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As one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, Will Smith has starred in several critical and commercial blockbuster films that brought him to stardom. From appearing inBad BoystoMen In Black, a lot of his movies were smash hits. Because of this, he was frequently approached by filmmakers to join their projects.
Like many A-list celebrities, Smith meticulously chooses the roles he wants to star in. The actor has notably turned down a couple of movie offers, many of which ended up receiving several prestigious accolades. So, what makes Smith reject projects?
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Will Smith Reveals The Reason He Turned Down Quentin Tarantino’s Film
WhenQuentin Tarantinowrote the script forDjango Unchained, he already envisioned the actors he wanted to star in his film, one of which wasWill Smith. TheSuicide Squadstar initially said yes to the role, but he later had a shift of heart and eventually dropped the project.
While speaking atActors RoundtableviaThe Hollywood Reporter, Smith discussed at length the reason why he did not push through withDjango Unchained. He explained how he and the director could not see eye to eye. Smith said:
“I had said yes to Django, but it was more about the creative direction of the story. To me, it’s as perfect a story as you could ever want. A guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave.”
Django Unchainedgrossed over $426 million at the box office and took home two Academy Awards out of five nominations. Smith revealed how he came up with the decision:
“When I choose movies, I’m choosing the arc. I read the first 35 pages and I read the ending… [The] idea is perfect. It was just that Quentin and I couldn’t see [eye to eye]. I wanted to make the greatest love story that African Americans had ever seen from American cinema.”
Apparently, Smith and Tarantino could not also reach an agreement as to the central theme of the movie. The actor wanted to project a story of love, but all he perceived from the script was pure violence. Smith further added:
“When I’m looking at [the script], it’s like, ‘No, no, no. It has to be for love.’ Violence begets violence. For me, I just couldn’t connect to violence being the answer. Love had to be the answer.”
This was the only comment Smith made about passing up on Tarantino’sDjango Unchained, although he did not pull his punches when he spoke about rejectingThe Matrixfor a film that terribly flopped.
RELATED:“I need to f*ck it up and forget the lines”: Quentin Tarantino Admitted He Was Wrong For Doubting Leonardo DiCaprio After He Decided to Went Off Script
Will Smith DroppedThe MatrixOnly To Star In A Box-Office Failure
LettingThe Matrixslip from his fingers forever is definitely the biggest regret that Will Smith had in his career. Like many other stars, he also makes bad choices. In hisYouTubechannel, the actor discussed this controversial blunder and stated:
“So after we made Men In Black, the Wachowskis came in, and they had only done one movie. I think that movie was called Bound. And they came in and made a pitch for The Matrix. And as it turns out, they’re geniuses!”
The Wachowskis approached Smith with the script, but he could not understand the sequences, so he had to say no. To make up for the loss, he chose to join a steampunk Western film that ended up hurting his career. Smith lamented:
“So I made Wild Wild West, and I am not proud of it.”
Will Smith has made bad career decisions over the years, but nothing comes close to the infamous Oscars slap that tarnished his reputation as a public figure.
Sources:The Hollywood Reporter,YouTube
RELATED:“You have to be a f***ing slave! OK?”: Quentin Tarantino Ruthlessly Screamed At Jamie Foxx, Warned Him To Not Ruin His Film
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3532
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
