Here’s Why Will Smith Turned Down Christopher Nolan’s Offer to Star in ‘Inception’

Will Smith has been open about his regrets over turning down The Matrix, but there’s another blockbuster that got away about 15 years ago.

Smith sat down with Kiss Xtra over the weekend, where he revealed that Christopher Nolan offered him the lead role in 2010’s Inception, but he “didn’t get it” and passed on the sci-fi/thriller.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said it publicly before, but I am going to say it now because we are opening up to one another,” he said after revisiting the pain of overlooking The Matrix. “Chris Nolan brought me Inception first and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud.”

The Oscar winner continued to peel back the layers behind his reasoning: “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 two. It hurts too bad to talk about.”

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan also brought Inception to Brad Pitt, who turned down the offer after only having a 48-hour window to take it. The role eventually landed in Leonardo DiCaprio’s lap, and he capitalized on the blockbuster, which grossed over $800 million at the global box office.

Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, is slated to arrive in July 2026. He’s assembled a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o to retell the ancient Greek saga.

As for Will Smith, he actually mocked his decision to pass up on The Matrix as part of the music video for “Beautiful Scars” featuring Big Sean, where he played the role of Neo.

Building off his Based On a True Story album, Smith returned on Friday (June 13) with his “Pretty Girls” single, which finds him celebrating beautiful women across the globe in all shapes and sizes.

Watch Will Smith talk about Inception below.