In a recent interview, director Barry Sonnenfeld shared a laugh-inducing anecdote from the set of the iconic 1997 film Men In Black, starring Will Smith as Agent J and Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K. Sonnenfeld recounted a memorable incident when a fart from Will Smith caused a three-hour halt to filming.
“We were preparing to shoot a scene where Will and Tommy are placed in a device that transforms into a hypercar,” Sonnenfeld explained on Kelly Ripa’s podcast, Let’s Talk Off Camera. As the cameras rolled, Smith’s unexpected gas escape took everyone by surprise. “I hear Will say, ‘Oh, Jesus. So sorry. Tommy, so sorry. Baz, get the ladder!’ It turns out, Will Smith is a notorious farter,” he quipped.
The confined space of the transforming car created a unique challenge. “We evacuated the stage for about three hours,” Sonnenfeld said, laughing off the incident. “You really don’t want to be inside a very small hermetically sealed space with a Will Smith fart.”
Last year, Will Smith revealed how producer Steven Spielberg persuaded him to join the Men In Black franchise after the success of his blockbuster Independence Day. In an episode of Kevin Hart’s talk show Heart to Hart, Smith admitted he was initially hesitant to take on another alien-themed movie so soon. “I didn’t want to make two alien movies back to back,” he said, recalling that Spielberg sent a helicopter to discuss the project face-to-face, ultimately convincing him to sign on.
Barry Sonnenfeld and Will Smith would continue their successful partnership with two sequels, Men in Black II in 2002 and Men in Black 3 in 2012, along with the 1999 film Wild Wild West. Their collaboration has become a significant part of both their careers, solidifying their status in Hollywood.
As fans celebrate the Men In Black legacy, this hilarious behind-the-scenes moment serves as a reminder of the fun and unpredictability that often accompany filmmaking.
