Few Hollywood leading men weredominating the silver screenin the 2000s quite likeWill Smith, with the Oscar-winner having headlined countless hits during the period, likeHitch, The Pursuit of Happyness, andI Am Legend.In 2004, Smith appeared in the sci-fi blockbusterI, Robot, a film that takes place in the not-so-distant future in which highly intelligent robots work as public servants all around the world in order to keep humans safe. Smith portrays a homicide detective who investigates the death of the inventor of modern robotics, whom he believes was murdered by one of the machines.
Lauded for its stunning visuals, thought-provoking premise, and stellar performances,I, Robotfeatured the additional talents of famous faces like Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and Shia LaBeouf, though many fans may not realize thatResident AlienstarAlan Tudykalso appeared in the film as Sonny, a human-like robot with emotions who becomes the detective’s primary suspect. Let’s take a look at why Tudyk’s involvement in the film flew under the radar of audiences.
Will Smith Stars in a Profound & Socially Prevalent Sci-Fi Blockbuster
ThoughI, Robotfirst premiered more than two decades ago, the blockbuster hitfeels extremely relevant in today’s dayand age, thanks to advancements in AI and robotics, making the movie’s story all the more unsettling for audiences. In the riveting sci-fi flick inspired by Isaac Asimov’s 1950 novel, Oscar-winner Will Smith stars as the hardened homicide detective Del Spooner, who harbors a fierce hatred for robots after one rescued him from a car accident and allowed a young girl to drown in his place. Spooner is very distrustful of the humanoid robots, who are supposed to serve humanity under the Three Laws of Robotics.
When Dr. Alfred Lanning (the inventor of modern robotics) plummets to his death from his office window and leaves behind a message specifically for Spooner, he sets out to investigate the crime despite pushback from his business associates. With the help of the savvy robot expert Dr. Susan Calvin (Moynahan),Spooner focuses his attention on Lanning’s human-like robot Sonny (Tudyk), whom he believes is responsible for his death. Spooner and Calvin must race against the clock after they make the chilling discovery that a sinister conspiracy is at play that could potentially lead to the enslavement of society.
Tudyk’s Scene-Stealing Performance in ‘I, Robot’ Stirs Up Trouble
Despite providing the voice and the motion capture for Sonny, a robot who feels human emotions and possesses free will, Alan Tudyk’s involvement inI, Robotwas not heavily promoted. In a 2025 interview onToon’d In with Jim Cummings, Tudyk provided insight into why he was removed fromI, Robot’s marketing trail, whichhe claimed was due to him testing better than Will Smith with audiences in early screenings. TheResident Alienstarrevealed that viewers preferred his character, Sonny, to Smith’s robot-hating homicide detective Del Spooner, which did not bode well for Tudyk.
“A lot of people didn’t know I did Sonny and there’s a reason for that,” Tudyk said while speaking to Cummings, before further explaining: “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.'” Seemingly as a result of the early screenings and character reception,Tudyk claimed he was essentially removed from all involvement in the film’s promotion despite the actor having “put a lot into” the performance, saying he was “very upset” by the decision. “Then I was gone. I was gone. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned.”
I, Robotmade its explosive debut in theaters on August 24, 2025 and went on to gross over $353 million worldwide, ultimately garnering a mixed bag response from critics who appreciated its profound premise, thrilling visuals, and director Alex Proyas’ spellbinding futuristic setting, though many felt it barely had an resemblance to Isaac Asimov’s short stories. Nonetheless,I, Robotearned nominations for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards and Best Sci-Fi Film at the Saturn Awards, withUrban Cinefile declaring it"the meanest, meatiest, coolest, most engaging and exciting science fiction movie in a long time."
Even though his involvement inI, Robotwas criminally downplayed by the studio,Tudyk’s compelling performance as the sensitive Sonny is largely one of the reasons why the film did so well. Tudyk’s performance deeply resonated with audiences as he brilliantly captured hope, compassion, love, and uncertainty as he attempted to navigate the world and discover his true purpose for being in it, bringing a much-needed emotional depth to the adaptation while also delivering a scene-stealing performance in one fell swoop.
StreamI, RobotonHulu.
