Alan Tudyk Reveals He Was Cut from I, Robot Promotion After Testing Better than Will Smith

During a recent interview on the Toon’d In! podcast, actor Alan Tudyk opened up about a surprising chapter from the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot. Tudyk, who performed the motion-capture and voice for the sympathetic robot Sonny, shared that during test screenings, audiences responded more positively to his character than to Will Smith’s lead role. According to Tudyk, this unexpected result prompted the studio—then known as 20th Century Fox—to remove him entirely from the film’s promotional materials. “I was gone. I was done. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned,” he said.

Behind the Robot Suit

Tudyk expressed genuine disappointment at being sidelined despite the effort he poured into bringing Sonny to life. “A lot of people didn’t know I did Sonny the Robot in I, Robot, and there is a reason,” he said. The physicality required—moving “like a robot”—made the role uniquely immersive, and Tudyk clearly felt it deserved recognition.

Artistic Recognition, Not Quite Delivered

In 2004, motion capture work was often overlooked in promotional campaigns—unlike today's standards where performers like Andy Serkis are celebrated for their immersive, non-live-action roles. Still, it’s rare for a studio to entirely erase such a contribution, especially when test audiences celebrated it.