Seven Pounds (2008)
- During the filming of Seven Pounds, Will Smith improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
- The original script for Seven Pounds was written over a decade before production finally began in 2008.
- Before Will Smith was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
Seven Pounds is a 2008 American drama directed by Gabriele Muccino. Will Smith stars as Ben Thomas, an IRS agent whose mysterious behavior โ checking in on seven strangers with a specific set of medical conditions and life circumstances โ gradually reveals itself as an elaborate, heartbreaking plan for redemption following a devastating tragedy that was his fault. The film deliberately withheld its premise from audiences, parceling out information in fragments that only cohered in the devastating final act.
Rosario Dawson co-starred as Emily Posa, a woman with a failing heart who becomes Ben's love interest, creating an emotional complication that threatens to unravel his carefully laid plans. Will Smith delivered one of his most restrained and emotionally exposed performances, communicating profound guilt and selfless determination with minimal dialogue. Seven Pounds earned $168 million worldwide on a $55 million budget.
