In the present world, it would be close to impossible to find someone who has not heard about Will Smith. The actor is one of the biggest names in the movie industry, as he has worked in some of the biggest TV Series and movies in the history of cinema. And, to think that there was a time when the King Richard actor was known more for his music than his acting is just strange. One of the major movies that Will Smith had done in his career is the Men in Black trilogy, to think that someone else would play the role is unthinkable.
Will Smith
However, in the 90s when the Independence Day actor’s popularity reached incredible heights, solidifying himself as one of the biggest names in the industry had rejected to work in the sci-fi film. However, he was not the only person who turned down the opportunity to work with Steven Spielberg as another prominent name had rejected to work alongside the renowned filmmaker.

Will Smith Was Skeptical To Work In Men in Black

As ardent fans of the franchise know that Men in Black tells the story of Agent J, an NYPD cop recruited by an organization that keeps the extraterrestrial lifeforms on Earth in check. However, Will Smith had his doubts about doing the film, as he had made some solid career moves that helped him to dominate the 90s becoming a globally recognized movie star.
Will Smith in Men in Black
As an actor, he possessed natural comedic timing, making him the perfect actor to play the role of Agent J, but he had almost turned down the role. Smith shed more light on this topic on his YouTube channel, calling it Storytime videos in which he discusses moments that shaped his life and career. In the episode titled Why I Turned Down The Matrix, the actor stated his doubts about doing the 1997 film, but Spielberg convinced him to do it.
“I had done Independence Day the year before. So, I was like, ‘I’m not doing another alien movie. I don’t want to be the alien movie guy.’ So, I turned down Men in Black. And Steven Spielberg called me. He was producing. He said, ‘Why’re you turning down the movie?’ I said, ‘You know, I just don’t want to be the Alien Guy.’ He said, ‘Um, do me a favor. Don’t use your brain for this one. Use my brain.’ He was so serious that I was like, ‘Alright. You did do Jaws.’”
A still from Men in Black
Will Smith would be grateful to Spielberg for convincing him to do the sci-fi movie because it was a massive hit, earning $587.7 million worldwide. However, Will Smith was not the only person who almost passed on the opportunity to be a part of a smash-hit franchise, as Richard Dreyfus is another name who had turned down to work alongside Spielberg.

Richard Dreyfuss Explains The Reason For Declining Jaws

Richard Dreyfuss was part of the 1975 blockbuster movie, Jaws that was directed by Steven Spielberg. But he had initially passed on the opportunity to play the role in the movie recommended by George Lucas, who had directed Dreyfuss in American Graffiti two years before. 
Richard Dreyfuss in Jaws
However, the actor went onto Twitter, explaining that he rejected the opportunity because he did not want to shoot the film, but after watching the success of the film, he came to his senses.

When they asked me to do Jaws I said no. I said I wanted to watch it but not have to shoot it. Eventually I came to my senses. It only took a few weeks into production to realize that Steven was a genius and he was going to change the world. RIP Rob & Roypic.twitter.com/pmVn74jFIg

— Richard Dreyfuss (@RichardDreyfuss) September 4, 2022
Steven Spielberg’s Jaws has become a cult classic and even after nearly five decades, the film remains immensely popular because it was well-made and cleverly written. However, Spielberg’s revolutionized the movie industry because watching a killer shark hunting people was easier than watching war films.