh, Brad Bird? Never heard of him!'” he recalled. He also told Bird the character felt flat and asked for a rewrite. The director’s reply: “Yeah, you’re done.”
What He Learned
When the film premiered in 2004, Black realized his mistake. “It was one of the best movies ever made,” he said. “I was like, ‘Why was I being so difficult?!'”
Since then, Black has voiced:
- Zeke in Ice Age
- Lenny in Shark Tale
- Po in Kung Fu Panda
Paul Rudd’s Take
Paul Rudd, Black’s Anaconda co-star, offered a diplomatic view on missed roles: “I always think that if they were really good, they were really good because of the people that were in there.”
Key Takeaways
- Black still calls The Incredibles one of his favorite films
- He now understands the value of trusting visionary creators
- The experience shaped how he evaluates future voice roles
Black’s confession is a reminder that even Hollywood A-listers can let insecurity trump instinct-and that sometimes the best move is to say yes first and ask questions later.
