Will Smith is one of the most skilled and hardworking actors whose cinematic talents are unmatched, for he demonstrates each of his on-screen roles with nuance and perfection. Since he stepped into showbiz to become a star, the actor has left no stone unturned in entertaining and delighting the audience with his inescapable, hard-hitting, and award-winning performances. Smith has collaborated with enough A-list talents and directors on their big-budgeted blockbuster projects. 

According to reports, the actor has had the chance to work with award-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan on his 2010 sci-fi action project Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Nolan initially offered the role of Dom Cobb to legendary star Brad Pitt, who reportedly turned down the offer, after which he proposed the job to the Suicide Squad movie star, who also passed on the opportunity.

Will Smith Nearly Starred in Christopher Nolan-directed Film Inception

Will SmithWill Smith
Will Smith is a megastar whose movies often grossed millions of dollars at the box office, making him one of the most highly-paid actors in showbiz. Smith began his career in the 1990s, and since then, he has continued to amaze and charm fans with his powerful depictions. Like any Hollywood actor, he has rejected several movies and roles in his celebrated career and committed his fair share of mistakes. 
Will Smith and Christopher NolanWill Smith and Christopher Nolan
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the 54-year-old actor has had the chance to star in one of Christopher Nolan’s cinematic masterpieces, his 2010 sci-fi blockbuster Inception. According to reports, Warner Bros. wanted Nolan to cast a well-renowned actor to lead the project. Thus, he offered the role of Dom Cobb to the Bad Boys film star, who, as per THR, passed on the opportunity. 

However, why he dropped this gigantic movie is unclear, but it would have been a golden opportunity had he accepted the job. The outlet also noted that before Will Smith got the offer to play this role, the filmmaker initially offered the script to Brad Pitt, who dropped the project. While both the stars rejected to star in the movie, Nolan ultimately offered the job to Leonardo DiCaprio, who portrayed the role of Dom Cobb so convincingly, earning him critical acclaim.

Christopher Nolan Talks About His Experience Making This Blockbuster Film

Christopher NolanChristopher Nolan
In an interview with Wired magazine, Christopher Nolan opened up about directing his commercially successful sci-fi action film Inception. Nolan also shared how he tried to narrate this epic tale featuring believable characters like Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Ariadne (Elliot Page).

He told the outlet,
 “I like films where you’re receiving the story largely from a subjective point of view. And what I’ve tried to do with Inception is to explore this world through Cobb’s eyes. Through the entire film, as you see his dependency on that symbol grow and through Ariadne’s constant questioning of him, I think we start to understand that the whole reason he needs to spin the top at the beginning is because he’s lost his own sense of what’s real and what’s not.”
Christopher Nolan directed sci-fi film has had a stellar cast ensemble featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Dileep Rao and Michael Caine. The project received positive response from the audience and critics alike and was a commercially successful movie, grossing $837 million at the global box office.