Overview

• In a June interview on Kiss XTRA, Smith admitted he declined Christopher Nolan’s 2010 Inception lead before Leonardo DiCaprio took the part.
• Smith says the film’s multi-layered dream premise didn’t click for him, mirroring his past decision to pass on Neo in The Matrix.
• The Hollywood Reporter records show Nolan initially offered Inception to Brad Pitt with a 48-hour deadline, then approached Smith and finally DiCaprio.
• Inception went on to earn massive critical acclaim and box office success, cementing Nolan’s stature beyond his Batman films.
• Smith’s admission underscores how casting decisions and the clarity of a film pitch can shape the course of blockbuster movies.