Will Smith is opening up about yet another major movie role he turned down, and this time, it’s Christopher Nolan’s Inception.
Now, when you think of boundary-breaking blockbusters, the movie Inception and the actor Will Smith are both right at the top of the list — but strangely, never together.
While Inception soared with cerebral layers and dream-within-a-dream thrills, driven by Leonardo DiCaprio’s intense performance, Will Smith was blazing a different path through Hollywood with hits like I Am Legend and Hancock.
Now, Smith has been known to bring his charisma and emotional depth to sci-fi hits such as Men in Black and Independence Day, and would’ve been a natural fit for the mind-bending universe Christopher Nolan built. So why didn't he appear in the hit movie?
Speaking on KISS XTRA radio, Smith revealed that Nolan personally pitched the 2010 sci-fi thriller to him, but the concept didn’t quite land.
“I’ve never said this out loud,” Smith admitted on the show, per Variety. “But I just didn’t get it. Movies that dive into alternate realities, they don’t pitch well. You have to see them.”
While Smith didn’t specify which character he was offered, the lead role eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio, and Inception went on to become a global blockbuster and critical darling.
The missed opportunity joins another regret on Smith’s list: The Matrix. Years ago, the actor famously turned down the role of Neo, which ultimately became one of Keanu Reeves’ most iconic performances.
“I’m hurt by those two,” Smith said, referring to The Matrix and Inception. “They’re my beautiful scars.”
Earlier this year, the Hollywood Reporter detailed how Smith fueled speculation when he shared a cryptic Instagram video that referenced his decision to pass on The Matrix in 1997.
The post read: “In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo?”
The video sparked rumors that Smith might appear in a future Matrix sequel, though Variety later confirmed that wasn’t the case.
While The Matrix became a cultural phenomenon, Wild Wild West was deemed a commercially unsuccessful film at the box office and earned several Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies.
Though he missed out on those iconic roles, Smith’s honesty about his career choices, both the hits and the missteps, is part of what makes him one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars.