DiCaprio Wasn't Nolan's First Pick For Inception: Pitt & Smith Said No First
The main character of the movie could have been very different if one of the first candidates had accepted the offer.
Inception, a sci-fi action film from legendary director Christopher Nolan, premiered over a decade ago, but is still remembered fondly by many fans.
With its mind-bending storyline and star-studded cast, the film was a runaway success, garnering great reviews from both critics and audiences, becoming a pop culture phenomenon and solidifying the director's name as a brand of "intellectual blockbusters."
The story was about a group of professional thieves under the leadership of Dom Cobb, brought to life by Leonardo DiCaprio.
The catch was that they were no ordinary criminals, using experimental technology to infiltrate their victims' dreams in order to retrieve information directly from their subconscious.
Tasked with planting an idea in the mind of their next target, they must find a way to accomplish this nearly impossible mission.
DiCaprio's performance was great as always, but did you know that he was not the first candidate for the role?
According to The Hollywood Reporter's sources, Christopher Nolan first made an offer to Brad Pitt, but demanded a response within 48 hours.
When Pitt failed to respond, the director moved on to his next choice — Will Smith. When he also failed to respond, it eventually led to Leonardo DiCaprio getting the role, and he did not disappoint at all.
It is completely understandable why two of Hollywood's top actors at the time were cautious about accepting the offer.
As mentioned above, Inception was not your typical blockbuster, with a complicated plot that could have proved too much for the average moviegoer.
Fortunately, this proved not to be the case, resulting in one of the most unique sci-fi films of the past decade.
And even though it would have been curious to see Pitt or Smith's take on the Cobb character, Leo managed to do the job flawlessly, leaving little else to be desired.