Will Smith has revealed that he turned down Inception as a result of he “didn’t get it”.
The actor shared in a brand new interview that he was approached by director Christopher Nolan to look within the 2010 hit, although Leonardo DiCaprio ultimately bagged the primary position of Dom Cobb.
Talking on KISS XTRA, Smith was requested about his well-known rejection of The Matrix and whether or not he has turned down another roles throughout his profession, the actor teasing one other as he admitted it “hurts too unhealthy”.
“I don’t assume I’ve ever mentioned it publicly however I’m going to say it as a result of we’re opening as much as each other,” he continued. “Chris Nolan introduced me Inception first and I didn’t get it.”
Will Smith reveals director Christopher Nolan introduced him the film “Inception” first, however he turned it down and says motion pictures about alternate realities don’t pitch effectively.
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“I’ve by no means mentioned that out loud… Now that I give it some thought, it’s these motion pictures that go into these alternate realities. They don’t pitch effectively. However I’m damage by these, too.”
Smith beforehand expressed remorse at turning down 1999’s The Matrix, with the position of Neo ultimately going to Keanu Reeves.
“There’s a sure naivety to youth that’s highly effective, proper,” he instructed Stephen Colbert in 2019. “Whenever you don’t know one thing. Like, not figuring out could be a actual energy ’trigger… you’re aggressive. So, I really feel like I might ask my younger self for recommendation.”
“I simply considered one thing I might inform myself. I might go, ‘Hey man, don’t do Wild Wild West.’ I might say, ‘Dude, do Neo! Do Neo!’ ‘Trigger I acquired supplied The Matrix.”
Smith additionally turned down 2012’s Django Unchained, later explaining that the choice was over director Quentin Tarantino’s “inventive path of the story”.
Earlier this yr, the actor referenced The Matrix in a music video with Huge Sean for his or her track ‘Stunning Scars’, having raised hypothesis beforehand that he might be rebooting the franchise with teasers for the video.
Smith launched his first studio album in 20 years, ‘Based mostly On A True Story’, again in March, which options collaborations with Teyana Taylor and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
He’s additionally because of embark on a headline tour within the UK and Europe this summer season. Any remaining tickets will be discovered right here (UK) and right here (Europe).