‘Men in Black’ director downplayed film to Chris O’Donnell so he could cast Will Smith instead
Insider, Sonnenfeld said producers initially wanted O’Donnell and Clint Eastwood as the leading men.“I had suggested Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith,” Sonnenfeld told the outlet. “Will was actually my wife’s idea.”The director said execs needed little convincing to accept Jones, however, getting Smith the lead role raised a few eyebrows.At the time, Smith was known for starring in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and for his rap albums rather than starring in blockbuster movies.He had just finished filming his first major movie lead role in “Independence Day,” however the movie was not yet released at the time.On the other hand, O’Donnell was a well-known name in Hollywood after starring in “School Ties,” “The Three Musketeers,” and “Scent of a Woman.”In a desperate bid to dissuade O’Donnell from taking the role, Sonnenfeld revealed he downplayed the movie to him.“I met with Chris and he had concerns about the script and had another movie offer,” he said.