Alan Tudyk has revealed that he was removed from the promotional campaign for the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot after test audiences scored his performance higher than that of the film's star, Will Smith. Speaking on the Toon'd In with Jim Cummings podcast, Tudyk recounted how the studio reacted to the positive response to his character, Sonny the robot.
“They were doing test audiences with the movie and they score the characters and I got word back, ‘Alan, you’re testing higher than Will Smith,’” Tudyk said. “And then I was gone. There was no publicity and my name was not mentioned.” He added that he was “very upset” at the time, particularly because he had invested heavily in the role, providing both the voice and the motion-capture performance for the CGI character.
Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot is set in Chicago in 2035, where robots serve in public roles. Will Smith plays Detective Del Spooner, who investigates the murder of the U.S. Robotics founder, with Sonny as the prime suspect. The film also stars Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and James Cromwell.
Tudyk's exclusion from promotional materials meant that few audience members knew he played Sonny. The film was later nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, losing to Spider-Man 2. Tudyk’s comments shed light on the studio’s decision to prioritise Smith’s star power over acknowledging a supporting actor’s contribution.
