The actor opens up about saying no to Pixar’s The Incredibles, admitting the experience taught him a lasting lesson about trust, timing, and creative instinct.
Jack Black has never shied away from honesty, humor, or self-reflection—and now, the beloved actor is candidly revisiting one of the biggest “what ifs” of his career. While promoting his new comedy Anaconda, in which he stars alongside Paul Rudd, Black revealed the movie role he most regrets turning down: the villain Syndrome in Pixar’s The Incredibles.
During an interview on Capital FM, Black was asked whether he had ever declined a role he truly wanted to make. He initially hesitated, explaining that such answers can unintentionally diminish the actor who ultimately landed the part. “Then the person who got the role… they look like s—,” he joked, adding that it can make them seem like a second choice.
His cohosts, Jordan North and Siân Welby, immediately acknowledged the point, with North admitting, “I will never ask that question again. I never thought of that.” Still, Black decided to answer anyway—true to form—quipping, “I’m still going to answer, because I don’t care.”
That answer led to a surprising confession.
“I was offered, and I do regret it, saying no… I was offered Syndrome in that fantastic movie The Incredibles,” Black revealed, calling the film “one of my favorites of all time.” At the time, however, he was unconvinced—both by the director and the character. “I was like, ‘Brad Bird? Never heard of him!’” he recalled with a laugh.
Black went on to explain that he felt the role lacked complexity. “This character that you’re offering me is like a villain, but he’s kinda one-dimensional,” he remembered saying. Hoping for a rewrite, Black asked Bird to add more depth to Syndrome. The response was swift and final. “‘Will you add some dimensions to this character?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, you’re done.’”
The role ultimately went to Jason Lee, just before the actor rose to widespread fame with NBC’s My Name Is Earl. Syndrome went on to become one of Pixar’s most memorable villains, and The Incredibles earned universal acclaim, including a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a place among the most celebrated animated films of all time.
Looking back, Black doesn’t mince words about his misstep. “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?!’”
Despite missing out on The Incredibles, Black’s voice-acting career hardly suffered. He went on to become the iconic voice of Po in DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda franchise, brought Bowser to life in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and is set to return in its upcoming sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Each role cemented his reputation as one of animation’s most recognizable and beloved voices.
And unlike Syndrome, one role Black is grateful he didn’t turn down is his latest. Anaconda, co-starring Paul Rudd, is now playing in theaters, marking another chapter in a career defined as much by bold choices as by hard-earned lessons.
As Black’s reflection shows, even Hollywood’s most successful stars carry a few regrets—but sometimes, those missed opportunities become the moments that shape everything that follows.
