‘Men In Black’ Director Recalls Set Evacuation Due to Will Smith
Barry Sonnenfeld, the director of the 1997 blockbuster “Men In Black,” revealed that the set had to be “evacuated” for “three hours” due to Hollywood star Will Smith.
During a guest appearance on the “Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa” podcast, Sonnenfeld shared an amusing behind-the-scenes story involving Smith and his co-star Tommy Lee Jones, who played Agent K. The incident occurred while they were filming a scene in which their vehicle transforms at high speed.
To achieve the shot, the actors were “hermetically sealed” inside the vehicle, which had locks to prevent it from opening. Sonnenfeld recounted, “I say, ‘Roll camera,’ and suddenly I hear Will Smith say, ‘Oh Jesus, so sorry. Tommy, so sorry. Baz, get the ladder.’” He noted that Jones responded calmly, assuring Smith, “That’s fine, Will. No worries.”
Unaware of what was happening, Sonnenfeld quickly brought over a ladder for Smith to exit. It turned out that Smith had accidentally let out some gas, prompting the evacuation of the set. “Some people are just farters,” Sonnenfeld joked.
He added that being trapped in a “very small hermetically sealed space” with a Will Smith fart wasn’t ideal. “We evacuated the stage for about three hours. He’s a lovely guy, but, you know, some people just fart,” he quipped.
Smith and Sonnenfeld later collaborated on several projects, including “Wild Wild West” in 1999, “Men in Black II” in 2002, and “Men in Black 3” in 2012.
