Tommy Lee Jones exudes unrivaled confidence in all of his projects. However, taking on the role of the popular character Agent K. Men in Blackthe actor found himself completely out of his comfort zone.
Despite his memorable role in the film, the acclaimed actor and director faced obstacles in fully embodying his character, leading to violent confrontations on set.
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Tommy Lee Jones had difficulty adjusting to his role
Known for his rugged screen presence, Tommy Lee Jones might not immediately come to mind as a comedy leading man. However, when director Barry Sonnenfeld was handed the script for the 1997 sci-fi comedy, Men in Blackhe was confident that Jones was perfect for the role of Agent K.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld spoke about this. Back:
“They sent me two copies because my wife and I read the scripts together. We finished at the same time and I turned to her and said, “Tommy Lee Jones.” And she turned to me and said, “Will Smith.” The studio really wanted Clint Eastwood. I asked Tommy, and then I almost screwed up – they couldn’t hire me because Tommy had the director’s approval. Tommy gave me approval.
Despite playing Agent K prominently in the film and reprising his role in subsequent installments, Jones was not thrilled with the role.
According to Sonnenfeld, it took the famous actor a lot of time to get used to the role. In fact, the director felt that Jones never captured the humorous aspects of the role. Sonnenfeld even deliberately moderated Jones’s performance so that he would not take any of Will Smith’s dialogue as a joke.
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Tommy Lee Jones wasn’t happy with his character
Known for his outspokenness, Tommy Lee Jones was not shy about expressing his dissatisfaction with the character he portrayed in the film.
Screenwriter Ed Solomon said:
“In my experience, if he knew it was a comedy, he definitely wouldn’t find it funny – and he let me know that on multiple occasions.”
Sonnenfeld said:
“Tommy didn’t think I knew what I was doing. On his very first day of filming with Tommy, he talks to Mikey, a multi-finned alien in the Sonoran Desert. Tommy’s words to Mikey are: “That’s enough, Mikey. Raise your hands and all your flippers. It will only be funny if Tommy doesn’t admit it’s funny. But Tommy says, “That’s enough, Mikey. Raise your hands – AND… ALL YOUR fins!”
To compensate for this, Jones tried to inject his own humor into the role. For Men in Black Production designer Bo Welch, Jones, and director Barry Sonnenfeld clashed on set, with Jones intent on bringing more humor to Agent K while Sonnenfeld remained steadfast in maintaining a deadpan persona.
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