‘Eternals’ Star Salma Hayek Missed Out on ‘The Matrix’s’ Trinity Role — And the Reason Is So Relatable

Salma Hayek once shared a personal story about how she once came close to playing Trinity in The Matrix, but did not get the role after failing a physical audition test. The information comes from an interview she did on Red Table Talk in 2021 with Jada Pinkett Smith, as reported in entertainment media coverage of the conversation.

Hayek said she was one of four final candidates being considered for the role of Trinity, the character later played by Carrie-Anne Moss in the 1999 film directed by the Wachowskis. At that stage, she had already gone through several auditions and screen tests. The final step included a physical test designed by stunt coordinators to check if the actors could handle the demanding action scenes.

She explained that the test was very intense and focused on fitness and movement. Hayek admitted she was not prepared for that part of the process. She said, “I’m flexible and agile, but I’m lazy.”

She described how the trainers asked her to run as part of the test. Her reaction was simple and honest. She said, “They said, ‘You have to run!’ I go, ‘To where?’” She also added, “I couldn’t even go around the room once.”

During the same interview, Hayek also spoke about seeing Jada Pinkett Smith at the audition. Smith was also competing for the role. Hayek said Smith performed very well during the physical part of the test and stood out in contrast to her own performance.

She said, “Here comes Jada, a mean, lean, sexy machine! Oh my God! She was so good! It was so embarrassing! She was so fit, she was so focused, she was so disciplined. She was so capable. She was so gracious.”

Hayek also reflected on how impressed she was by Smith’s preparation. She said watching her made a strong impact on her. She explained, “I just looked at this woman and I thought to myself, ‘That’s who I want to be when I grow up.’”

The role of Trinity required a high level of physical training. The character was written as a strong fighter who performs complex stunts and action sequences. According to industry reports and interviews from people involved in casting, the filmmakers needed actors who could handle long training sessions and demanding choreography.

Because of this, the audition process included a long physical evaluation that lasted several hours. The goal was to see how well candidates could handle stamina, discipline, and action movement under pressure.

Hayek later said that the experience changed how she approached action roles in her career. After missing out on The Matrix, she said she made more effort in future auditions to prepare physically and improve her endurance. She explained that she did not want to repeat the same mistake again.

Even though she did not get the role, Hayek has said she respects the final casting choice. Carrie-Anne Moss was ultimately selected to play Trinity, a role that became one of the most iconic characters in science fiction cinema.

Looking back, Hayek’s story shows a simple moment of honesty and self-awareness during a very competitive casting process. It also highlights how physical preparation can play a major role in landing action-heavy film roles in Hollywood.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!