Alan Tudyk says test scores affected his publicity in I Robot

Alan Tudyk says he tested higher with audiences than Will Smith during I, Robot test screenings, which led to him being dropped from the film's publicity.

Alan Tudyk Dropped From I Robot Publicity After Test Screenings

Alan Tudyk spoke on the Toon’d In with Jim Cummings podcast about his role as Sonny the Robot in the 2004 film I, Robot. He says test audiences scored his performance higher than Will Smith, and as a result he was removed from the movie’s publicity. Tudyk described being told that he outperformed the lead in tests, followed by a sudden blackout of his name in marketing materials.

The interview also notes Tudyk’s use of motion capture and voice work for Sonny, a technology still gaining traction in Hollywood at the time. Tudyk went on to reprise similar performance work later in Rogue One and Andor, underscoring how the craft behind the scenes can shape a performer’s public recognition even when their character is central to the film’s identity.

The episode shows how test screenings can steer publicity choices more than a film’s on-screen presence. Marketing teams often act on audience feedback, and a strong showing by a supporting character can erase an actor’s contributions from the public narrative. This raises questions about credit and visibility for performers who contribute to a movie in nonlead roles.

It also spotlights the fragile link between artistic contribution and marketing outcomes. Tudyk’s Sonny helped define I, Robot’s tech-forward appeal, yet the public memory of the film can hinge on whose name appears in posters and trailers. This dynamic invites a broader reckoning about recognition in an era when digital effects and motion capture blur the line between on-screen presence and behind-the-scenes craft.

Highlights

Public memory in film is shaped as much by marketing as by screen craft.