Will Smith Once Again Apologizes for Doubting Michael Bay’s Iconic Vision for Bad Boys.

Credits: Wikimedia Commons / Dynasty

Will Smith has certainly redeemed his career after a ‘certain’ unfortunate incident. Recently seen in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Smith reunited with Martin Lawrence to reprise their iconic characters, Miami cops Mike Lowrey and Miles Burnett. Helmed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the movie is a certified hit already.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in a still from Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Sony Entertainment
Busy in the promotions of the epic flick, Smith and Lawrence recently made their way to GOAT Talk, where he once again proclaimed his mistake for doubting the director of the first Bad Boys movie, Michael Bay.

Will Smith Once Again Admits his Mistake With Michael Bay

The famous shirtless scene in Bad Boys (1995) | Sony Entertainment
The year was 1995 and the buddy cop action comedy flick, Bad Boys had just come out. The first ever feature film directed by Michael Bay, the film made Will Smith a certified movie star. Fresh off his The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fame, Smith went on to become one of the most sought-after lead stars among fans.

Part of his appeal was an iconic Bad Boys scene, which featured Smith running with his shirt open. While the said scene is incredibly famous today, back in the day, the lead star and the director clashed over the scene since Bay wanted Smith to be shirtless during the entire scene.

While they did compromise and Smith offered to keep his shirt on but unbuttoned, the scene undoubtedly boosted his appeal and made him an overnight movie star (via The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon). In a recent appearance on GOAT Talk, when asked to do his best GOAT Michael Bay-ism, Smith stated,

Dude, you don’t know what the f**k you’re talking about. Take your shirt off and let me make you a f**king movie star!

Smith yet again accepted his mistake in doubting Bay’s intentions, and added on,

And he was right. That scene in Bad Boys running with my shirt open. He was right, I was wrong.

Well, if this isn’t a lesson for others to learn to trust their directors, we don’t know what it is. Bay’s insistence on keeping the scene not only highlights his expert vision but also shows how much of a difference a single shirtless scene can make.

When Will Smith Apologized to Michael Bay in a Hilarious Way

Michael Bay [PC: Jake’s Takes/YouTube]
Years after the first Bad Boys film was released, Will Smith running with his shirt open has remained an iconic scene. One of the prime scenes of the entire film and Smith’s career, it is interesting to think how things would have turned out had Smith not listened to Michael Bay’s instructions.

Back in 2022, when the Bad Boys star’s memoir, Will, was released, he sent over a copy to Bay as a Christmas gift. And in the book he hilariously apologized for doubting the director about the said scene. Per a video posted by Bay on his Instagram, Smith wrote a note which stated,

Okay, Michael. You were right. I was Wrong! 

Despite all these years, the scene continues to be part of popular discourse. And Smith and Bay talking about it after all this time proves just how iconic it is.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is in theatres now.