Alan Tudyk has recently opened up about his experience during the promotional phase for the movie I, Robot, revealing that he faced exclusion after early screenings showed viewers favored his character over Will Smith’s.
In the 2004 sci-fi classic, Tudyk portrayed Sonny, a robot wrongly accused of murder, utilizing motion-capture technology to bring the character to life.
According to Tudyk, feedback from test audiences indicated that his character resonated with viewers more than Smith’s Del Spooner, a detective who harbors a deep-seated distrust for robots as he investigates the murder that Sonny is entangled in.
“I learned from behind the scenes that I was testing higher than Will Smith,” Tudyk expressed during his appearance on Toon’d In with Jim Cummings.
However, shortly after, he experienced a surprising turn of events. “Then I was just cut out entirely, with no publicity efforts surrounding my role at all,” he continued.
The actor, now 54, admitted he was stunned by this decision and exclaims, “Wait a minute, people won’t even realize that I’m the one behind the robot!”
Tudyk disclosed his commitment to the role, emphasizing how much effort he dedicated to it, and in hindsight revealed, “At that moment, I felt quite upset.”
When I, Robot debuted, it came at a crucial point in Will Smith’s career trajectory. After he faced difficulties with the box office bomb Wild Wild West in the late ’90s, he made an impressive comeback with acclaimed roles in Ali (2001), Bad Boys II (2003), and Hitch (2005).
Interestingly, the role initially slated for Smith had first been offered to Hollywood legends Arnold Schwarzenegger and Denzel Washington, both of whom declined the part.
At the time of I, Robot’s release, Tudyk had made a name for himself thanks to his role in A Knight’s Tale (2001) and his part in the cult classic series Firefly (2002-2003).
That same year, he also stole scenes as Steve the Pirate in Dodgeball. Later, audiences would recognize him as the droid K-2SO in the Star Wars standalone film Rogue One (2016) and its prequel series Andor (2023).
Fast forward to 2024, the recent updates to Tesla’s Optimus robot — a humanoid powered by AI — drew comparisons to I, Robot. The revamped robot, launched in 2022, now boasts enhanced speed and advanced hand functionality.
Demonstration videos displayed Optimus performing everyday tasks, like watering plants and serving drinks, generating buzz at the unveiling.
“This will be the biggest product of all time,” Elon Musk confidently told attendees, envisioning a future where the humanoids might sell for between $20,000 to $30,000 once they hit the market.
