Hollywood star Will Smith has opened up about rejecting Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film Inception — and he says it was because he didn’t understand the script.
Hollywood actor Will Smith, known for movies like Emancipation, Men in Black, and The Pursuit of Happyness, recently revealed that he turned down the lead role in Inception because he didn’t understand the story.
In a radio interview with UK’s Kiss FM, Smith said, “I don’t think I’ve ever said this publicly, but I’ll say it now. Christopher Nolan first offered me *Inception*, and I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand what the movie was trying to say.”
Will Smith was supposed to play the main character, Dominic Cobb — a role that eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio. Inception, released in 2010, is a science-fiction film about a man who enters other people’s dreams to steal their secrets or plant new ideas.
Smith added, “Now that I think about it, these types of movies about alternate realities are hard to explain. They don’t sound good when someone pitches them, but I still regret not doing them.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Christopher Nolan had first offered the film to Brad Pitt and asked for a quick answer within 48 hours. When Pitt didn’t respond, he went to Will Smith, who rejected the role. Finally, the part went to Leonardo DiCaprio.
This isn’t the only big movie Will Smith has rejected. He also turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix, which later became a huge hit with Keanu Reeves. In a 2019 YouTube video, Smith said he didn’t connect with the filmmakers’ pitch, which focused more on their direction style than the story.
He also rejected Django Unchained, a film by Quentin Tarantino. Smith was offered the main role, but it eventually went to Jamie Foxx. In an interview with GQ magazine, Smith said he didn’t want to act in a movie about slavery and revenge.
About Inception
Inception released in 2010 and became a worldwide blockbuster, earning over $839 million at the box office. It is now considered one of Christopher Nolan’s best films.
Apart from Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie also featured Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Marion Cotillard, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine.
At the 83rd Oscars, Inception won four awards: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.
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