Will Smith was almost this close to not starring in one of his biggest hits Men in Black if not for Steven Spielberg.

“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down &#8216;Men in Black&#8217;

The 90s were a great time, from blockbuster movies to music. The studios were
coming up with fresh concepts and the A-listers of today were still a-listers
then, but they were young and fresh-faced. They were taking risks, and we got
movies like Independence Day, The Matrix, and Interview with the Vampire, to
name a few. But Men in Black by Will Smith was one such movie that combined
aliens with comedy.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

The two main leads, Tommy Lee Jones and Will, played off each other, resulting
in a great alien comedy! However, not many are aware that the actor had
initially turned the role down. Smith was on his way to committing yet another
huge mistake in his career, but thanks to Steven Spielberg’s phone call, that
saved the day and his career for him.

ALSO READ: Months After the Will Smith Slap Gate Jada Pinkett Smith Says Alpha
Males “don’t pay attention to feelings”
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/]


WILL SMITH REJECTED MEN IN BLACK BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO GET TYPECAST

A year before he was pitched Men in Black, Will Smith
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/]
had delivered a hit with Independence Day. He wanted to try something else and
not get typecast like the alien guy. So he turned down the role that would go on
to become his crowning jewels in his long career.



However, Spielberg rang him to give him a piece of advice. He told him not to
use his brain for this movie. And it turned out to be very good advice. “Do me a
favor, don’t use your brain for this one. Use my brain,” Spielberg told
Will. The solid advice made the actor reconsider his decision. 

ALSO READ: Months After the Will Smith Slap Gate Jada Pinkett Smith Says Alpha
Males “don’t pay attention to feelings”
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/]

The comedy was a blockbuster upon release and one of the biggest hits of that
year. The movie spawned three more sequels. There was an attempt to reboot the
much-loved original back in 2019 with Chris Hemsworth in the lead. However, it
didn’t see the success the original did. 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

The Suicide Squad
[https://screenrant.com/suicide-squad-3-will-smith-james-gunn-response/] actor
is starring in a sequel of his other hit movie; I Am Legend 2. But he is also
bringing the superstar of today, Michael B Jordan, to boost the talent involved
with the project.

ALSO READ: When Will Smith Went Back to the Rap World With Marc Anthony and Bad
Bunny
[https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-when-will-smith-went-back-to-the-rap-world-with-marc-anthony-and-bad-bunny/]

Did you like Will’s Men in Black?

 

Srabani Biswas

Comment

“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down &#8216;Men in Black&#8217; - Netflix Junkie

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Srabani Biswas is a writer at Netflix Junkie. She is a sociology graduate from Lady Brabourne College. Previously, she has contributed to Sports India Show and The Sports Room as a sports writer, and interned at Ripples Learning. A daydreamer, a dancer, and a lover of dogs, she enjoys quiet evenings with her laptop and a cozy blanket. With so much to do and so little time, she is constantly worried about her growing pile of unread books and unwatched shows on Netflix. Her favourites include Stranger, Vincenzo, Hello! My twenties,  Emily in Paris, Never Have I Ever, Peaky Blinders, Stranger Things, Reply 1997 and Sex Education.

https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-do-me-a-favor-dont-use-your-brain-steven-spielberg-told-will-smith-when-he-turned-down-men-in-black

“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down &#8216;Men in Black&#8217; - netflix-junkie

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The 90s were a great time, from blockbuster movies to music. The studios were coming up with fresh concepts and the A-listers of today were still a-listers then, but they were young and fresh-faced. They were taking risks, and we got movies like Independence Day, The Matrix, and Interview with the Vampire, to name a few. But Men in Black by Will Smith was one such movie that combined aliens with comedy. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-53055 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Will-Smith-Carpet.webp" alt="" width="1002" height="564" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Will-Smith-Carpet.webp 1002w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Will-Smith-Carpet-300x169.webp 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Will-Smith-Carpet-768x432.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" />
The two main leads, Tommy Lee Jones and Will, played off each other, resulting in a great alien comedy! However, not many are aware that the actor had initially turned the role down. Smith was on his way to committing yet another huge mistake in his career, but thanks to Steven Spielberg&#8217;s phone call, that saved the day and his career for him.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/">Months After the Will Smith Slap Gate Jada Pinkett Smith Says Alpha Males &#8220;don&#8217;t pay attention to feelings&#8221;</a>
<h2>Will Smith rejected Men in Black because he did not want to get typecast</h2>
A year before he was pitched Men in Black, <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/">Will Smith</a> had delivered a hit with Independence Day. He wanted to try something else and not get typecast like the alien guy. So he turned down the role that would go on to become his crowning jewels in his long career. 
<div class="flex-video widescreen youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Why I Turned Down The Matrix | STORYTIME" width="1170" height="658" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hm2szuXKgL8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
However, Spielberg rang him to give him a piece of advice. He told him not to use his brain for this movie. And it turned out to be very good advice. &#8220;Do me a favor, don&#8217;t use your brain for this one. Use my brain,&#8221; Spielberg told Will. The solid advice made the actor reconsider his decision. 
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-months-after-the-will-smith-slap-gate-jada-pinkett-smith-says-alpha-males-dont-pay-attention-to-feelings/">Months After the Will Smith Slap Gate Jada Pinkett Smith Says Alpha Males &#8220;don&#8217;t pay attention to feelings&#8221;</a>
The comedy was a blockbuster upon release and one of the biggest hits of that year. The movie spawned three more sequels. There was an attempt to reboot the much-loved original back in 2019 with Chris Hemsworth in the lead. However, it didn&#8217;t see the success the original did. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-58495 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://www.staging.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/unnamed-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
The <a href="https://screenrant.com/suicide-squad-3-will-smith-james-gunn-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suicide Squad</a> actor is starring in a sequel of his other hit movie; I Am Legend 2. But he is also bringing the superstar of today, Michael B Jordan, to boost the talent involved with the project.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-when-will-smith-went-back-to-the-rap-world-with-marc-anthony-and-bad-bunny/">When Will Smith Went Back to the Rap World With Marc Anthony and Bad Bunny</a>
Did you like Will&#8217;s Men in Black?
&nbsp;

Months After the Will Smith Slap Gate Jada Pinkett Smith Says Alpha Males “don’t
pay attention to feelings”

When Will Smith Went Back to the Rap World With Marc Anthony and Bad Bunny

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“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down 'Men in Black' - Netflix Junkie

Srabani Biswas is a writer at Netflix Junkie. She is a sociology graduate from Lady Brabourne College. Previously, she has contributed to Sports India Show and The Sports Room as a sports writer, and interned at Ripples Learning. A daydreamer, a dancer, and a lover of dogs, she enjoys quiet evenings with her laptop and a cozy blanket. With so much to do and so little time, she is constantly worried about her growing pile of unread books and unwatched shows on Netflix. Her favourites include Stranger, Vincenzo, Hello! My twenties, Emily in Paris, Never Have I Ever, Peaky Blinders, Stranger Things, Reply 1997 and Sex Education.

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“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down &#039;Men in Black&#039; - Netflix Junkie

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“Do me a favor, don’t use your brain”- Steven Spielberg Told Will Smith When He Turned Down ‘Men in Black’

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