Will Smith avoided films about slavery to compete with Tom Cruise and other white actors until he saw Django Unchained.

The one-sided beef between Will Smith and Tom Cruise was indeed very real at one point. During his early years in Hollywood, Will Smith consciously steered clear of tackling heavy subjects like slavery. His approach began to shift, however, after he watched Django Unchained.

Will Smith from ‘Work Of Art’ Video Feat. Russ | Credits: YouTube (Will Smith)

The film just like it did for countless folks, had a profound impact on him, reshaping his views on the types of stories he wanted to tell about his community. Smith thus eventually chose to dive into the subject matter by starring in Emancipation, the 2022 movie.

Why Will Smith Avoided Films on This Particularly Heavy Subject Matter

Throughout much of his career, Will Smith focused on portraying Black characters in a positive, empowering light, deliberately steering clear of roles that delved into the deep struggles and injustices faced by his community. He sought roles that placed him on equal footing with his white counterparts. (His one-sided rivalry with Tom Cruise is a story for another day.)

Thus, once in an interview with GQ, talking about Emancipation, and why and how the road led him to that point, he revealed,

I’ve always avoided making films about slavery,—In the early part of my career… I didn’t want to show Black people in that light. I wanted to be a superhero. So I wanted to depict Black excellence alongside my white counterparts.

I wanted to play roles that you would give to Tom Cruise. And the first time I considered it was Django. But I didn’t want to make a slavery film about vengeance.

Tom Cruise in a still from Top Gun: Maverick, Credits: Paramount Pictures

Although Will Smith was offered the role of Django, a part he ultimately turned down, as we’ll discuss shortly, he remained adamant about not wanting to take on a story centered around vengeance, despite his admiration for Quentin Tarantino’s film. Emancipation, however, came to him at just the perfect moment, fitting absolutely with what he was looking for and offering the kind of project he truly wanted to be a part of.

Why Will Smith Rejected Django Unchained?

Django Unchained is a masterpiece from the mind of Quentin Tarantino. Set in the American South, it is a story about vengeance and the indestructible human spirit. The film not only garnered numerous accolades but also remains a hot topic in discussions still, thanks to the meme culture.

Thus, when Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained came along, despite being the first choice for the role that eventually Jamie Foxx portrayed, he passed on the opportunity.

In a 2013 Entertainment Weekly interview, Will Smith revealed he turned down the role of Django because he wasn’t the lead. He even suggested to Tarantino that if he were to play Django, he’d need to be the one to take down the bad guy. And thus things did not work out. He said,

Django wasn’t the lead, so it was like, I need to be the lead. The other character was the lead! I was like, ‘No, Quentin, please, I need to kill the bad guy!’

Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained (2012) Credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment 

Funnily enough later, the script did flip on itself, as during the Oscar buzz for Django Unchained, Christoph Waltz was promoted as a supporting actor while Jamie Foxx was spotlighted as the film’s lead. Despite missing out on that major role, Will Smith still feels a strong connection to Django Unchained, but stands by the fact that it simply wasn’t meant for him.

Django Unchained is available to stream on Netflix, while Emancipation is available on Apple TV for rent.