Will Smith Got ‘Men in Black’ Because Director’s Wife Was a ‘Fresh Prince’ Fan

It’s hard to believe Men in Black is already 25 years old. Men in Black was Will Smith’s movie after Independence Day, and firmly established the 4th of July as Big Willie Weekend. It wasn’t just a fluke. And it’s all thanks to director Barry Sonnenfeld’s wife, who admits the former Fresh Prince was his wife’s choice. 

Men in Black is now out on a 25th anniversary DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD special edition. If you have 4K, those black suits have never looked sharper, and the alien infestation of New York looks stellar, pun intended. Sonnenfeld also gives a new interview in which he reveals his wife’s influence on the casting. 

‘Men in Black’ director Barry Sonnenfeld’s wife watched Will Smith on ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’

Based on the comic book, Men in Black took five years of development, Sonnenfeld says. When he first got the script in 1992, Sonenfeld said his wife watched Smith’s NBC sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air all the time. Executive Producer Steven Spielberg had other ideas but Mrs. Sonnenfeld won the day.

“I wanted Will Smith the first night I read the script five years before we started to make the movie because my wife told me I wanted Will Smith,” Sonnenfeld said. “She was a big fan of Fresh Prince. I had never seen it but when your wife says Will Smith you try to get Will Smith.”

Will Smith improved the comedy of ‘Men in Black’

Smith plays J, a new recruit in the undercover alien busting organization the Men in Black. Veteran agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) recruits J after J chases an alien through the streets. Like 48 Hrs., Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour, J and K are a mismatched duo of comedy gold. 

“What’s interesting is like all good comedy duos, you need a straight man and a funny man,” Sonnenfeld said. “You need Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo. You don’t want two funny guys in your movie. The great thing about Men in Black is Tommy is such a straight man and Will is so funny.”

Sonnenfeld credited Smith with ad-libbing more jokes in the Men in Black scenes. He cited two major improvs. When J jumps onto a double decker bus, he tells the passengers,  “It just be raining Black people in New York.” Later, when he needs to get K and Zed (Rip Torn)’s attention in Men in Black headquarters, he says, “Hey, old guys.”

Tommy Lee Jones tried to be funnier 

Sonnenfeld said Jones struggled with playing the straight man. Jones resisted the deadpan until he saw the final cut. Then, Sonnenfeld said, Jones realized he was right. However, that didn’t stop him from adding his own sound effects. 

“Tommy is the oldest 8-year-old I’ve ever met,” Sonnenfeld said. “Because our guns were space guns and didn’t make any sounds, Tommy unconsciously would make the sound of the gun. So whenever Tommy shot he’d go, ‘Pew.’ ‘Cut, Tommy, don’t make [the noise].’ ‘I didn’t.’ Will said, ‘Yeah, Tommy, you made the sound again.’ So Tommy was always making gun sounds whenever we were shooting.”