# Hollywood

Will Smith’s fart delayed ‘Men in Black’ filming, says director

‘Men in Black’ director Barry Sonnenfeld recalls a hilarious incident where Will Smith’s fart led to a 3-hour set evacuation during filming.

Statesman Web | October 3, 2024 1:33 pm

Will Smith’s fart delayed ‘Men in Black’ filming, says director

In a recent episode of the podcast ‘Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa’, director Barry Sonnenfeld shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes moment from the filming of ‘Men in Black’. The beloved sci-fi comedy, which starred Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, had its fair share of on-set antics, but one particular incident left an unforgettable impression.

According to Sonnenfeld, while filming an action-packed scene involving a high-speed, transforming car for ‘Men in Black’, things took a rather unexpected turn. The sequence required both Smith and Jones to be sealed inside a pod for filming. The pod was designed to keep the actors safe as the car flipped and sped through space, ensuring nothing could get in—or out—once they were locked in.

As the cameras started rolling, the director met with a sudden apology from Smith. “Oh Jesus, so sorry. Tommy, so sorry. Baz, get the ladder,” Smith reportedly said, sounding urgent.

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Sonnenfeld initially had no idea what had happened but quickly understood when Tommy Lee Jones, always calm and collected, simply reassured Smith by saying, “That’s fine, Will. No worries.”

However, the truth soon came out. It turns out, Will Smith had accidentally let out a loud fart inside the airtight pod. Sonnenfeld humorously recounted how no one wants to be in a tiny, sealed space with Smith after such an incident.

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“Some people are just farters,” Sonnenfeld said with a laugh. “And you really don’t want to be in that kind of situation when it happens.”

The situation became so unbearable that they had to evacuate the set for a full three hours. Despite the unexpected delay, Sonnenfeld was quick to praise Smith, calling him a “lovely guy” who just happens to have this one quirky habit.

‘Men in Black’, released in 1997, became a box office hit and led to two successful sequels in 2002 and 2012, all directed by Sonnenfeld and starring Smith and Jones.