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Forget Will Smith’s infamous fart story that cleared a set for three hours—Tommy Lee Jones brought his own brand of chaos toMen in Black. While Smith’s gas incident might’ve been a literal stink bomb, Jones’ tough-guy attitude made things pretty tense behind the scenes. Known for being a no-nonsense guy, Tommy didn’t exactly vibe with the film’s lighthearted tone, and that clash made filmingMen in Blacka little more challenging than expected.
Crew members quickly realized that dealing with Jones wasn’t as easy as erasing memories with a neuralyzer. As much as fans loved the on-screen duo, working with them? Well, that was a whole different story.
Tommy Lee Jones: The Real Challenge BehindMen in Black
ForgetWill Smith’sthree-hour fart-induced evacuationon theMen in Blackset—Tommy Lee Joneswas an even bigger challenge to work with. Per writer Ed Solomon, the first person cast was Jones—and he immediately clashed with the script’s tone. Jones wasn’t buying the idea of mixing genres, but Solomon was adamant thatMen in Blackneeded comedy to make the sci-fi leaps believable. The writer shared (viaThe Things):
[Tommy Lee Jones] said I needed to make up my mind whether it was a comedy or science fiction, and that it couldn’t be both. I said it wasn’t good enough science fiction to be dramatic.
Comedy would allow the leaps of faith needed for this to work. So I was asked to do a draft that was more dramatic and which made him the lead. But I argued that that wasn’t a good idea because it’s a world-build notion and he already knows the world.
While Will Smith’s gas incident might’ve been more obvious chaos, Jones’ no-nonsense attitude added a different level of tension. Director Barry Sonnenfeld revealed Tommy didn’t trust him at all. The actor even received calls from his agent, who accused the director of only wanting Smith to be funny. But Sonnenfeld insisted that Jones’ dry delivery was crucial to the movie’s comedic success. He admitted,
Tommy didn’t think that I knew what I was doing. I would get calls from his agent at the time, saying, ‘You only want Will Smith to be funny; you don’t want Tommy to be funny.’
Day one of filming proved how tough working with Jones would be. When he tried delivering his lines with too much emphasis, Sonnenfeld had to pull him back, reminding him that playing it straight would actually be funnier—and he’s got to be as flat and dry as possible.
Will Smith’s Farts Had Tommy Lee Jones Holding on to Dear Life During Men in Black
Even behind the scenes, Tommy Lee Jones’ attitude didn’t ease up. Stunt coordinator Rian Smrz recalled how Jones didn’t even shake his hand during their first meeting—and straight up pointed him to his double. Despite all the tension, Jones did eventually find a way to compliment the project, joking in interviews that the secret to being funny was “standing next to Will Smith and doing whatever Barry Sonnenfeld tells you to do.”
Will Smith’s Slap-tastic Nod to Oscars Incident Steals the Show inBad Boys 4
InBad Boys: Ride or Die, Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey took more than just bullets. In a climactic scene,Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett slaps Lowrey several times during a panic attack, and fans couldn’t help but link it toSmith’s infamous Oscars slapin 2022.
The moment drew laughs in early screenings, withVariety’s Owen Gleiberman calling it a direct reference to the Oscars incident, adding it felt like a pop exorcism. He wrote:
It’s ‘punishing’ Smith, making cruel fun of his transgression, and just maybe, in the process, allowing him to crawl out from under the image of it.
Smith has since apologized for the Oscars slap, but the self-aware nod inRide or Diesparked plenty of buzz.
Diddy Almost Came to Blows With Will Smith for Getting Too Close to Jennifer Lopez With Sleazy Intentions: ‘I want you to stay close ‘cause I’ma snuff him’
Men in Blackis available to watch on Apple TV & Amazon Prime.
Heena Singh
Editor | Former Senior Writer
Articles Published :1457
Heena Singh is a Editor at FandomWire, spent the last two years making waves in entertainment journalism. With a knack for digging up blockbuster celebrity scoops and an uncanny nose for the latest buzz, Heena’s articles bring a fresh and fun perspective to life. When she’s not conquering writing challenges, you’ll find her curled up in bed, peacefully sleeping.
