Will Smith rejected Django Unchained because of one Leonardo DiCaprio scene

Will Smith once turned down an offer to star in Quentin Tarantino's hit film Django Unchained because of one Leonardo DiCaprio scene.

Smith has been one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood for years - whether or not that slap might have changed things remains to be seen - and can pretty much have his pick of the lot.

But it's still a little bit shocking to hear that he turned down the chance to play the lead role in Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012), a film that went on to gross a whopping $426 million (£342 million).

Reuters/Alamy Stock Photo

Of course, the role of Django ultimately went to Jamie Foxx, who played the part spectacularly, but Smith was apparently Tarantino's first choice.

So why did the Fresh Prince star pass on the guaranteed hit?

It was all down to one scene with Leonardo DiCaprio's character Calvin Candie.

This may seem obvious but, just in case: Django Unchained spoilers ahead!

Here's a quick recap: Django Unchained is a revised western film that pays tribute to the old-school Spaghetti Westerns.

It tells the story of a freed slave - Django - who trains under a tough bounty hunter in preparation to rescue his wife from brutal plantation owner Calvin Candie.

It seems pretty obvious that Django is the hero in this story, wouldn't you say?

Smith didn't seem to think so.

Columbia Pictures

You see, Smith wasn't too keen on the fact that Django didn't get to kill Candie in the end.

After all, he's the hero and Candie is the villain, right?

Smith was holding out hope that he could convince Tarantino to make some changes to the script and get Django to get the kill rather than Dr King Shultz, played by Christoph Waltz.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2013, Smith explained: "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!"

Columbia Pictures

It's all a little ironic in hindsight, considering Foxx was, in the end, advertised as the film's lead, and Waltz was actually considered a supporting actor when awards season came around that year.

Still, Smith seems to have no regrets about turning down the multi-million dollar hit - though he did enjoy watching it.

"I thought it was brilliant," he told the publication. "Just not for me."