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Bad Boys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth film in the hit series.
The two sat down with 'Extra's' Melvin Robert, who expressed gratitude for his experience at the junket.
Will mentioned his gratitude for the experience of making his latest film, which he credited to his co-stars. “Martin literally stopped me on the first day of doing this movie.” Will said. “He was like, ‘No, no, no, we’re not going to rush this movie.” For example, we have reached part 4, and we are going to enjoy every minute of it. Yes?'”
“We did,” Martin said.
Mel said: “And one of the things you said was that this is not a victory lap.”
“That’s right. Not at all.” Will added, agreeing. “We agreed that we weren't going to come back to this franchise after 'Bad Boys 2' without a story to attach to it. We didn't want the movie to just be, 'People like it, so we're going to win.' “I wanted to make sure that it was alive in itself.”
“And you put something out there to make money,” Martin said. “We didn’t want to do that.
Mel said, “You've all been doing this for 30 years. What do you know about each other now that you didn't know 30 years ago?”
Martin responded: “Well, now I know how good he is. You know? Because I saw him grow. You know, from ‘Fresh Crown Prince’ to movies and everything he’s achieved, I’m really moved, I’m really impressed.”
Will said, “With Martin, you know how honest and open he is. He seems like there's nothing wrong with that guy. You know? And if the person is quiet and stern, [have] He has no problem speaking the absolute truth that is in his heart.”
Making a firm stand, Mel asked Lawrence, “Martin, who is your car and death?”
He added, “My best friend, Larry White.” “My brother Sean Lampkin, who just passed away – that whole thing was me riding or dying. And they’re my baptized best friends and everything. We said, we grew up together.”
He went on to say that Will either get his movie or die.
Will said: “In my entire life, I have never looked left, looked right, got into a car or died. I have been blessed with DJ Jazzy Jeff and my lifelong manager and partner since day one. We went to high school together. My sons from Philly, like James Lassiter and Charlie Mack and Omar, are still with me today. All the way through Alfonso [Ribeiro] And ‘Fresh Prince,’ and James Avery, and I would always ride or die.”
He also revealed about his wife, “Jada is ride or die when they come.”
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He then shouted one last time that if he didn't ride, he would die. “You know, I want to say something I’ve never said before at one of these junkets. When it comes to life and death, Tom Rothman, head of studios at Sony, was one of the most personable people I've ever met in this business. And the way he supported me was rare.”
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“You hear actors talking about studio heads.” Will thought. “But I want everyone to hear his name.”
Mel was asked if the physical preparation for the fourth 'Bad Boys' film was noticeably different from preparation for the first film a decade ago.
“That's right.” Will gave his permission. “There are many different knee exercises. You know? Yes, you use your knees. And thigh exercises.”
Martin said, “Will worked out alone. I also worked out alone.”
“He started sneaking.” Will teased. “He was secretly working out.”
“I tried to surprise him,” Martin said. “When he started working, he started gaining weight. They fed us very good food.”
Obstacles during filming included the writers and actors going on strike, and co-star Vanessa Hudgens becoming pregnant.
Martin said it was all thanks to “movie magic.”
Will said, “Vanessa… she got pregnant during the strike, and it was about six or seven months before we went back to work… until the end of the movie. She… was standing behind something in every scene.” said.
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The biggest question after seeing Will at Coachella is: Will we see any new music from him?
“I’ve been in the lab for the last year and a half,” Will told “Extra.” “I have, without a doubt, the most personal and powerful project. The music I’ve made… I’ll secretly let you hear it in about a month.”
Will said he was no longer nervous about the movie being pulled. “I don’t think I’m nervous because I know the movie is good.” He was nervous when being interviewed for the movie 'Wild Wild West'. coming out [in 1999]. But… we watched. [‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’] There's a big audience and things like that, and this movie is a rock concert. People are cheering, clapping and laughing. So it’s much easier to get press if you know the film is good.”
'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' is scheduled to be released on June 7.