Will Smith Reveals Iconic Roles He Turned Down

Los Angeles, CA – Will Smith shocked fans during a recent radio interview with Kiss Xtra by revealing he turned down lead roles in several iconic films, including Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception.’ Smith, who starred in hits like ‘Men in Black,’ admits he didn’t understand the film’s plot when initially offered the role.

In the interview, Smith explained, ‘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.’

Smith’s potential involvement in ‘Inception’ adds to a list of famous movies he declined, including ‘The Matrix‘ and ‘Django Unchained.’ The part in ‘Inception’ ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio, who helped the film gross over $839 million worldwide.

Discussing his regrets, Smith stated, ‘It hurts too bad to talk about.’ His rejection of ‘Inception’ is documented as a career blunder, but he finds his decision to turn down Neo in ‘The Matrix’ even more painful. ‘It was a pitch that I just didn’t connect to,’ he reflected.

Smith shared his experience, recounting the Wachowskis’ pitch for ‘The Matrix’: ‘Imagine you’re in a fight. You jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump.’ Despite its now-iconic status, Smith felt the project wasn’t a good fit for him at the time.

Additionally, he turned down Quentin Tarantino‘s ‘Django Unchained’ because he believed the film should have been told as a love story rather than a tale of vengeance. ‘I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt it had to be a love story.’

Though acknowledging the missed opportunities, Smith seems to accept his decisions, sharing a humorous take on the subject. ‘If I had done it, because I’m Black, [Fishburne’s character] Morpheus wouldn’t have been Black… I would have messed ‘The Matrix’ up.’

Despite his regrets, Smith has found success in various roles and continues to thrive in Hollywood.