Jack Black says rejecting role in 'The Incredibles' remains biggest career regret

Jack Black says turning down role of Syndrome in 'The Incredibles' is his biggest acting regret

Jack Black has said that declining a role in Pixar’s The Incredibles remains the biggest regret of his acting career. Speaking during an interview with Capital FM, the actor and comedian revealed he was offered the chance to voice the film’s villain, Syndrome, but ultimately turned it down after questioning the character and requesting rewrites.

“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 he was unfamiliar with director Brad Bird at the time, whose previous work included The Iron Giant, released in 1999.

Black recalled raising concerns about the role during discussions with Bird. “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?” he said, adding that the exchange ended his involvement in the project.

Reflecting on the decision, Black said the film’s eventual success led him to reassess his approach. “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 of Syndrome ultimately went to actor Jason Lee. The Incredibles went on to win the Academy Award for best animated feature and became one of Pixar’s most recognisable films. Its sequel, Incredibles 2, was released in 2018 and grossed $1.2 billion worldwide. A third instalment is currently in development.

Black later achieved significant success in animated films, including voicing Po in DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda and Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He is set to reprise the latter role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, scheduled for release on April 3.