Arsenio Hall’s Biggest Regret Involves Casting Will Smith

If not for his back-to-back blockbusters in the 90s, Will Smith’s career might not have shined as brightly as it did. After he took his first steps into the industry with The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith already gained recognition in the television world. It is, however, Michael Bay’s Bad Boys that accelerated the rise of Will Smith. In 1995, Michael Bay, albeit his first time as a director, took on the arduous task of making blockbuster brilliance with Bad Boys and he did just that and much more.

Smith has done a plethora of movies that are just the cup of tea you need when you want to want to have a jolly time with your family or friends. But Smith’s performance in Bad Boys still manages to stand out despite the abundance of uniformed cop roles in his filmography. His impact alongside co-star Martin Lawrence was so huge that Michael Bay came out as one of the first directors who is willing to work with Smith after the Oscar slap. However, the Ali actor was not the first choice for Bad Boys.

Meant for Arsenio Hall, Will Smith got Bad Boys

Contrary to its smooth slide to success, Bad Boys faced quite a few disturbances in its making. Firstly, the rights for the movie, originally Disney, were purchased by Sony for a whopping three million dollars. At that point in time Michael Bay, considering it was his first directorial venture, was leaning more toward already acclaimed actors. The original choices for the iconic characters of Detective Michael Eugene and Detective Sergeant Michael Miles were Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes, respectively.

 

Following the change in the distributor, Martin Lawrence was locked as Michael Miles, and the role of Mike was offered to Arsenio Hall. However, Hall rejected the role, and fortunately, it landed in Will Smith’s responsible hands. Looking at the success, Arsenio Hall has expressed that he regrets not taking on the role.

Michael Bay smelled success in Smith when he saw his rising popularity with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While there are many great aspects to Bad Boys from its action to its comedy, there are no two ways around the fact that the chemistry between Martin Lawrence and Will Smith ultimately made it the timeless hit that it is today. Fans cannot imagine the franchise without either of the actors and are to date ready to shower their money as Bad Boys 4  gets ready for a release.

ALSO READ: A WIN FOR WILL! After Disney Comeback Will Smith Set to Return for Another Fan-Favorite Movie’s Sequel

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