Will Smith reveals he turned down HUGE role in one of the greatest films of all time for box office flop Wild Wild West
Fans were left in shock after Will Smith revealed he turned down a role in one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time for his box office flop Wild Wild West.
The American actor, 56, appeared as a guest on KISS XTRA radio on Saturday and discussed with Craig Mitch the movies he wished he had never turned down.
Kicking off the interview, Craig asked the star: 'I don't know if you can confirm it that you turned down The Matrix to do Wild Wild West?'
Smiling, Will replied: 'That was one of my beautiful scars!' and the pair broke out into a fit of laughter.
Action-comedy Wild Wild West co-starred Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek and was a critical and commercial disappointment.
It grossed $222.1 million worldwide against a $170 million budget. In contrast, The Matrix - starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss - grossed over $463 million worldwide on a $63 million budget.
Yet that wasn't Will's only bad decision.
Craig, who was intrigued to know more, then asked: 'Are there any other movie roles that you've, you know, turned down?'
Will then shockingly revealed that British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan brought the action/ sci-fi movie Inception to him first.
Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Caine and Tom Hardy, was the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2010, making over $837 million.
Will said: 'I can't it hurts too bad!' as Craig cut in, laughing: 'Oh, you don't even want to revisit it!'
Will added: 'It hurts too bad. I don't think I've ever even said it publicly before... gonna say it now because we're opening up to one another. Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn't get it.'
Appearing lost for words, Craig said: 'Wow! That's never been said before?' and Will confirmed: 'I've never said that out loud.'
'And now that I think about it, It's those movies that go into those alternate realities they don't pitch well.
He confessed: 'But I'm hurt by those two...I'm hurt by those two.'
Radio presenter Craig Mitch, who was intrigued to know more, then asked: 'Are there any other movie roles that you've, you know, turned down?' and Will confessed it was Inception
Inception was the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2010, making over $837 million (Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard pictured in the film)
Following his radio appearance, fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their opinions - and many were divided as some praised Will for turning down the movie while others were shocked he would do such a thing.
One user shared a meme as he wrote: 'Reading about Will Smith turning down Inception because he didn't understand it and also The Matrix because he didn't understand it.';
'When Christopher Nolan asks you to be in one of his movies you don't say no. You just say yes no questions asked because it will all make sense later.';
'I can kinda understand turning down the Matrix because the Wachowskis were fairly unproven at the time and the concept was wild at the time. But Nolan was proven at the time. You just say "Yes."'
While another defended Will's choice to turn it down, saying: 'Well Inception is one of the worst movies ever made so I'm happy for Will he skipped it. Totally drivol made for people who never had a creative thought in their life or watched any art house films to go have their "minds blown".'
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They lived in Hampstead, north London, and had three children: two daughters, Katharina and Sophie, in addition to Adrian. They divorced in 2012, and he is survived by his partner, Maria Majno, his four children and four grandchildren. Alfred Brendel, pianist, born 5 January 1931; died 17 June 2025
