The director had to trick the star into accepting the role of Agent Kay in the Men in Black saga.
Among the most iconic roles in a career Will Smithin the first two chapters of the saga there is undoubtedly the character of James Edwards/Agent K. Men in Black. New podcast guest heart to heartthe Oscar-winning actor revealed the incredible ins and outs: the project did not convince him at all, but then he decided to accept the role thanks to timely intervention Steven Spielberg.
Men in Black, Will Smith reveals how Steven Spielberg convinced him to take on the role of Agent K.
In Will Smith’s career, James Lassiter, the star’s former manager and business partner, has played a seminal role, to put it mildly. “JL chose films, 10 feature films that I made at the best moment of my career, thanks to him. I didn’t want to make The Pursuit of Happyness. I didn’t want to shoot Ali… So JL chose Men in Black. I kind of understood the film, but I didn’t want to act in it“, declared the actor, who at the time had just done independence Day and did not want to do any more close-up alien films. Steven Spielberg, producer Men in Blackat this point, he seized the opportunity and found the right way to convince Will Smith to say yes to the project:He sent a helicopter for me. I was in New York. Talk to me… He put me in his house. And he immediately convinced me … And for the first time I drank lemonade with sparkling water. You can’t say no. He told me, “Explain to me why you don’t want to be in my film.” And he was a producer“.