Here’s How Steven Spielberg Convinced Will Smith To Star In Men In Black ( Photo Credit – Flickr )
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Who would’ve thought Will Smith needed convincing to star in one of his most iconic roles? The King Richard star, who brought the calm and witty Agent J to life in Men in Black, wasn’t exactly eager to return to the world of aliens after Independence Day. However, as Smith revealed during Kevin Hart’s Heart to Hart talk show on Peacock, Steven Spielberg’s unexpected approach sealed the deal.
Smith had his reservations about making another alien movie so soon. “I didn’t want to make Men in Black,” he confessed, per Indie Wire. “That was the next year after Independence Day.” After all, playing a savvy fighter against extraterrestrials in ID4 had made him a household name. Why jump into another project about aliens? But Spielberg had a way of making things happen—and this was no exception.
Producer Spielberg went all out, knowing he had to do something bold to persuade Smith. He didn’t send a text or make a quick call. Instead, he arranged for a helicopter to land at Smith’s house in New York for an in-person conversation. Smith recalled the moment: “He had me at hello.” But it wasn’t just the grand gesture—it was Spielberg’s words that really struck a chord.
“He said the coldest sh*t,” Smith laughed. Steven Spielberg didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He cut straight to the chase: “Tell me why you don’t want to make my movie…” and ended with a deliberate pause. “If he had continued, he would have said, ‘Joker, you know I made Jaws, right? You know I made E.T.?’” Talk about laying down the cinematic resume.
For Will Smith, it was about the guidance from his longtime manager, James Lassiter, who was the “arbiter of taste” during Smith’s rise to stardom. Lassiter played a crucial role in choosing which projects Smith would take on. “I didn’t want to make Pursuit of Happyness,” Smith admitted. “I didn’t want to make Ali.” But Lassiter knew a hit when he saw one, and he pushed Smith into roles that would solidify his place in Hollywood history.
Sure enough, Smith took the role, and Men in Black became what it is today. He returned for two sequels in 2002 and 2012. The film introduced us to the dynamic duo of Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, turning alien fighting into a quirky, stylish affair.
In 2019, Men in Black: International attempted to reboot the series with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, but Sony Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman admitted the plotline was weak. “If we made any mistake,” Rothman alluded, “I think it probably was that there was not a strong enough idea in the story.”
Still, we can’t forget the magic Will Smith brought to the original. From Spielberg’s cold-blooded persuasion to Smith’s evolution into the world of Men in Black, it’s a story of making bold choices and taking risks that pay off.
