Actor Alan Tudyk has revealed the surprising reason for people not recognizing his role in I, Robot:
He was completely erased from the movie’s marketing campaign after test screenings reportedly showed that his character Sonny, the humanoid robot at the center of the film’s mystery, scored higher with audiences than the film’s main star, Will Smith.
“A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in I, Robot, and there is a reason,” Tudyk said in a recent podcast appearance.
“They were doing test audiences for the movie, and they scored the characters in this kind of test screening. I got word back:
‘Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.’”
Alan Tudyk, the actor behind I, Robot’s iconic android, said he was removed from the movie’s marketing so as to not eclipse Will Smith
Image credits: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
According to the actor, from that moment onwards the studio made deliberate efforts to remove his name from the movie. “There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned,” he said.
Tudyk was offended and blindsided by the decision.
Image credits: alantudyk / Instagram
“I was so shocked. I was like, ‘Wait, nobody is going to know I’m in it!’ I put a lot into [that performance],” he said, explaining how he had prepared and rehearsed to move, behave and talk like a convincing robot.
Image credits: Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images
Tudyk’s performance, largely uncredited at the time, has since gained appreciation for its nuance and emotion. Some of his scenes have gone viral on social media, becoming integral parts of memes, reactions, and humorous content.
His acting was particularly noteworthy considering how early it came in Hollywood’s use of motion capture acting.
Image credits: Toon’d In with Jim Cummings / YouTube
Tudyk’s performance came at a time when actors like Andy Serkis were making the technique mainstream with roles like Caesar in Planet of the Apes, and Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. But while Serkis got recognition and awards, Tudyk got sidelined.
All to allegedly protect Will Smith’s image.
I, Robot came at the height of Smith’s popularity, a far cry from the current situation the actor finds himself in today
Image credits: Toon’d In with Jim Cummings / YouTube
Set in 2035, I, Robot follows Smith’s character, Chicago detective Del Spooner, as he investigates the demise of a robotics company founder. Suspicious of foul play, Spooner comes to believe that one of the company’s own robots, Sonny, may have taken the victim’s life.
Tudyk’s portrayal of the robot was instrumental in giving the character the empathy needed to support the film’s plot and its nuanced exploration of artificial intelligence.
Image credits: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
In one particularly famous scene, Will Smith’s character confronts Sonny, questioning the ability of robots to understand art due to their artificial nature.
“You are just a machine. An imitation of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?” Smith asks.
“Can you?” Sonny replies.
Image credits: Patrick Riviere / Getty Images
At the time, Will Smith was one of the biggest names in entertainment. Marketing campaigns centered entirely around his face and name.
Nowadays, however, Smith’s public image lays in tatters following the now-infamous 2022 Oscars incident, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage and was subsequently banned from the Academy for 10 years.
Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar caused substantial damage to his public image
Image credits: Movieclips / YouTube
One recent social media post talking about the famous I, Robot scene paints a clear picture of how much the slap has retroactively tainted Smith’s career, with users preferring to joke about the incident instead of discussing the film.
Image credits: Movieclips / YouTube
In the aftermath of the incident, Smith has tried to revamp his image by focusing on his music career.
He has also financed an aggressive social media campaign targeting Gen Z, collaborating with popular streamers, and appearing as a guest in rap YouTube channels.
Image credits: Movieclips / YouTube
However, in his efforts to look cool and hip again, Smith has seemingly achieved the opposite, with viewers labeling him as “cringe” and “unc,” a term used by African American teens to describe an older man trying too hard to stay relevant.
Image credits: imdb
At the same time, Based on a True Story, Smith’s first album in nearly two decades, stumbled out of the gate, selling just 268 physical copies in the UK in its debut week and failing to chart on the Billboard 200 in the US.
As for Tudyk, he’s long since moved on. With a successful career in both animation and live-action, including voice roles in modern Disney animated features, the actor shared the anecdote with amusement, not bitterness.
“At least he wasn’t slapped.” Tudyk’s revelation did Will Smith’s image no favors
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