Will Smith sent a funny apology to Michael Bay in the form of his new book with a specific inscription. Smith and Bay first worked together on 1995's Bad Boys, a buddy-cop action film produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. The action movie launched Smith into superstardom, shedding his Fresh Prince image and leading to roles in mega hits like Independence Day and Men In Black. Bad Boys was also Bay's first film, which in turn launched his career, leading to The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys II and the Transformers franchise.
Smith recently published an autobiography entitled Will which recounts his personal life and Hollywood career, noting various instances that led to his superstardom. One of those tales is his experience working with Bay on Bad Boys, particularly in a chase sequence through the streets of Miami in broad daylight. Bay wanted Smith to go topless as he ran through the streets with a gun, chasing bad guys who had just kidnapped his co-star, Tea Leoni. Smith was resistant to the idea, but Bay's persistence led to a compromise in which Smith would wear an open button-up, exposing his chest. After the sequence was shot, Bay happily yelled to Smith that he just made him a movie star.
In a new video posted by Bay on his Instagram, the director is seen with a copy of Smith's book, which he says was a gift from the actor, opening it up to reveal an inscription that reads "Okay, Michael. You were right, I was wrong!" Bay jokingly responds in the video, saying it "looks like an apology" for making Smith run with his shirt half off and "making him a movie star." It's a fun video, noting the impact that both Bay and Smith had on each other's careers as a result of Bad Boys, making them both stars by all accounts. Check out the video below:
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Bay and Smith worked together again on Bad Boys II in 2003, but have yet to collaborate again. In 2020, Smith returned to the franchise for Bad Boys For Life, which was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who are currently at work on the new Batgirl movie. Bay is set to release Ambulance this year, an action film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Smith is finishing up the slave drama Emancipation from director Antoine Fuqua with a number of projects lined up to follow, including the real-life gangster pic The Council from his Concussion director Peter Landesman.
Both Michael Bay and Will Smith have become powerhouse Hollywood players since Bad Boys and it's interesting to see how far they've come at this point. Smith made it to the point of meriting an autobiography that recounts a significant moment for both of them in it, highlighting a creative decision that led to their success. It's amazing to think how something so small can lead to something so huge, even if it's just a matter of unbuttoning a shirt while running. It gave Smith an iconic status as an action star and proved that Bay knew how to put together an action sequence, opening up the doors for both of them to continue their Hollywood journey to amazing heights.
Source: Michael Bay/Instagram