Unbelievable! Will Smith Almost Passed on Iconic Roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, Men In Black, and Ali—Discover the Surprising Reasons Behind His Near Miss!
Will Smith almost passed on his iconic roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, Men in Black, and Ali. Find out why!
Unbelievable! Will Smith Almost Passed on Iconic Roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, Men In Black, and Ali—Discover the Surprising Reasons Behind His Near Miss! (Photo Credit – Facebook)
Advertisement
Believe it or not, Will Smith almost turned down three iconic films: Men In Black, Ali, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
In a candid convo on a podcast, Smith alluded to his initial disinterest in these projects. “I didn’t want to make The Pursuit of Happyness. I didn’t want to make Ali,” he admitted. Thankfully, his business partner, James Lassiter, had other plans. Lassiter was the maestro behind Smith’s choices, proving an invaluable asset during Smith’s rise to fame. “In the heyday, the ten movies I made at the top of my career, J.L. was choosing the films,” Smith explained. Talk about a wise decision-maker!
In 1997, fresh off Independence Day, Will Smith hesitated to accept Men In Black, fearing it would be another alien film. But his manager, James Lassiter, recognized its potential and urged him on.
Things took a turn when legendary director Steven Spielberg stepped in. He was determined to get Smith onboard, even sending a helicopter to scoop him up for a meeting. Talk about pulling out the big guns! “Steven Spielberg sent a helicopter for me to talk to me,” Smith recalled. Landing at Spielberg’s house, he was met with the kind of hospitality that turned the tide. “He had me at ‘hello,'” Smith quipped, highlighting when he realized this was no ordinary meeting.
During their chat, Spielberg’s pitch was straightforward. He questioned Smith’s hesitance about the film, putting him on the spot. “He said the coldest shit,” Smith laughed, recounting how Spielberg probed, “Tell me why you don’t want to make my movie…” With a portfolio that included classics like Jaws and E.T., who could resist that kind of persuasion?
Ultimately, Smith took the plunge, and it paid off big time. Men In Black grossed an impressive $250.6 million and spawned two successful sequels. As Smith later told G.Q., Men In Black and The Pursuit of Happyness rank among his top films. “For different reasons, those are the two almost perfect movies,” he said, proving that listening to the right people sometimes makes all the difference.
The story of Smith’s near misses reminds us that even the most prominent stars face doubts. It also illuminates the pivotal role of collaboration in Hollywood. Without Lassiter’s instincts or Spielberg’s charm, Smith might have missed out on roles that defined his career and entertained millions.
As Smith continues to thrive in his career, his journey is a testament to taking risks and trusting the right people. After all, you never know when a helicopter ride might change your life—or your filmography!
