Will Smith recently admitted to turning down the lead role in Christopher Nolan’s Inception. During a candid interview with Kiss Xtra, Smith revealed that he passed on the iconic film and the reason behind it. Now, many are eager to know what he said.
Will Smith reveals why he rejected Christopher Nolan’s Inception
Will Smith has opened up about turning down a key role in Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Speaking during an interview on Kiss Xtra, Smith explained that he passed on the opportunity because he didn’t understand the storyline at the time.
Reflecting on the decision, Smith shared, “Chris Nolan brought me ‘Inception’ first, and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud.” He added, “Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities… They don’t pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too.” The role eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio, who went on to lead the critically acclaimed and commercially successful sci-fi thriller.
This wasn’t the first time Smith passed on a high-profile project. He is also known to have turned down iconic roles in The Matrix and Django Unchained. Talking about his decision to turn down the role of Neo in The Matrix, Smith said, “It hurts too bad to talk about.”
However, in 2019, Smith revealed that the Matrix pitch he received focused heavily on the Wachowskis’ directorial vision rather than the story itself. The role eventually went to Keanu Reeves, and he launched an iconic action franchise.
Will Smith also shared that he turned down a role in Django Unchained. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he explained that he loved the story and described it as “perfect.” However, he and director Quentin Tarantino disagreed on how the story should be told. The actor said, “It was about the creative direction of the story. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn’t see [eye to eye].”
