Alan Tudyk's 'I, Robot' Publicity Snub: Outscored Will Smith
Alan Tudyk has carved a distinctive niche in Hollywood, frequently embodying characters beyond the human realm. Whether lending his voice to beloved animated figures in films like Moana and Encanto, portraying aliens in Resident Alien, or bringing robots to life in Rogue One and Superman, his versatility in otherworldly roles is undeniable. Yet, long before many of these iconic performances, Tudyk took on the pivotal role of Sonny, the advanced lead robot in the 2004 blockbuster I, Robot, starring Will Smith. What many filmgoers might not realize, however, is the surprising reason Tudyk’s significant contribution to the film went largely unacknowledged during its massive promotional campaign.
The curious omission of Tudyk from the I, Robot press circuit remained a quiet industry secret until recently, when the actor revealed the full story on the “Toon’d In with Jim Cummings” podcast. According to Tudyk, the decision stemmed directly from the film’s test screenings. “They were doing test audiences for the movie, and they score the characters in this kind of test screening,” Tudyk recounted. The feedback was startling: “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.” This abrupt exclusion, Tudyk explained, was the calculated move that kept his involvement as Sonny a mystery to many.
Tudyk vividly recalled his profound disappointment at the time. “I was so shocked,” he admitted. “I was like, ‘Wait, nobody is going to know I’m in it!’ I put a lot into [my performance].” Indeed, his portrayal of Sonny was not merely a voice role; it was a complex performance capture undertaking, requiring him to master specific robotic movements and embody the character physically. This was a nascent field in the early 2000s, just a few years after groundbreaking, yet sometimes divisive, digital characters like Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace and Gollum in The Lord of the Rings had pushed the boundaries of the technology. For Tudyk, who would later become more closely associated with performance capture through roles like K-2SO, this early, uncredited effort represented a significant personal and professional investment.
While Will Smith has not publicly addressed Tudyk’s revelations—and is unlikely to—the actor’s experience resonates within Hollywood’s long-standing dynamics. It’s not uncommon for major box-office draws to command the lion’s share of promotional attention, and there is ample precedent for leading stars being disinclined to share the spotlight, particularly when a co-star, even a digitally rendered one, unexpectedly garners more favorable audience reactions. Tudyk’s account offers a rare glimpse into the calculations that can shape a film’s public narrative, where even a critically acclaimed performance can be sidelined if it inadvertently overshadows the film’s primary star.
Ultimately, Tudyk’s pivotal role as Sonny in I, Robot stands as a testament to his early mastery of performance capture, a skill that would define much of his subsequent career. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the often-unseen efforts behind cinematic magic and the complex interplay of talent, technology, and star power that dictates who gets to stand in the promotional glare.