Will Smith Turned Down Nolan's Inception Role

Will Smith has opened up about his surprising decision to turn down Christopher Nolan's Inception, marking the first time he's publicly discussed passing on the iconic role.

Released in 2010, Inception is a mind-bending science fiction thriller about corporate espionage conducted through shared dreaming. The film explores multiple layers of reality as a team infiltrates a target's subconscious, with the mission gradually descending into a surreal nightmare.

Nolan reportedly approached Brad Pitt and Will Smith for the lead role before casting Leonardo DiCaprio. Now, 15 years after the film's release, Smith has revealed his reason for declining the project during an appearance on UK's Kiss Xtra radio.

Smith confessed: "Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn't get it. I've never said that out loud. These types of films dealing with alternate realities don't always pitch well. But I do regret passing on both this and The Matrix."

The actor's reference to "both" projects recalls his well-documented decision to reject the role of Neo in The Matrix. Until now, he hadn't publicly discussed turning down Inception due to his initial lack of understanding of the complex premise.

This missed opportunity joins Smith's growing list of regretted rejections. Inception ultimately earned $839 million worldwide and became one of DiCaprio's most memorable performances. The film's ambiguous spinning top ending has sparked endless debate, though Nolan later clarified the story's deeper meaning about finding contentment regardless of reality's nature.

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Despite these high-profile passes, Smith has established himself as a sci-fi icon through legendary performances in Independence Day, Men in Black, and I Am Legend. While he recently referenced The Matrix rejection in a musical collaboration with Big Sean, this marks his first acknowledgment of the Inception opportunity he let slip away.