Alan Tudyk Says He Tested Better Than Will Smith in I, ROBOT

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Alan Tudyk has become synonymous with playing robots, as demonstrated by his performances this year in Superman and Andor where he brought Robot #5 (Gary) to life and reprised K2SO. His extensive experience includes providing both voiceovers and motion capture for such roles, making him a seasoned professional in the field. Interestingly enough, Tudyk has been acting robots on screen for over two decades now. Surprisingly, you might not be aware that he was the performance capture and voice behind Sonny, the main NS5 automaton from the 2004 sci-fi movie I, Robot. Remarkably, Will Smith intentionally kept this fact hidden from viewers!

In a recent episode of the podcast “Toon’d In with Jim Cummings,” Tudyk revealed that during test screenings for the Alex Proyas-directed film, he actually received higher ratings than lead actor Will Smith. As a result, Tudyk claims, he was excluded from all promotional materials and media appearances prior to the movie’s premiere. Here is his quote, as reported in Variety.

In a recent podcast episode, Tudyk shared that during test screenings for the Alex Proyas film, he scored higher than lead actor Will Smith. Consequently, Tudyk believes he was omitted from all marketing and press events before the movie’s release.]

Many people may be unaware that Tudyk played Sonny the Robot in the movie I, Robot, but there’s an explanation for this. During test screenings for the film, characters were scored based on audience response. Tudyk learned that he was scoring higher than Will Smith in these tests. However, due to limited publicity and no mention of his name, his role went relatively unnoticed.

He went on to express his surprise, saying something along the lines of, ‘Gosh, I never thought anyone would recognize me in that! I really poured my heart into it.’ He found himself having to act stiffly and mechanically, which left him feeling quite disappointed at the moment.

In the year 2004, it was generally discouraged for supporting actors, especially those not primarily recognized, to overshadow the main star. With few exceptions like Andy Serkis’ Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings,” who was prominently featured in marketing materials, such roles typically didn’t garner much recognition during that time period.

As a movie enthusiast, having personally watched I, Robot, it’s no wonder to me that Tudyk’s portrayal resonates so strongly. Sonny, the robot character, steals the show with his empathetic and captivating performance. The tragic tale of a robot accused of murder makes him instantly relatable. In contrast, Detective Del Spooner (played by Smith) comes off as a bit grumpy and old-fashioned, which pales in comparison to Sonny’s charm. Without a doubt, it’s the likeable Sonny that audiences would find themselves cheering for.

Today, at least, both performance capture technology and actor Werner Herzog’s work are being acknowledged with the respect they truly merit.

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob. Every week, he delves into the world of pop culture with his podcast, Laser Focus. Check out his movie and television critiques here. Keep up with him on Letterboxd.

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2025-08-12 02:03