Alan Tudyk, Will Smith 'Controversy' Explained: Did The Actors Work Together Again Following the I, Robot Issue?

With an acting career that spans decades and two Emmy nominations to his name, Alan Tudyk is among Hollywood's most successful stars. Over the years, he has explored every genre onscreen, from drama to comedy to sci-fi.

Among Tudyk's most successful films is I, Robot, the 2004 sci-fi action movie headlined by Will Smith. Interestingly, however, Tudyk's involvement in the futuristic flick had been downplayed over the years, with the actor claiming that this was done deliberately.

Alan Tudyk Says He Was Purposely Left Out of I, Robot

Back in the early 2000s, Tudyk was already a regular fixture in Hollywood, having landed roles in major films such as Patch Adams, 28 Days, and A Knight's Tale. At that time, the star was also gradually making his way into animated roles, having been cast to voice three characters for the Oscar-nominated feature Ice Age. Hence, it didn't come as a surprise when the actor was tapped for a major role in I, Robot.

Directed by Alex Proyas, the film tells the story of a cop (Smith) launching an investigation into an alleged crime committed by a robot (Tudyk). And while Tudyk's role puts the 'robot' in I, Robot, his involvement was largely left out when they did press for the film. Years later, Tudyk claims it was all intentional.

While speaking on the podcast Toon'd In! with Jim Cummings, Tudyk revealed that they did test screenings for the movie, where he ended up scoring higher than Smith. Following the results, Tudyk found himself left out of the promotional campaigns for I, Robot. 'I was gone,' the actor recalled. 'There was no publicity and my name was not mentioned.'

Alan Tudyk, Will Smith 'Controversy'

Following the release of I, Robot, both actors went their separate ways, pursuing various onscreen projects. For Tudyk, that included several live-action franchise movies such as Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as animated features like Astro Boy, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Frozen, Wreck-It-Ralph, and Moana. More recently, the actor also starred in James Gunn's Superman and the Syfy comedy Resident Alien.

Smith, meanwhile, has gone on to become one of Hollywood's biggest A-listers, headlining films such as The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, Hancock, and Concussion. More recently, Smith also starred in the biopic King Richard, which earned him an Oscar (but also set the stage for his infamous Oscar slap moment).

Tudyk and Smith eventually crossed paths again, thanks to one particular Disney movie. Back in 2019, Disney released the highly anticipated live-action version of its classic hit Aladdin with Guy Ritchie at the helm. The film sees Smith portray the much-beloved (sometimes) blue Genie. Meanwhile, Tudyk also signed on to the project to voice the villainous macaw parrot Iago.

While it's unclear if the two men managed to catch up behind the scenes, the Disney film went on to be a huge success. And while Tudyk and Smith have since gone their separate ways again, a reunion might be in the cards. After all, Ritchie has been vocal about doing a possible Aladdin 2, and the two stars will likely be tapped to reprise their roles.