Will Smith On Turning Down A Christopher Nolan Hit: “It Hurts Too Bad”

Leonardo DiCaprio helped turn Christopher Nolan’s Inceptioninto a worldwide hit with his powerful performance. But not many know that Will Smith was actually the first choice for the lead role, and he turned it down because he could not quite understand the concept at the time. 

The Oscar-winning actor shared that Christopher Nolan had first offered him the lead role in Inception, the 2010 sci-fi hit that later became one of Nolan’s most praised films. 

 “I do not think I have 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,”  Will Smith admitted. “I have never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities…they do not pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too,” he added. 

It was not just Will Smith who passed on Inception. As per a report, Christopher Nolan had first shared the script with Brad Pitt and asked for a reply within 48 hours. When Bradd did not give a confirmation, Nolan approached Will Smith next. After that did not work either, the role eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio. 

In an interview, Will Smith confessed that he still regrets turning down those films that went on to become classics. “It hurts too bad to talk about,” he said. 

Released in 2010, Inception is now regarded as one of the finest sci-fi films of all time. Leonardo DiCaprio played Dominic Cobb, a skilled thief who extracts secrets by entering people’s dreams. The film also starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Elliot Page in key roles. 

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