Still regrets it: Why Will Smith turned down Christopher Nolan's most famous film

The actor spoke publicly about this detail of his life for the first time...

Will Smith's career has had plenty of brilliant highs. He's a blockbuster star, an Oscar winner, one of the most recognizable actors of his generation. But behind the scenes of this successful biography lie decisions he still regrets to this day.

One of them — turning down a role in Inception (2010), Christopher Nolan's sci-fi masterpiece.
Will Smith in a black jacket and director Christopher Nolan in a black coat looking to the side
Will Smith and Christopher Nolan
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In a recent interview with British radio station Kiss, made a surprising confession:
Chris Nolan pitched me Inception first, and I didn't get it. I've never said this out loud [...] Now when I think about it, it's one of those alternate reality movies that don't pitch well.
Will Smith
We're talking, of course, about the role of Dom Cobb — the brilliant thief who doesn't steal wallets, but breaks into people's minds while they sleep to extract ideas. Or, as in Inception's case, plant them.

The lead role ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio, and the film itself became iconic — with an 8.8 rating on IMDb, 87% "fresh" from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 91% from audiences.
Inception trailer
You can understand why Smith hesitated back then: the concept of "dreams within dreams" sounded confusing, and , though he'd made The Prestige and The Dark Knight, wasn't yet the brand name he is today. But history doesn't deal in what-ifs — Smith missed out on another epochal role.

This inevitably brings to mind another case: The Matrix. Yes, Smith also turned down the role of Neo, which Keanu Reeves ultimately made immortal. Instead, he starred in the disastrous Wild Wild West and became the subject of countless memes.

Now we're left wondering: what would Inception have been like with Will Smith in the lead role? And would it have changed not only his career, but our entire perception of the film? Earlier, we at zoomboola.com told you how Angelina Jolie's image in cinema evolved: from models to superheroes.