Mexican-American actor Paul Rodriguez and blockbuster-making superstar Will Smith aren't exactly the best of friends. In fact, Rodriguez says he doesn't think that much of Will Smith at all after working with him on the set of the 2001 boxing biopic "Ali," a film about the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Rodriguez, who spoke to San Diego radio station Rock 105.3, according to Fox News Latino, said: "I've done a couple of films with him, and this time we didn't end up so good."
Rodriguez expands on how Smith's demeanor changed from pleasant to hostile following a racial issue involving Smith and Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, the man who Rodriguez portrayed in the film. Pacheco was Muhammad Ali's real-life physician.
Rodriguez said on air: "He (Pacheco) goes into Will Smith's trailer and he's upset that his part isn't bigger and that I'm playing him," US Magazine reports. "He wanted Andy Garcia to play him. It escalated to the point where he started using the N-word to Will . . . and the police had to escort him off the set. From then on, Will never looked at me the same."
Rodriguez says he believes that Pacheco came to the set drunk that day, thus causing the altercation with Smith. Also, Rodriguez speculated that his bulked up co-star, Smith, could have used steroids to gain the authentic Ali physique, which could have potentially caused Smith's outburst, Cinema Blend reports.
Rodriguez went on to express the desire to never work with Smith again. He told the radio hosts: "I'd never work with him again. He was an a--hole.... Maybe he was on steroids or something."
Smith has yet to comment on Rodriguez's allegations.
