David Schwimmer discusses brutal decision to reject men in black

David Schwimmer‘s career outside Friends it could have been very different, especially if he hadn’t turned down a role in the hit film Men in black.

During his performance at the “Origin With Cush Jumbopodcast, Schwimmer revealed the pivotal choice he made in 1997 that irreparably changed his career trajectory.

“I had just finished filming The Pallbearermy first movie with Gwyneth Paltrowand there were high expectations for what didn’t materialize,” he explained while appearing on the tuesday, september 17, episode of Kiss Jumbo‘s podcast (via the Daily mail).

“It was quite a bomb, but expectations were high and the studio, Miramax, wanted to sign me for a fixed price for three films and I said I would do that if I could direct my first film. Schwimmer continued.

According to the Madagascar star, Miramax agreed to let Schwimmer direct the 1998 film Since you left in exchange for starring in three films for the studio. Schwimmer’s directorial debut would feature Chicago actors Lookingglass Theater Companyof which he was a co-founder.

“All these unknown actors, but I would actually put them on the map,” says the Kissing a fool star revealed.

He continued, “All my best friends in the world in my theater company quit their jobs so they could be in this movie this summer, which was going to be a six-week shoot in Chicago.”

While preparing for his passion project, Schwimmer received a potentially life-changing offer he will never forget.

“We’re in pre-production, we’ve hired the whole crew, everything is going well and then I was offered Men in black,” the sitcom star explained. “It was a direct conflict with this. My summer window of Friends was four months. I had a four month break and Men in black right at the time when I was going to direct this film with my company.”

More than two decades later, Schwimmer said he’s still not entirely sure he “made the right choice,” but he prioritized the project he planned with his friends at the theater company.

Schwimmer affirmed that it’s important to “follow your gut” and reflected on his fateful decision to turn down a role in Men in black.

‘Look, I’m really aware that, perhaps even more so twenty years later, Men in black would have made me a movie star,” the actor said. “If you look at the success of that movie and that franchise, my career would have followed a very different trajectory.”

Schwimmer has directed several projects since making his directorial debut in 1998 Since you leftbut we wonder what would have happened if the actor had played the lead role Men in black instead of.