Alan Tudyk says he was cut from I, Robot publicity after testing higher with audiences than Will Smith

Alan Tudyk has revealed he was quietly removed from the marketing campaign for I, Robot after early audience tests suggested his character was more popular than the film’s star, Will Smith.

Speaking on the Toon’d In with Jim Cummings podcast, Tudyk explained that his motion-capture and voice performance as Sonny the robot was initially a hit with preview audiences.

 “A lot of people did not know I did Sonny the Robot in I, Robot, and there is a reason,” he said.

“They were doing test audiences for the movie, and they score the characters in this kind of test screening.”

“I got word back: ‘Alan, you are testing higher than Will Smith.’ And then I was gone. I was done. There was no publicity, and my name was not mentioned.”

The actor added, “I was so shocked. I was like, ‘Wait, nobody is going to know I’m in it!’ I put a lot into [that performance]. I had to move like a robot. At the time, I was very upset.”

The frustration of studio decisions might still be fresh for Tudyk after a recent hit.

Last month, USA Network pulled the plug on Resident Alien, just weeks before what would have been the season 4 finale, now the series finale.

Speaking to EW at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 on the day the news broke, Tudyk responded with a long, pained groan.

He said, “I think we hoped there was a possibility we could go on.

“It’s just nice to feel like we’ve offered a solution to ourselves as writers, as a cast, to be able to just say, ‘This is where this particular story arc ends.’”

“I think fans will be really, really satisfied with that, as we are.”

Released in 2004 and directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot follows Smith as a Chicago detective in 2035 investigating the suspicious death of a robotics company founder.

Although robots are built to serve humans, Smith’s character believes one of them, Sonny played by Alan Tudyk, is actually the killer.

The film also stars Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell and Chi McBride in key roles.