Will Smith has made some dodgy films, but few are as universally disliked as 1999 action movie Wild Wild West. In an episode of GQ’s Actually Me, the blockbuster actor says he agrees with the haters on this one.
For the interview, Smith responds to queries involving him from across the internet. On Quora, he spots a question asking about his best and worst projects. Wild Wild West takes the prize for worst, though not for any discernible reason. “Worst? I don’t know. Wild Wild West just is a thorn in my side,” Smith says. “To see myself with chaps – I don’t like it.”
Truly, Wild Wild West was a bit of a disaster for all involved. The family movie has Smith as US Army Captain James T West, hunting an ex-Confederate General with US Marshall Artemus Gordon (Kevin Kline). It’s set some years after the American Civil War, in an alternate, steampunk-esque history. Barry Sonnenfeld, of Men In Black and The Addams Family, directed it, and the best thing about it now is the punchline to this Kevin Smith bit.
Will Smith notes the first Men In Black, and The Pursuit of Happyness as “two almost perfect” movies. The latter saw him nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards, and the former stands as one of the best science fiction movies of the ’90s.
Currently, Smith is taking on the role of Richard Williams, the tennis coach and father of Venus and Serena Williams, for King Richard. The drama movie is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zack Baylin. One of many irons he has in the fire, he’s starring Emancipation, a thriller movie from Antoine Fuqua, next year, and he’s producing a musical movie based on he and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s hit single ‘Summertime’.
King Richard is out in theatres November 19. US viewers can check it out via streaming service HBO Max.