Will Smith Rejected Role in 'Django Unchained' Due to Tarantino's 'Creative Direction'

Quentin Tarantino is known for his gruesome yet gripping films, 2012's Western Django Unchained included. Jamie Foxx starred as the film's main character, Django, but the role was originally offered to Will Smith who recently revealed why he turned it down. The two simply couldn't see eye to eye and Smith explained that he didn't agree with the Pulp Fiction writer's "creative direction."

Smith was given the chance to star as a 19th century slave on a trip of revenge, hoping to free his wife from slavery and although he wanted to participate in the film, decided against it because of the theme of vengeance. "It was about the creative direction of the story," Smith explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "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. That idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn't see [eye to eye]."

"I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt the only way was, it had to be a love story, not a vengeance story," the Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor added. "I just couldn't connect to violence being the answer. Love had to be the answer."

Jamie Foxx ended up taking on the role of Django alongside a star studded cast of Kerry Washington, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson. Django Unchained hit theaters in Dec. 2012, ultimately reeling in over $425 million worldwide, marking it Tarantino's greatest hit. The film was nominated for five various Oscars while Christoph Waltz took home the award for Best Supporting Actor.

The "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" artist recently returned to his rapping roots at the Latin Grammy Awards where he performed his hit single "Fiesta" alongside Colombian group Bomba Estereo.

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