In 2004, Alan Tudyk lent his features and voice to the standout android character in the sci-fi movie “I, Robot,” which was headlined by Will Smith. Despite this being a significant milestone in his career, Tudyk’s memories of the project are less than fond.<\/p>\n
In a 2004 sci-fi thriller, Will Smith starred as a detective in “I, Robot,” a film inspired by Isaac Asimov’s work, set in a future where robots serve as perfect assistants to humans. The plot revolves around Smith’s character investigating the murder of a robotics researcher, with a robot named Sonny being the prime suspect. In a recent episode of the podcast Toon\u2019d In with Jim Cummings, actor Alan Tudyk, who portrayed Sonny through motion capture and voice, shared some troubling experiences from his time on the film, describing how he left the project feeling “very upset” due to the studio’s unfair treatment.<\/p>\n
“Many people didn’t know I played the robot Sonny in I, Robot, and there’s a reason for that,” Tudyk revealed in comments reported by Variety. “They conducted test screenings for the movie, after which characters were rated. I was told, ‘Alan, you’re scoring higher than Will Smith.’ And then, I disappeared. There was no publicity about me, my name wasn’t mentioned.”<\/p>\n
“I was so shocked,” he continued. “I thought, ‘Wait, no one will know I was in the film!’ I had put so much into that role. I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.”<\/p>\n
Over two decades after the release of “I, Robot,” at a time when motion capture technology was not yet widely used, Alan Tudyk has recovered from this professional setback. A prolific “traditional” actor, particularly active in voice-over work for animated films, Tudyk later re-engaged with motion capture technology in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and the series “Andor,” where he played the droid K-2SO.<\/p>\n
Trailer for “I, Robot”:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n