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Director Andy Tennant recently shared insights into the difficulties he faced while filming the 2005 romantic comedy Hitch, starring Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta, and others.
In a candid interview, Tennant revealed how his vision for the film clashed with Smith’s approach, but how they ultimately found success together.
Creative Differences and Tensions During Filming
Tennant admitted that making Hitch wasn’t easy, acknowledging that the film they ended up creating wasn’t exactly what either he or Will Smith had initially envisioned.
“We had our difficulties,” Tennant said. He noted that the film was the product of a lot of back-and-forth: “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.”
Tennant also credited Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife, as being a “big help” during the process. “She kind of seconded some of my instincts,” Tennant revealed, explaining that she helped mediate between him and Smith, especially when they were at odds.
The Struggles of Pre-Production and Script Changes
One of the major points of contention occurred early in production. Tennant recalled that Smith had submitted a draft of the script that he didn’t like. “There was a draft that Will brought in that I was not a fan of. I finally told the studio that I was more afraid of Will making that version of the movie than I was about them firing me,” Tennant said. At one point, he feared for his job, as the studio was on the brink of letting him go before filming even began.
Smith’s desire to revise the script further added to the tension. Tennant revealed that Smith wanted to halt the production just three days before shooting to work on the script, which he felt was causing chaos. “It was madness,” Tennant recalled.
A Wild Ride That Led to Success
Despite the challenges and tension, once filming began, Tennant said it became a collaborative effort between “a bunch of good creative people doing the best they could.”
While there were debates and disagreements, Tennant noted that the comedic moments they captured helped shape the film into what it ultimately became. “You keep all the really fun stuff, you have a good movie, but it was a wild ride,” he said.
Although both Tennant and Smith were concerned about the film’s potential failure, Hitch ended up being a huge success. With positive reviews from critics and a worldwide gross of $371.6 million, the movie was not only a box office hit but also became a beloved romantic comedy in popular culture.
