Salma Hayek reveals why she wasn’t cast for ‘The Matrix’: ‘I’m flexible and agile, but I’m lazy’

Salma Hayek virtually had her turn at the red table Tuesday (June 22).

Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris (Gammy) and Willow Smith welcomed Hayek to Red Table Talk, and Jada couldn't have been more excited. "I've been waiting to have her for a very long time, for three years, because this woman has been an inspiration for this table," the 49-year-old actress said.

Hayek, who Zoomed in from London, was just as complimentary of the generational trio and lathered the love on RTT. 

Smith then got teary-eyed talking about how influential Hayek was for her during "a really difficult time," and Hayek assured her that she "lives inside me every day."

Hayek eventually explained that she and Smith met because they were among the four finalists to play Trinity in The Matrix, and the way the 54-year-old Oscar winner described why she didn't book the role definitely lightened the mood:

"We had jumped through many hurdles. You know, screen-testing and many auditions, and they brought these stunt coordinators from Asia. It was the physical test. I'm flexible, I'm agile, but I'm lazy. I never really went to the gym. They said to me, 'You have to run!' I go, 'To where?!' 'Around! You have to run around!' I couldn't even go around the room once. I was like [panting].

"In 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. And I just looked at this woman, and I thought to myself, that's who I want to be when I grow up."

Spoiler: Neither Hayek nor Smith landed the part. Carrie-Anne Moss landed the part of Trinity, and Smith added that she tells Moss often that "she was perfect for that one."

Smith did eventually make her way into the Matrix universe, though, as the character Niobe. She starred in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). The Matrix 4 is expected to hit theaters and HBO Max on Dec. 22.