Will Smith detailed how Vanessa Hudgens’s pregnancy influenced the filming of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” after an actors’ strike disrupted production.
Filming for the action-comedy, which had already been paused due to an actors’ strike, faced additional complications when production resumed, as Hudgens returned with a baby bump.
Will Smith revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that the crew had to adapt their shooting schedule to accommodate Hudgens..
“So the strike happened and when she came back and we had to finish the movie, it was really about trying to figure out how to shoot around the bump,” Smith explained.
Despite the logistical hurdles, Smith admired Hudgens, describing her as “a hard worker” who was determined to complete her scenes.
“I told her, ‘No, don’t worry. You’ll always be able to tell your child that they were in this scene with you,'” he added.
Hudgens, who joined the “Bad Boys” franchise in 2020 as weapons expert Kelly, revealed her pregnancy when she showed off her baby bump at the Oscars in March.
Married to baseball player Cole Tucker, the 35-year-old actress has since shared what fans can expect from the new installment.
“We really leaned into the fact that Will and Martin Lawrence are a bit older and things are changing. They’re not necessarily operating at the speed they once knew,” Hudgens told ET. “It’s fun to be around and I think there are a lot of belly laughs and it’s action-packed. It’s going to be a great movie.”
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” in which Smith and Lawrence are reprising their iconic roles, will hit theaters on June 7.