“You can’t say no to that”: Kevin Hart was Stunned Learning Steven Spielberg Sent an Helicopter to Will Smith to Pitch Him $589M Movie

Steven Spielberg produced Men In Black is regarded as a huge success, and it currently holds a rating of 91 percent on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. But the lead actor, Will Smith, needed a lot of convincing to take the role. Produced by Spielberg, Men in Black spawned two sequels in 2002 and 2012. The franchise was rebooted in 2019, with Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth taking on the lead roles.

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Steven Spielberg Sent Will Smith a Helicopter To Get Him To Do MIB

Steven Spielberg left no stone unturned to get Will Smith to star in Men in Black. Smith, 54, revealed on the latest episode of Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart show on Peacock that he initially didn’t want to star in Men in Black. Citing the reason for his decision, Smith said, “That was the next year after Independence Day. So I didn’t want to make two alien movies back to back.” But neither was Spielberg ready to give up on casting Smith. What next the director did was a shocker for host Kevin Hart.

Will Smith revealed on the show that,

“Steven Spielberg sent a helicopter for me,” he said, “I was in New York. [He sent it] to talk to me. It landed at his house, and he had me at hello.” Smith added, “[I] get off the helicopter at his house, and it was the first time I ever had lemonade with carbonated water, You can’t say no to that.”

The actor eventually said yes and took on the role of Agent J in Men in Black and its two subsequent sequels Men in Black 2 and Men in Black 3 alongside Tommy Lee Jones.

Also, read- “Let me talk to her”: Harrison Ford Cajoled Ex-Wife Into Working for Steven Spielberg for His $792M Movie Only to Have His Scenes Deleted from the Film.

Steven Spielberg To Be Honored With Eva Monley Award

Director, producer, and writer Steven Spielberg will be honored with the Eva Monley Award from the Location Managers Guild International at its 10^th annual LMGI Awards on August 26, 2023, at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage. The announcement was made by LMGI Awards Committee co-chairs John Rakich and Robin Citrin. The Eva Monley Award is given to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the art and craft of filmmaking through their commitment to the use of real locations.

Praising Spielberg’s works and his contributions, John Rakich said,

“Steven Spielberg is a giant in our industry. His work has touched, inspired, and entertained millions of moviegoers and filmmakers from around the world. His films are timeless and his influence on the motion picture industry is immeasurable. We are so proud to be able to honor him as this year’s Eva Monley Award recipient.” 

This year also marks the LMGI’s 20th anniversary.

Also, read- Harrison Ford Was Refused by Steven Spielberg in His Most Poignant Movie for a Surprising Reason Despite Collaborating With Star Wars Actor in His $2.3B Franchise.

Source: Hart to Heart