Los Angeles: Hollywood actor Will Smith has revealed that he passed on the lead role in Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Inception--simply because he didn’t understand the story.

Speaking in a recent interview with radio station Kiss Xtra (as reported by HuffPost), Smith admitted for the first time that he was approached to star in the film before Leonardo DiCaprio eventually took on the role.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said it publicly but I am going to say it because we are opening up to one another,” said Smith. “Chris Nolan brought me Inception first and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities… they don’t pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too.”

The 2010 blockbuster went on to become one of Nolan’s most commercially successful films, grossing over $839 million at the global box office and cementing its place as a modern classic.

At the time, industry sources had claimed Brad Pitt was Nolan’s first choice for the lead role, but he passed on the project. Smith was reportedly next in line, but ultimately DiCaprio landed the part, delivering one of the standout performances of his career.

Although Smith acknowledged that turning down Inception was a missed opportunity, he admitted that another decision haunts him more--rejecting the iconic role of Neo in The Matrix. That part, of course, went to Keanu Reeves and launched a multi-film franchise.

“It hurts too bad to talk about,” Smith said, referring to the Matrix offer.

In a YouTube video posted in 2019, Smith explained why he turned it down, citing the Wachowskis’ unconventional pitch as confusing. According to him, they focused more on describing their intended visual effects rather than the plot itself.

He recalled them saying: “We’re thinking like… imagine you’re in a fight. You, like, jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump. But then, people could see around you 360 degrees while you stop jumping. We’re going to invent these cameras and then people can see the whole jump when you stop in the middle of the jump.”

Smith has previously spoken about turning down other major roles as well, including Django Unchained, which Quentin Tarantino offered him before ultimately casting Jamie Foxx.