No Country For Old Men actor Tommy Lee Jones has been one of the finest actors to ever set foot in Hollywood. He is mostly known for picking “no-nonsense” roles and has given masterful performances throughout his career.
His co-workers know him to be the most diligent actor to be around on set as he gets completely immersed in the roles that he selects. Appearing in classics like JFK, Lincoln, and The Fugitive, Jones has lived as an arthouse actor.
Playing characters with such depth, Jones had a hard time when he was first signed on to play a role in a globally famous sci-fi franchise that made headlines back in 1997.
This Franchise From Sony Is Worth $1.9 Billion
A project that only Barry Sonnenfeld could have pulled off, the film’s premise is about two top-tier agents providing their best-in-class first line of defense against all things alien. Sounds familiar?
Sony’s Men In Black franchise flipped the audiences with its live-action attempt at bringing Agent K and Agent J to life. The duo was shown to have a mentor-rookie relationship with Will Smith owning the lighthearted Agent J.
Tommy Lee Jones played Agent K to his maximum potential displaying a character carrying a lot more conscience than his counterpart.
Read more: “If I were you, I would take the other movie”: Men in Black Director Had to Lie to Batman Star to Get Will Smith for Iconic Role Against Steven Spielberg’s Wish
Tommy Lee Jones Was A Tough Nut To Crack
It was reported that director Sonnenfeld initially wanted Clint Eastwood for the role, but that never happened. Both Jones and Eastwood have a “get down to business” kind of image when it comes to acting.
During the film’s promotion, Jones did not go easy on the interviewers. One of them asked about his landslide success in a film he never imagined he would do.
“Haven’t thought about it,” he said to Texas Monthly. “Do you really think I sit around and ask myself questions like ‘How does success feel?’”
He usually can’t get along with people that easily. Fans on Youtube however lauded his straight-shooter personality.
“He’s a realist. He’s not out of touch. He’s not trying to overcomplicate what’s going on,” said a fan about his realistic replies.
Tommy Lee Jones Struggled With The Film’s Premise
While Smith and Jones connected quite well behind the camera, director Sonnenfeld claimed that the latter struggled with the film’s premise as he couldn’t grasp that kind of comedy.
Agent K had this jaded behavior toward his surroundings and according to the director, Tommy Lee Jones was the perfect fit for it.
“I don’t think he understood that comedy. In fact, I really sat on his performance. I never wanted him to acknowledge anything Will said was funny or was a joke.”
Seven years after the trilogy had ended in 2012 with Men in Black III; Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth starred in a spin-off Men in Black: International as Molly and Agent H. The film, unfortunately, did not perform as expected.
Although fans still ask for a fifth installment with the original cast. A Men in Black project is rumored for a 2027 release, according to reports.