The Stars of 'Hitch'
He played the greatest heavyweight champ, fought off aliens and saved the world from mass destruction. He is a box-office powerhouse and after today you'll call him Dr. Love. Get ready to take a ride on the love train!
In the romantic comedy Hitch, Will Smith stars as Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, a modern-day cupid who secretly coaches clueless men into landing the women of their dreams. It's a fun, heart-warming movie about dating and taking a chance on love.
Oprah: I heard that when you read the first line of the script you said, "Okay, I'm in."
Will: It was beautiful. The first line of the script is basic principles: "No matter what, no matter who, no matter when…Any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet—he just needs the right broom." I'm in. I'm in. I'm in…You know, it was the first script I read in a long time that didn't have a robot or an alien…it was such a departure for me.
In the romantic comedy Hitch, Will Smith stars as Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, a modern-day cupid who secretly coaches clueless men into landing the women of their dreams. It's a fun, heart-warming movie about dating and taking a chance on love.
Oprah: I heard that when you read the first line of the script you said, "Okay, I'm in."
Will: It was beautiful. The first line of the script is basic principles: "No matter what, no matter who, no matter when…Any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet—he just needs the right broom." I'm in. I'm in. I'm in…You know, it was the first script I read in a long time that didn't have a robot or an alien…it was such a departure for me.
In real life, Will has been married to Jada Pinkett Smith for seven years. He says they are constantly working to keep their relationship strong and fresh.
Will: We really study our relationship. I figure I work maybe 70 hours a week on movies…and a lot of people think that you can spend that much time doing your job but then probably 14 minutes a week working on your relationship. So, we knew very early that that wasn't the case—that [our marriage] was something that we were absolutely, positively going to have to work on.
Oprah: So there's scheduled "working on" time?
Will: Every day. You know, you're a new person every day, you know? So we try to pay attention to the changes and talk about everything.
Will: We really study our relationship. I figure I work maybe 70 hours a week on movies…and a lot of people think that you can spend that much time doing your job but then probably 14 minutes a week working on your relationship. So, we knew very early that that wasn't the case—that [our marriage] was something that we were absolutely, positively going to have to work on.
Oprah: So there's scheduled "working on" time?
Will: Every day. You know, you're a new person every day, you know? So we try to pay attention to the changes and talk about everything.
Will and Jada have two children together. Will has another son from a previous marriage.
Oprah: One of the things you did so well—you blended your families and you included your ex as a part of the family because you knew you all had to get along.
Will: Absolutely. That's just what our life is, and, again, trying to fight it is the thing that is going to make it worse.
Oprah: So when you were going to have the baby, you sat down and said, "Now, what will our relationship be now that this baby is in the relationship?"
Will: Absolutely. And we sat down with Sharee—that's my ex; that's my baby's mama. And some really interesting things come out of there. You'd be surprised how much you don't understand what other people see your actions as; how other people view the things you say and the things that you do. And a lot of times just clarifying what your intentions are with people makes a huge difference.
Oprah: One of the things you did so well—you blended your families and you included your ex as a part of the family because you knew you all had to get along.
Will: Absolutely. That's just what our life is, and, again, trying to fight it is the thing that is going to make it worse.
Oprah: So when you were going to have the baby, you sat down and said, "Now, what will our relationship be now that this baby is in the relationship?"
Will: Absolutely. And we sat down with Sharee—that's my ex; that's my baby's mama. And some really interesting things come out of there. You'd be surprised how much you don't understand what other people see your actions as; how other people view the things you say and the things that you do. And a lot of times just clarifying what your intentions are with people makes a huge difference.
Will says that despite his huge successes, he still wakes up some mornings questioning his purpose in life.
"I just think that the gifts that God has given me and the attention that I have, I just don't feel like acting is the limit of it," Will says. "I just feel like there's so much more that I could do…And, you know, every day I wake up and I try to do a little more and I just want the world to be different and better because I was here."
"I just think that the gifts that God has given me and the attention that I have, I just don't feel like acting is the limit of it," Will says. "I just feel like there's so much more that I could do…And, you know, every day I wake up and I try to do a little more and I just want the world to be different and better because I was here."
King of Queens star and comic maestro Kevin James plays Hitch's friend Albert, a guy desperately in need of a date doctor.
What was it like working with superstar Will Smith? Kevin says that he got over feeling intimidated after shooting their onscreen kiss. (In the scene, Kevin's character tries to practice his kissing technique on Hitch.) The two actors had to lock lips for multiple takes in front of hundreds of incredulous bystanders on the streets of New York.
For Kevin, kissing the Hollywood hunk was enlightening: "I'm not a gay man, but I will say this: I get it now. I know what all the hype is about."
What was it like working with superstar Will Smith? Kevin says that he got over feeling intimidated after shooting their onscreen kiss. (In the scene, Kevin's character tries to practice his kissing technique on Hitch.) The two actors had to lock lips for multiple takes in front of hundreds of incredulous bystanders on the streets of New York.
For Kevin, kissing the Hollywood hunk was enlightening: "I'm not a gay man, but I will say this: I get it now. I know what all the hype is about."
In Hitch, Kevin's character Albert slips, slides and stumbles his way to big laughs. How did the actor become such a hilarious physical comedian? Kevin says that he learned a lot by studying Jackie Gleason. "I watched how he moved as a big guy…dancing around the set…light on his feet."
Will says that his co-star is too modest. "You have to be an athlete for physical comedy," Will explains. "It's not just bumping into things. It's timing. There's genius in it."
Will says that his co-star is too modest. "You have to be an athlete for physical comedy," Will explains. "It's not just bumping into things. It's timing. There's genius in it."
Photo credit: Michel Guyon/Daniella Theis
In real life, Kevin didn't need a date doctor to find love. He met the woman of his dreams, model Steffiana De La Cruz, on a blind date. They were married last June.
Kevin wishes that he had had some help from Will with the proposal. Kevin had planned a picture-perfect moment, by a window overlooking a spectacular sunset view.
"It was perfect," he says. "And I was just about to ask her when a cloud went over the sun. I'm waiting there for the cloud to pass and she's like, 'Oh, there's a dead fly on the sill' and 'I have to go to the bathroom' and all that." Kevin went for it anyway: "I threw it out there," he shrugs. "It worked."
Kevin wishes that he had had some help from Will with the proposal. Kevin had planned a picture-perfect moment, by a window overlooking a spectacular sunset view.
"It was perfect," he says. "And I was just about to ask her when a cloud went over the sun. I'm waiting there for the cloud to pass and she's like, 'Oh, there's a dead fly on the sill' and 'I have to go to the bathroom' and all that." Kevin went for it anyway: "I threw it out there," he shrugs. "It worked."
The Oprah Show decided to put Will Smith's onscreen talent as a date doctor to the test by presenting him with a real-life guy in need of help: Mike Goobic. Co-star Kevin James lent his handsome help to the cause too! "Mike Goobic?" asks Kevin. "That's not going to grab the ladies."
Mike's last steady relationship ended in 1999. Why does he have such a hard time with women? Dr. Love diagnoses "symptoms of geekiness." For example, Mike's idea of small-talk includes frequent references to Star Trek, and at the gym his favorite pickup line is, "Make sure you wipe that down." His wardrobe is in a constant state of malfunction—a friend calls Mike's style "Hawaiian in nature." Mike prefers to describe his bright floral-patterned shirts as "art on cloth."
If you think he's looking bad so far, just wait till you see him on the dance floor. After Mike demonstrates an ugly booty-shaking, Will's advice is simple: "Don't do none of that ever again!"
Can the love doctors save him, or is this patient too far gone?
Mike's last steady relationship ended in 1999. Why does he have such a hard time with women? Dr. Love diagnoses "symptoms of geekiness." For example, Mike's idea of small-talk includes frequent references to Star Trek, and at the gym his favorite pickup line is, "Make sure you wipe that down." His wardrobe is in a constant state of malfunction—a friend calls Mike's style "Hawaiian in nature." Mike prefers to describe his bright floral-patterned shirts as "art on cloth."
If you think he's looking bad so far, just wait till you see him on the dance floor. After Mike demonstrates an ugly booty-shaking, Will's advice is simple: "Don't do none of that ever again!"
Can the love doctors save him, or is this patient too far gone?
After a few love lessons from Will and Kevin, Mike donned Will's "confidence shades" and went out on the town. The love doctors haven't see Mike since they set him loose. What happened that night?
"I used the moves you showed me—I met a bunch of ladies," Mike says casually. "I went clubbing with four women. It was quite a thing."
Special thanks to the people and companies that helped transform Mike Goobic into one dashing dude !
"I used the moves you showed me—I met a bunch of ladies," Mike says casually. "I went clubbing with four women. It was quite a thing."
Special thanks to the people and companies that helped transform Mike Goobic into one dashing dude !
In Hitch, Will Smith's character has all the answers—until he meets Sara, played by Miami-born bombshell Eva Mendes. Eva was a typical college student when a neighbor snapped her photo and showed it to a Hollywood agent. Her breakout role was as Denzel Washington's girlfriend in Training Day. Today, she's one of the hottest new actresses in demand.
As uncomfortable as Will and Kevin's kissing scene was, Eva and Will might have had an even tougher time. Eva says was so nervous before the shoot that she had to have her favorite comfort food: a tuna fish sandwich with extra onions and Doritos smashed inside. She was chowing down on her "stank breath special" when Will walked by and did a triple-take. A mortified Eva immediately swallowed a box of Altoids.
"I never asked you," Eva says to Will on the show, "How was it?"
"It was absolutely wonderful," replies "Dr. Smooth."
As uncomfortable as Will and Kevin's kissing scene was, Eva and Will might have had an even tougher time. Eva says was so nervous before the shoot that she had to have her favorite comfort food: a tuna fish sandwich with extra onions and Doritos smashed inside. She was chowing down on her "stank breath special" when Will walked by and did a triple-take. A mortified Eva immediately swallowed a box of Altoids.
"I never asked you," Eva says to Will on the show, "How was it?"
"It was absolutely wonderful," replies "Dr. Smooth."
Listen up, would-be Romeos—Ms. Mendes has some love advice of her own: Please don't chew with your mouth open! And don't even think about wooing Eva if you can't handle your liquor—she hates it when a date can't drink more than a few sips without getting woozy. "Oh man," Will jokes, "That's me. She's saying all my stuff."
But if you're Will Smith, maybe you can get away with a thing or two. When he tells Oprah about a wild female fan who propositioned him, whispering the words "Anytime…Anywhere…Anything," Eva doesn't lose a beat: "I didn't say it like that!"
Will shares some more of his dating tips!
But if you're Will Smith, maybe you can get away with a thing or two. When he tells Oprah about a wild female fan who propositioned him, whispering the words "Anytime…Anywhere…Anything," Eva doesn't lose a beat: "I didn't say it like that!"
Will shares some more of his dating tips!
Published 02/07/2005