David Schwimmer Says Turning Down 'Men in Black' Was a 'Brutal' Decision

David Schwimmer‘s career outside of Friends could’ve been very different, especially if he hadn’t turned down a role in the hit movie Men in Black.

During his appearance on the “Origins With Cush Jumbo” podcast, Schwimmer revealed the pivotal choice he made in 1997 that changed his career trajectory irreparably.

“I had just finished filming The Pallbearer, my first film with Gwyneth Paltrow, and there were high expectations of that which didn’t come true,” he explained while appearing on the Tuesday, September 17, episode of Cush Jumbo’s podcast (via the Daily Mail).

“It was kind of a bomb but there were high expectations and the studio, which was Miramax, wanted to lock me into a three-picture deal at a fixed price and I said I would do that if I got to direct my first movie,” Schwimmer continued.

'Friends' Cast: Where Are They Now?

According to the Madagascar star, Miramax agreed to let Schwimmer direct the 1998 film Since You’ve Been Gone in return for him starring in three movies for the studio. Schwimmer’s directorial debut was set to feature actors from Chicago-based Lookingglass Theatre Company, which he co-founded.

“All these unknown actors but I was going to put them on the map, basically,” 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 film over the summer, which was going to be a six-week shoot in Chicago.”

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith

While preparing for his passion project, Schwimmer got a potentially life-changing offer that he’s never forgotten.

“We’re in pre-production, hired the whole crew, everything’s going and that’s when I was offered Men in Black,” the sitcom star explained. “It was a direct conflict with this. My summer window from Friends was four months. I had a four-month hiatus and Men in Black was going to shoot exactly when I was going to direct this film with my company.”

More than two decades later, Schwimmer shared that he still isn’t completely sure he “made the right choice,” but he prioritized the project he’d been planning with his friends at the theater company.

David Schwimmer

Confirming that it’s important to “follow your gut,” Schwimmer reflected on his fateful decision to reject a role in Men in Black.

“Look, I’m really aware, whatever 20 years later maybe more, Men in Black would have made me a movie star,” the actor said ‘If you look at the success of that film and that franchise, my career would have taken a very different trajectory.”

Schwimmer has directed multiple projects since he made his directorial debut in 1998 with Since You’ve Been Gone, but we can’t help but wonder what may have happened if the actor had starred in Men in Black instead.