Jack Black on ‘saying no' to ‘The Incredibles' role: ‘Why?'

Jack Black has admitted that walking away from Pixar’s The Incredibles remains the biggest “what if” of his acting career, revealing that he turned down the chance to voice the film’s villain and instantly regretted it once the movie hit screens. 

Speaking during an interview with Capital FM, the comedian and actor reflected on why he said no, and why he still questions that decision today.

Black shared that he was originally offered the role of Syndrome, the ambitious antagonist who went on to become one of Pixar’s most memorable villains. 

At the time, however, he was unsure about the project and unfamiliar with director Brad Bird. 

“I was offered, and I do regret it, saying no… I was offered Syndrome in that fantastic movie The Incredibles, one of my favorites of all time, by the way,” Black said.

He explained that his hesitation came down to creative doubts and a lack of faith in the director’s track record. 

“And I said no because I was like, ‘Uhhh, Brad Bird? Never heard of him!’” Black recalled, adding that he felt the character needed more depth. 

He admitted asking for changes, saying, “‘This character that you’re offering me is like a villain, but he’s kinda one-dimensional. I’m interested but I’d like to see a rewrite. Will you add some dimensions to this character?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, you’re done.’”

When the film was finally released, Black said the reality hit hard. 

“I learned a valuable lesson because when that movie came out, it was one of the best movies ever made,” he said. 

“I was like, ‘Why was I being so difficult?’”

The role eventually went to Jason Lee, and The Incredibles went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and become one of Pixar’s most celebrated films. 

Its sequel, Incredibles 2, arrived in 2018 and earned $1.2 billion worldwide, with a third film now in development.

Despite the regret, Black has since built a hugely successful voice acting career of his own, finding global audiences as Po in Kung Fu Panda and Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

He will return as Bowser once again in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, set to arrive in cinemas on April 3.