Will Smith and his ‘battle’ on the set of ‘Hitch’: Director explains how Jada Pinkett stepped in to save the film

Released in 2005 and directed by Andy Tennant, Hitch is romantic comedy starring Will Smith in the title role with Eva Mendes and Kevin James co-stars. The film features Smith as a professional matchmaker who makes a living teaching men how to seduce women.

The movie went on to take $371.6 million worldwide, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 2005.

As the film celebrates its twentieth anniversary, director Tennant spoke to Business Insider recalling some of the anecdotes in putting the movie together.

‘We had our difficulties’

Tennant admitted that the creative process was far from smooth and that Smith and the director crossed paths, admitting that “he and Smith had our difficulties” during production.

“The movie I wanted to make and the movie Will wanted to make, neither one of those movies is as good as the movie we made together. It was a battle,” said Tennant.

According to the filmmaker, Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith was a “big help” in smoothing over the conflicts: “She kind of seconded some of my instincts. There was a time during prep when I was pushing back. A lot of crazy shit, that was happening.”

“When we wrapped, Will walked off the set, didn’t say goodbye to me, didn’t say anything. He just left,” he said. “I think he felt the same way I did. He thought this movie is a disaster. We wrapped and it was depressing.”

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