Will Smith, known for his performances in films like Emancipation, Men in Black and The Pursuit of Happyness, says he rejected filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Inception because he didn't understand what the film was trying to say.
Will Smith was set to play Dominic Cobb, the main protagonist in the 2010 sci-fi superhit film Inception. Leonardo DiCaprio eventually played the part.
The film follows Dominic Cobb, a thief who infiltrates people's dreams to steal secrets or plant ideas.
In an interview with UK radio station Kiss, as quoted by Variety, Will Smith revealed, "I don't think I've ever said it publicly, but I am going to say it because we are opening up to one another. Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn't get it. I've never said that out loud."
"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," he added.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christopher Nolan first offered Inception to Brad Pitt and “requested a response within 48 hours". When the actor didn't commit, the filmmaker approached Will Smith. After Will Smith rejected the movie, he took the film to Leonardo DiCaprio.
This isn't the only film Will Smith has passed that later became a global sensation. The actor was also offered the role of Neo (eventually played by Keanu Reeves) in Lana and Lilly Wachowski's The Matrix. In a 2019 YouTube video, the actor said he didn't connect with the Wachowski siblings' pitch as it was more about their intended directing style and not about the actual story.
Will Smith also turned down Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. The filmmaker wanted him to play the titular role. The film ultimately went to Jamie Foxx. Will Smith later told GQ magazine that he turned the film down because he "didn't want to make a slavery film about vengeance".
Inception also starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, and Elliot Page.
