Will Smith Admits He Turned Down Inception Because He Didn’t Understand It

Will Smith is opening up about one of his biggest career “oops” moments—and no, it’s not The Matrix this time. In a recent interview, the Oscar winner revealed that he turned down the lead role in Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan, simply because he couldn’t wrap his head around the plot.

The film, of course, went on to become a global hit, earning over $800 million and landing Leonardo DiCaprio another blockbuster on his resume. Smith’s comment adds to a growing list of iconic roles he’s walked away from, sparking yet another wave of “what if” chatter online.

“I didn’t get it”: Smith gets candid about Nolan’s pitch

The confession came casually, but it carried some weight. Smith was talking to Kiss Xtra when he dropped the nugget.

Two sentences, then a pause.

“Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn’t get it,” he said. “I’ve never said that out loud.”

Oof.

He went on to explain that movies like Inception don’t pitch well. “Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities… they don’t pitch well,” Smith added. “But I am hurt by those, too.”

The comment was both honest and surprising, considering how Inception is now hailed as one of the most ambitious sci-fi films ever made. But to Smith, it was just another confusing concept at the time—something he couldn’t quite grasp until it was too late.

The Matrix: A bigger miss, a deeper sting

Even though walking away from Inception hurts a little, Smith says skipping The Matrix still stings more.

That one wasn’t just a regret—it was a wound.

“It hurts too bad to talk about,” he once admitted.

Keanu Reeves stepped into the black leather trench coat and sunglasses instead. The rest, as they say, became sci-fi legend.

Smith had previously opened up about the decision in a 2019 YouTube video. And the reason? It wasn’t the story—it was the pitch. He said the Wachowskis leaned hard into explaining the style of the film rather than what it was about.

According to Smith, they said something like:

“Imagine you’re in a fight. You, like, jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump.”

That was enough for Smith to walk.

“I was like, ‘Nah, I’m good,’” he joked. But it clearly wasn’t funny in hindsight.

Missed opportunities stack up, but not all regrets are equal

Will Smith’s list of passed-up projects is starting to sound like a greatest hits album.

The Matrix.
Inception.
Django Unchained.

Each one now sits comfortably in modern film history. And each one, at some point, had Smith’s name attached—until it didn’t.

Smith’s reasoning for turning down Tarantino’s Django Unchained had less to do with confusion and more with conviction. He didn’t want to be part of a story that was, in his words, “a slavery film about vengeance.”

He wanted love. Not violence. Not revenge. Just… love.

That role went to Jamie Foxx, who knocked it out of the park.

Still, Smith says he doesn’t regret passing on Django as much as The Matrix.

A look at what Smith walked away from

Here’s a quick table comparing the box office numbers and cultural impact of the films Smith turned down versus the ones he accepted around the same time.

*Cultural Impact Rating is subjective and based on critical reception, legacy, and fan influence.

Is Smith too honest—or just real?

Some fans applaud his honesty. Others wonder why he keeps bringing it up.

There’s something undeniably human about a mega-celebrity openly admitting to screwing up major decisions. He doesn’t sugarcoat it. He owns it. Even jokes about it.

And yet, every time it comes up, it adds another layer to the conversation: What would The Matrix have looked like with Will Smith? Would Inception still have worked without DiCaprio?

We’ll never know. But man, it’s fun to think about.

Smith says he’s made peace with most of his choices. Still, you get the sense that somewhere, deep down, he’s wondering if he zigged when he should’ve zagged.

Just one more reminder that even A-listers can get it wrong.