Summary
Will Smith recalls taking a real punch while filmingAliwith director Michael Mann. Released in 2001,Alisees Smith take on the role of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. The film, which wasMann’s follow-up afterHeatin 1995 andThe Insiderin 1999, features a number of hard-hitting fight scenes, with one, in particular, chronicling the fight between Ali and boxer Sonny Liston (Michael Bentt).
During a recent appearance on “Hot Ones” from theFirst We FeastYouTube channel, Smith recalls Bentt accidentally punching him for real while filmingAli.
The actor reveals that the hit actually resulted in some serious confusion in the immediate aftermath, with the actor becoming interested in finding his car keys. Check out Smith’s recollection of the punch below:
“I was leaning back and my trainer was trying to get me to get the angle of my spine forward. And in this second I just was like, you know, ‘Commit!’ And I committed and leaned forward, and almost as an instinctual reaction, Michael Bentt threw a right hand.
“I saw it coming at the last second and I put my head down, and he caught me with a right hand right on top of my head, but it didn’t knock my head back. It compressed my neck down onto my spine and I felt an electrical shock go down the back of both arms to my elbows. And all I could think was, ‘Where the f–k are my keys? Where are my car keys?’
“You know when you’re a kid and you do the nine volt battery [against the tongue]? I had that, like an electrical taste in my mouth. And that was the hardest I’ve ever been hit on a movie set. That was a rough one.”
Was Ali A Hit For Will Smith?
The Michael Mann Film Didn’t Totally Work
After starring inThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airfrom 1990 to 1996,Bad Boysin 1995,Independence Dayin 1996, and thefirstMen in Blackin 1997, Smith was undeniably on a hot streak. He went from being a star in the world of TV to being a major, in-demand movie star. Smith continued his success withEnemy of the Statein 1998, but he experienced his first major failure in 1999 with the infamousWild Wild West, which didn’t resonate with either audiences or critics.
AliwasSmith’s first movie roleafterWild Wild West, and it certainly had the makings of a comeback film for the actor. Ali, the boxer, is one of the most iconic figures in sports history, and a biopic done right had the potential to strike gold critically and commercially. Unfortunately, the 2001 film didn’t quite connect. Made on a budget estimated to be around $107 million,Alimade only $87.7 million at the box office, making it a commercial flop.
Every Michael Mann Movie, Ranked Worst To Best
Michael Mann is one of the most prolific crime thriller directors ever, although as Ferreri demonstrates, he veers into other genres as well.
The film fared better with critics, earning generally favorable, though somewhat lukewarm, reviews. With a strong leading performance and Mann’s eye for filmmaking,the movie offers up some powerful moments even if it doesn’t totally capture the life of the iconic sports figure. One silver lining for Smith is that he received an Oscar nomination for his performance, but he ultimately lost out to Denzel Washington inTraining Day. Clearly, though, judging from the story above,Aliis a memorable film for Smith for more reasons than just his Oscar nomination.
Smith finally won an Oscar in 2022forKing Richardat the same ceremony in which he infamously slapped Chris Rock.
Ali
Cast
Ali is a biographical drama film directed by Michael Mann, chronicling ten years in the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, portrayed by Will Smith. Released in 2001, the film explores key moments in Ali’s career, including his historic fight against Sonny Liston, his conversion to Islam, and his stand against the Vietnam War. The cast also includes Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, and Mario Van Peebles.
