Alan Tudyk Excluded from I Robot Publicity

The actor behind Sonny says he was sidelined from the film’s publicity after test audiences favored his robot over Will Smith’s character.

Alan Tudyk Excluded from I Robot Publicity After Sonny Ratings

Alan Tudyk helped bring Sonny to life in I, Robot, a role that became essential to the film’s sci‑fi atmosphere. Yet after a test screening reportedly showed audiences responded more to Sonny than to Will Smith’s Del, Tudyk says he was cut from the film’s publicity push and his name was not mentioned on tour materials.

In a recent podcast, Tudyk explained that the decision was tied to internal test results rather than the strength of his performance. He says the feedback led to a swift shift in how the movie was marketed, effectively sidestepping the performer behind the lead robot. Tudyk adds that this left him with little public recognition for a key early mocap role at a time when the field was still carving out its place in mainstream cinema.

The episode sheds light on how marketing decisions can eclipse technical or performative contributions. In 2004, motion capture was still gaining legitimacy as a storytelling tool, and Tudyk’s Sonny was a pivotal example of that shift. The choice to minimize his credit illustrates the tension between star power and behind‑the‑camera labor. As mocap and digital characters become more central to big films, studios face pressure to balance publicity with credit for the artists who render those performances.

This case also hints at a broader pattern in Hollywood where audience tests can determine who is highlighted in promotion. If audiences grow attached to a nonhuman lead, studios may reframe or downplay the human performers who gave those characters their shape. The industry is still learning how to fairly recognize performers who work primarily behind a computer or in motion capture studios.

Highlights

Credit and publicity shape how audiences remember a performance.