Will Smith has reflected on the instant chemistry he had with co-star Martin Lawrence as the pair celebrate almost 30 years of the Bad Boys franchise.
The US actors arrived outside the TCL Chinese Theatre for the Los Angeles premiere of Bad Boys: Ride Or Die on a double decker bus with Smith using a microphone to involve the audience lined along the streets saying: “When I say bad, you say boys”.
Smith greeted the delighted crowd, signing autographs and taking pictures before walking the blue carpet alongside a marching band and his co-stars to celebrate the fourth film in the franchise.
His wife Jada Pinkett Smith also made an appearance in support of the actor, alongside their children Jaden and Willow, Smith’s son Trey from his former relationship with Sheree Zampino and Pinkett Smith’s mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris.
The Los Angeles premiere comes more than two years after Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars ceremony in response to a joke Rock made about Jada.
Smith accepted the best actor Oscar for his role in King Richard later in the ceremony.
The upcoming Bad Boys film is the fourth instalment of the US police action comedy franchise starring Smith and Lawrence as two detectives in the Miami Police Department, Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett.
“It was definitely love at first sight,” Smith said, reflecting on meeting Lawrence for the first Bad Boys film in 1995.
“Martin had this script, so Martin actually brought me into Bad Boys and from the first time we sat and we talked, the chemistry was just magic.”
Lawrence said of his co-star: “He’s a brilliant mind, he’s a genius, he has a good heart and soul and he just wants the best, not only for himself but for people, he’s a people person.”
Smith later said on the carpet: “At the centre of this franchise is an idea, ride or die, and that is a real concept about loyalty and friendship and support, that resonates deeply with people.
“Everybody wants somebody like Mike or Marcus by their side.”
Those also reprising their roles in the franchise include Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Joe Pantoliano and Paola Nunez, while new cast members include Ioan Gruffudd, Eric Dane and Tiffany Haddish.
On the blue carpet, Haddish described co-star Smith as her “ride or die”.
The first film by director Michael Bay premiered in 1995 before the sequel, again from Bay, was released in 2003.
The last installment came in 2020 from directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who have returned to helm the fourth film.
Fallah said: “Will and Martin, the chemistry they have is magical, I can’t explain what it is but it’s there.
“For us as directors, we don’t really need to direct them, we are just siting there watching them playing and having fun – so it’s an honour to direct the best duo of cinema for us.”
El Arbi said the directing pair were “a little bit more relaxed” for their second film in the franchise, although filming was postponed for six months during the actors’ and writers’ strikes in Hollywood last year.
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die will be released in the UK on June 5.
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