When Spielberg's best movies are what he's most known for, he's also worked as a producer on several other films. One story proves that Spielberg is just as good at producing a movie as he is at directing one, and it also gave Smith one of his most beloved roles.
There is a long list of films that could be considered Will Smith's best work, from dramas like The Pursuit of Happyness to comedies like Hitch. Some of Will Smith's best action movies, like Bad Boys, are also top contenders for being considered his greatest. In any discussion of Smith's best films, however, the original Men in Black has to come up. It's easily one of his best sci-fi movies, and he was perfectly cast in the role of Jay opposite Tommy Lee Jones. Even though Will Smith and Men in Black are nearly synonymous now, there was a time when he almost didn't take the part.
Steven Spielberg Convinced Will Smith To Do Men In Black
Spielberg Was An Executive Producer For Men In Black & Convinced Smith To Accept The Role
In a video Will Smith posted to YouTube, he recounted how Spielberg convinced him to take the role of Jay in Men in Black. Smith received the offer to play Jay in Men in Black in 1996, just after he had finished playing Captain Hiller in Independence Day, another sci-fi film focusing on aliens. Smith told Spielberg that he didn't want to be typecast in sci-fi movies, to which Spielberg said, "Don't use your brain for this one, use my brain." Spielberg was an executive producer for Men in Black, and his seal of approval was enough to convince Smith to take the role.
Will Smith also said that Steven Spielberg sent a personal helicopter so they could talk about him taking the part in Men in Black in person (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Will Smith Ended Up Turning Down The Matrix Around The Same Time
The Wachowskis' Pitch Didn't Convince Smith & He Did Wild Wild West Instead
Unfortunately for Smith, he was offered another role in a sci-fi movie that no one convinced him to take. Two years after Men in Black, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the part of Neo in The Matrix, but he turned it down due to their pitch. The part would instead go to Keanu Reeves, and The Matrix would go on to be considered one of the best science fiction movies of all time. It was a huge missed opportunity for Smith, but, as Smith said, the Wachowskis' original pitch for the movie didn't sound good enough to convince him.
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The Matrix
9/10- Release Date
- March 31, 1999
- Runtime
- 136 minutes
- Director
- Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
Cast
Laurence Fishburne
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYThe Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis, stars Keanu Reeves as Neo, a hacker who discovers that reality is a simulated construct controlled by intelligent machines. Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss co-star as Morpheus and Trinity, who help Neo navigate and ultimately challenge the artificial world. The film blends action, philosophy, and groundbreaking visual effects, establishing itself as a pivotal entry in the science fiction genre.
- Writers
- Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
- Main Genre
- Action
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Men In Black
- Release Date
- July 2, 1997
- Runtime
- 98 minutes
- Director
- Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast
Rip Torn
WHERE TO WATCH
RENTBUYMen In Black is a science fiction film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as agents of a secret organization overseeing extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The agents are tasked with managing alien immigrants while protecting humanity from intergalactic threats. The film explores their partnership as they confront various challenges while ensuring the public remains unaware of alien presence.
- Writers
- Lowell Cunningham, Ed Solomon
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
As if to add insult to injury, in the same year, Smith would take on another sci-fi role in a far less successful film: Wild Wild West. Compared to The Matrix, Wild Wild West was a massive flop, and it's still regarded as one of his worst films. Luckily, Smith has clearly come to with pas The Matrix, and he even went as far as to say that Reeves was perfect for the role. Smith also said that he "did y'all a favor" by turning it down, as his involvement would have precluded Laurence Fishburne from being cast as Morpheus.
Will Smith Broke Out Of Typecasting But Still Became A Sci-Fi Star
Will Smith Has Done Several Sci-Fi Movies In Addition To Dramas & Comedies
Even though Will Smith didn't want to be ed as "the alien movie guy" and was able to avoid being typecast as such, he has still made quite a few science fiction movies over the course of his career. In fact, sci-fi seems to be one of Smith's most common genres after dramatic films. Smith has starred in nine sci-fi films from 1997 to 2019, from Independence Day all the way to Gemini Man. Despite how often he stars in the genre, however, Smith was able to avoid being typecast as a science fiction actor.
Will Smith's Sci-Fi Movies |
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|---|---|
Title |
Role |
Independence Day |
Captain Steven Hiller |
Men in Black |
Jay |
Wild Wild West |
Captain James West |
Men in Black II |
Jay |
I, Robot |
Del Spooner |
I Am Legend |
Robert Neville |
Men in Black 3 |
Agent Jay |
After Eart |
Cypher Rage |
Gemini Man |
Henry Brogan |
Will Smith has, of course, recovered from missing out on The Matrix, and he's gone on to become one of the most recognizable actors in show business. He's also expanded well past the bounds of science fiction. Smith has a long list of successful dramas and comedies, and he recently won his first Academy Award for Best Actor by playing Richard Williams in King Richard in 2022. He also got a chance to make one of his greatest movies ever, thanks to Steven Spielberg, so Will Smith serves as the perfect example of what good advice can do.
Source: Will Smith, The Hollywood Reporter
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