Industry insight on I, Robot publicity

Tudyk says he was removed from I, Robot promotion after test audiences favored his Sonny performance over Will Smith's Del Spooner.

Alan Tudyk claims he tested higher than Will Smith in I, Robot publicity

Alan Tudyk says he was left out of promotional materials for I, Robot after early screenings showed audiences preferred his Sonny to Will Smith's Del Spooner. He described a moment when test scores were shared with the team and said, You’re testing higher than Will Smith, yet his name disappeared from publicity. Tudyk recalled that there was no publicity for him and that his name was not mentioned. The actor reflects on how this affected him at the time, noting, I put a lot into the performance and I was very upset. The Independent has reached out to 20th Century Fox and Smith for comment.

I, Robot arrived in 2004 during a peak period for Smith and followed a string of high profile projects. Tudyk later built a varied career, including a role as K-2SO in Rogue One. The piece also notes that the original casting discussions reportedly included Arnold Schwarzenegger and Denzel Washington, who turned down the part. The article ends by linking I, Robot to broader cultural conversations about robotics and technology that persist in popular media, alongside recent AI demonstrations by other tech companies.

The claim highlights how marketing decisions can influence an actor’s public profile, sometimes more than the performance itself. It suggests that studio strategies may prioritize star power over ensemble work, with publicity slots shaped by testing results rather than merit alone. This is a reminder that fame on a big screen is not only about what you do on the set, but how your image is packaged for audiences.

The episode also shows how careers can bend under the marketing machine. Tudyk went from a perceived omission in I, Robot publicity to later roles that put him back in the spotlight. It underscores a broader pattern in Hollywood where behind the scenes choices leave traces that outlast the films themselves, shaping how audiences remember a film and the people who made it.

Highlights

What stays hidden in promotion rooms often shapes what we remember about a film more than the credits do.