Leonardo DiCaprio brought Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending world of Inception to life in 2010, making it a global sci-fi phenomenon. But what many don’t know is that Will Smith was originally offered the lead role—only to decline it because he didn’t quite “get” the concept.
Will Smith Reflects on Passing Up Inception
In a recent interview with UK radio station Kiss, the Oscar-winning actor opened up about turning down the now-iconic film. When asked about missing out on The Matrix, Smith laughed and called it “one of my beautiful scars,” before revealing that he also passed on Inception.
“I don’t think I’ve ever said it publicly… Chris Nolan brought me Inception first and I didn’t get it,” he admitted. “Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into alternate realities… they don’t pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan had first offered the film to Brad Pitt with a 48-hour response deadline. When Pitt didn’t commit, the offer went to Smith. After he passed, the role ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio.
Missed Hits and Career Regrets
Smith has previously addressed other career decisions he regrets. In 2019, he explained in a YouTube video why he turned down The Matrix, saying he didn’t connect with the Wachowskis’ pitch. He also declined Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, later telling GQ that he didn’t want to make “a slavery film about vengeance.”
“I regret those,” Smith said in the radio interview. “It hurts too bad to talk about.”
Inception: A Sci-Fi Landmark
Released in 2010, Inception is widely considered one of the greatest science-fiction films of the 21st century. DiCaprio played Dominic Cobb, a thief who extracts or implants ideas by navigating people’s dreams. The cast also included Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, and Ken Watanabe.
The film’s layered narrative, ambitious visuals, and philosophical undertones cemented Nolan’s reputation as a master filmmaker—and gave DiCaprio yet another career-defining role that, as it turns out, almost went to Will Smith.
