Will Smith Interview

WILL SMITH

Will Smith is on fine form. The star of Men in Black and Independence Day has every right to be happy: his latest film, I Robot, has achieved that rarest of cinematic feats: a blockbuster which is receiving rave reviews from the critics. Not only that, but the film's $50m + opening weekend in the U.S. has given Smith his highest ever-opening weekend. The Fresh Prince has come along way, and Smith is buoyant..

Smith is a refreshingly candid subject to interview, and readily jokes about some of the critical maulings he has taken over the years. "Independence Day was the only film ever to get four thumbs down on Siskel and Ebert!" he laughs, referring to the Barry Normans of American television. "That's never happened before or since. Wild Wild West, what can I tell you, we took a swing and missed with that one. But Bad Boys 2 was a shame - I always thought there was a really good movie trying to get out of the bigger one that we actually made."

No such bad news for I, Robot however, in which Smith plays a cop on the trail of a robot which may have turned against its creator. Set in 2035, the film boasts hugely impressive visuals and also remains faithful to the ideas about robotics as laid down by seminal writer Isaac Asimov. It's a subject that has always fascinated Smith. "Math and science has always been my things", he explains. "I always wanted to be a scientist when I was a kid. But when I saw Star Wars I felt that the sci-fi element was something of a spiritual connection for me and it spurred me to go into entertainment".

Smith is also an avid fan of technology, and admits that he has all of the latest gadgets in his house, his favourite being the ubiquitous I-pod which he calls "the invention of the Millennium". He also believes that Asimov's predictions will come true and that robots will become a prevalent part of our daily lives in the not-too-distant future. He would be first in the queue to buy one. "I need a robot golf caddy - that's the only way my game is going to improve". On a lighter note Smith jokes about the shower scene at the beginning of the film, which has sent the collective heart beat of female America pulsing just a little bit faster than usual. He denies that they closed the set for the scene. "We actually brought people in" he jokes. "Actually it is really bizarre and awkward. But it was really important character nakedness!!