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By Veronica Mixon
June 22, 2002
When Will Smith enters the room, he seems
just a bit weary and red-eyed. After all, he's
promoting the sequel "Men in Black II," one of
the most successful comedies in recent years and
he's minding the kids while wife Jada is making
"Matrix 2 and 3." Nevertheless, he has a contented
air because of audience reaction from last night's
screening and the prospect of more dynamite movie
making in the coming months. When I met him at
the Essex House in New York City, Smith was dressed
casually in jeans, a T-shirt and a tiny diamond
hoop earring on his left lobe. The Philadelphia
bred rapper turned acting super star has retained
very little of his muscular body from his Oscar
nominated performance in "Ali." Nevertheless,
he's still the jolly, friendly man who entertainments
millions and answers any question with a thoughtful
smile.
THE INTERVIEW
Jada told us you were trying to get a role
in Matrix 2and 3 and she said no!
"The Matrix was originally a script that
I had. I was going to do that one and Jada, because
we were together, she loved the concept and the
guys. And, now that she's in "Matrix 2 and 3,"
she said, you stay the hell away from this movie.
Why did you turn it down? Was it to do "Wild,
Wild West?" [Pauses] I know, yeah! [Laughs] It
was one of those concepts that were really hard
to pitch. "The Matrix" - hey listen there is this
other world and the computers have taken over.
Ok? Let's go straight to "The Wild, Wild West."
It's been five years since the first "Men in Black"
movie.
Why so long?
It wasn't the deals at all. Once there was a
script and everybody's schedules lined up, it
was relatively easy. There was no way they could
pay everyone so it was like OK, they [the studio]
was pretty much out of it. We [Spielberg, director,
and stars] had to meet and make the deal ourselves.
The deal wasn't an issue. When you have a film
this success, you don't want to mess it up because
sequels are historically not as entertaining as
the first film.
How do you fix that?
As actors, it wasn't a difficult concept. It
was more Spielberg, Barry and the producers to
figure out how they were going to do their part.
Hollywood is kind of forgiving in that way. If
a film is hugely successful, everyone says Will
and Tommy Lee gave a performance of a lifetime.
If a film is not successful, people say Tommy
is an Oscar winner and Will is an Oscar nominee,
Barry must not have done his job. You can't get
it out of those guys... Actors are protected in
that way.
What were you looking for in a sequel?
It had to be funny. We saw that there had to
be an emotional base for it and we had to plant
comedy in it for adults that went over kids' heads.
I was given the kids stuff. If you give people
three really big applause laughs in the course
of the film, things they can talk about in the
car, it covers up the holes. I call it the ether
effect.
Did you insist that they also do 'Ali' and
'Men in Black II?'
That was unspoken. They knew that 'Ali' was something
that I was really passionate about and it would
be very difficult to pull the plug on an actor's
movie and then come back to ask me to do a sequel.
Tell us about Michael Jackson appearance the
film?
Michael called after the first film and he said,
'listen, if there is ever a part two, I'm in this
movie!' He said creatively he was so moved by
the first film because he's a movie buff. There's
nothing he could compare 'Men in Black' to because
it was really good. People really react positively.
It was as if he removed a cloak in the first place.
Well, we think of him as an alien, so that's why
it was funny. It was almost like he allowed people
to laugh with him. And, by playing an alien, he
said I'm human, too.
Are you and Jada the coolest couple in Hollywood?
What's the secret to your relationship success?
The hard, cold, brutal, unadulterated truth.
You know, with each other. It really hurts sometimes.
It's like 'wow, you said that!' [Laughs] We take
it down because there's no such thing as a little
lie or a big lie. You're either telling the truth
or you're not? What do you think of that dress?
I don't like it at all. [Pretends to pause] No,
it's whack!
She told me that there are only two days a
year when she knows it's bad Will day and to stay
out of your way.
[Laughs] Yeah, for the most part, I have a necessity
- what does she call me? She says I'm creatively
co-dependent! And, for example, in this situation,
I need you to be in a good mood in order for me
to function properly. For some reason, my mind
zeros in on bad moods and it's like it tugs on
me when someone in my immediate vicinity isn't
in positive a state of mind. So I take it upon
myself to lighten it up and loosen it up to get
people into a positive state of mind. It isn't
this wonderful, selfless act. It's actually kind
of selfish!
What did you do to Tommy Lee Jones?
With Tommy in an interview situation, the first
question is the most important question. Tommy
is almost genius level in terms of his intellect.
So, [if you ask] what was it like working with
aliens? [His arms motion in a downward spiral]
What should I ask him? [Laughs] I'm not smart
enough!
What was it like on the set?
Oh, we have a ball on the set. He's real professional
and Tommy is silly. That's the thing. When we
were overseas, we were doing interviews and I
take all of the dumb questions. [Laughs] Because
I have fun. Somebody asked what was like working
with Frank [the dog in the movie]? I said Frank
is a really wonderful actor and he has incredible,
impeccable, comedic timing. The passion you see
in that dog's eyes when he delivers his lines
is unlike anything that I've ever seen. And, I
said but he can be a bit of asshole sometimes.
Tommy sat there and said, 'yeah he's got a bit
of an self identity crisis ever since the castration.'
He says stuff like that all the time. He just
needs to be inspired.
Are you going on tour again?
I've got to go on tour. There's nothing in the
world that compares to being on stage with a hit
record. There's nothing compares to standing on
stage and the first two or three seconds when
people recognize the notes of a song and start
to scream. There's something that music does to
people that no other form of entertainment - maybe
boxing - that people have that reaction.
Do you think of yourself more as a musician
rather than an actor?
In my mind, I'm a rapper first. When I record
an album, the time in the studio, I always I get
back to Philly and to the roots of the time that
created the joy of essentially what I try to sell.
I try to sell joy. My music always informs the
next three or four years of films. I go get my
slang current, what kids are wearing, how their
hair is done and spend that time.
What's next for you?
Bad Boys II. It starts the middle of August
with Martin and director Michael Bey. Michael
Bey wants to make sure this film lines up more
dramatically than the first one. Also, I'll do
voice for a character in the DreamWorks movie,
Shark's Lair. And then I'll work with Jennifer
Lopez. We have a script. We're looking to work
together in a romantic comedy but it's still in
the idea stages.
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