Alan Tudyk says he was cut from 'I, Robot' publicity after outshining Will Smith: 'I was so shocked'
Speaking on the Toon'd In with Jim Cummings podcast, Tudyk shared that early audience feedback showed his character, Sonny the robot, scored higher in popularity than Smith's lead role. Tudyk, who gave a full performance using motion capture and voice acting for the robot, said he was 'very upset' when he learned he would not be included in the film's marketing.
'A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in 'I, Robot', and there is a reason,' Tudyk explained. 'I got word back: 'Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.' And then I was gone. I was done. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned.'
Tudyk added, 'I put a lot into that performance. I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.'
Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot is set in 2035 and stars Will Smith as a detective investigating the suspicious death of a robotics company founder. The story centres around Sonny, a highly advanced robot voiced and performed by Tudyk, who becomes a key figure in the mystery.
The film also features Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, and Chi McBride. While I, Robot was a commercial success, Tudyk's role remained largely unrecognised by the wider public.
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Alan Tudyk says he was cut from 'I, Robot' publicity after outshining Will Smith: 'I was so shocked'
Actor Alan Tudyk has revealed he was removed from the publicity campaign for the 2004 sci-fi film 'I, Robot' after test screening audiences responded more strongly to his character than to star Will Smith. Speaking on the Toon'd In with Jim Cummings podcast, Tudyk shared that early audience feedback showed his character, Sonny the robot, scored higher in popularity than Smith's lead role. Tudyk, who gave a full performance using motion capture and voice acting for the robot, said he was 'very upset' when he learned he would not be included in the film's marketing. 'A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in 'I, Robot', and there is a reason,' Tudyk explained. 'I got word back: 'Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.' And then I was gone. I was done. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned.' Tudyk added, 'I put a lot into that performance. I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.' Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot is set in 2035 and stars Will Smith as a detective investigating the suspicious death of a robotics company founder. The story centres around Sonny, a highly advanced robot voiced and performed by Tudyk, who becomes a key figure in the mystery. The film also features Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, and Chi McBride. While I, Robot was a commercial success, Tudyk's role remained largely unrecognised by the wider public.
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Actor Alan Tudyk has revealed why many fans don't realize he played Sonny the Robot in the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot. The Resident Alien star said he was removed from the movie's marketing campaign after early test screenings showed audiences responding more positively to his character than to lead actor Will Smith. Why Alan Tudyk's role in I, Robot went unnoticed Speaking on the Toon'd In with Jim Cummings podcast, Tudyk shared, 'A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in I, Robot, and there is a reason. They were doing test audiences for the movie, and they score the characters in this kind of test screening. I got word back: 'Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.' And then I was gone. I was done.' The actor, who brought the lovable, humanlike robot Sonny to life through motion capture and voice work, said his removal went beyond just a few ads, as reported by E! News. 'There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned,' Tudyk shared. 'I was so shocked. I was like, 'Wait, nobody is going to know I'm in it!'' Tudyk said playing Sonny was a challenging and demanding role. 'I put a lot into [that performance],' he shared. 'I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.' The actor had to perform physically on set while also delivering the character's voice, blending two skill sets that he feels are often underappreciated. Here's why Tudyk thinks voice acting deserves more credit The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actor believes his experience reflects a broader issue in the entertainment industry. 'I was in the room. I'm at the wheel, I was with the actor back and forth,' Alan Tudyk said of working opposite Will Smith during filming. 'My voice is completely attached to the world that everyone is seeing.' He shared that voice and motion capture acting are integral to a film's success, yet they often don't receive the same recognition as on-screen performances. While many viewers may not have realized Tudyk was behind Sonny, the actor has built a successful career across film, television, and animation. From Firefly and Resident Alien to his roles in Disney's animated hits like Frozen and Zootopia, Tudyk has become known for his versatility. Still, the I, Robot experience remains a reminder for him of how recognition in Hollywood doesn't always match the effort put in behind the scenes.
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a day ago
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Alan Tudyk says he was removed from ‘I, Robot' publicity after testing higher than Will Smith in screenings
Alan Tudyk has said he was excluded from the promotional campaign for I, Robot (2004) after audience test screenings reportedly rated his character higher than Will Smith 's. Tudyk made the comments during an interview on the 'Toon'd In with Jim Cummings' podcast. In the film, Tudyk portrayed the robot Sonny through motion capture and voice acting. 'A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in I, Robot , and there is a reason,' Tudyk said. 'They were doing test audiences for the movie, and they score the characters in this kind of test screening. I got word back: 'Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.' And then I was gone. I was done. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned.' Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Also read: Two Hollywood actresses were once asked out on a date by Donald Trump, but both refused. Here's what happe He added, 'I was so shocked. I was like, 'Wait, nobody is going to know I'm in it!' I put a lot into [that performance]. I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.' Variety has reached out to Smith's representative for comment. Live Events Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot stars Smith as a Chicago police detective in 2035 investigating the death of a robotics company founder. The company's intelligent robots perform public service roles, but Smith's character suspects Sonny of murder. The cast also includes Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, and Chi McBride. At the time of release, motion capture performances were still uncommon in Hollywood outside of roles such as Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars and Gollum in The Lord of the Rings . Tudyk later returned to the technology in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as K-2SO, a role he reprised in the Disney+ series Andor .
