Schwimmer explained that the offer came at a challenging time when he was at the peak of his Friends fame. During his brief summer break from the hit show, he had already committed to directing his first film with Chicago's Lookingglass Theater Company. His best friends had left their jobs to work on the project, and the pre-production phase was already underway. Schwimmer admitted that choosing between Men in Black and his directorial debut was a "brutal decision." Taking on the role would have meant abandoning the theater project, something he felt he couldn’t do.
Despite the allure of Men in Black and the possibility of becoming a movie star, Schwimmer stayed true to his commitment. Reflecting on his decision, he acknowledged that the film's success could have dramatically altered his career trajectory. He said, "I'm really aware—whatever, 20 years later—that the Men in Black role would have made me a movie star. If you look at the success of that film and that franchise, my career would have taken a very different path."
Though Schwimmer's career has flourished in television and theater, the missed opportunity to star in Men in Black remains a pivotal moment in his professional journey.