The story of how Will Smith and Michael Jackson met.

If you give me two names. Will Smith и Michael JacksonThe connection between these two men is not immediately apparent. One is an actor and director, whom we know primarily for his role as Agent Jay in the iconic film series "Men in Black."and the other one "King of Pop."whose musical career is to be envied.

It's hard to say which one is more popular. But one thing is certain: both Will and Michael have a large fan base. Will Smith admitted that he wrote the hit song "Billie Jean" - one of his idolsSmith always considered him the star of his generation. And Michael crossed paths with Will only in absentia: it was associated with filming in the sequel to "Men in Black. The singer tried to convince producers from Sony to allow him to replace Will in the film, but in the end, the "king" appeared only in a cameo role of Agent Em.

The creator of Men in Black said, "Jackson said he wanted to do Men in Black II in a black suit. All that mattered to him was that he wore that black suit. It was very funny, and it was totally Michael's idea."

About Will's first meeting with the Pop King.

For the first time Smith и Jackson met... in utility room! It happened during the awards presentation at the awards. BET Awards. At one point in the final part of the event, Will's bodyguard escorted him out of the auditorium as a fight broke out between audience members and he had already given up hope of meeting Michael.

After a few minutes in the mop closet, with a lamp hanging from a wire, Smith found himself as if in an interrogation room. There seemed to be some madness going on behind the door, when suddenly the actor realised that he was not alone: he heard a voice behind him calling him. It was none other than Michael Jackson!

To say that Will Smith wasn't shocked by what was happening would be a lie. They exchanged a few words and talked about... about comics!

"I don't actually like comics, but I'm here with Michael Jackson, I couldn't tell him that," Smith admitted.

There were so many questions in the actor's mind that he wanted to ask the idol. Like whether or not Michael Jackson moonwalk forward or what his famous glove was made of? This dreamy moment had to be interrupted Michael's security guardwho rudely pushed Smith away from the Pop King.

Excerpt from the interview

An interview in which Will Smith told about meeting Michael in person, it was in the spirit of the actor: comedic, sensual, expressive.

"I had dreamed of this all my life... He was too far away from me, and I really regretted not being able to walk through the huge crowd to get closer. The time of the event was coming to an end and we still hadn't met. I couldn't help but meet Mike, it was bound to happen! I was called to the stage, I was about to start walking, but suddenly the crowd started making noise and I stopped realising what was going on. My security guard quickly took me somewhere because there was a scuffle in the audience involving producer Sugar Knight. Locked in a dark room, I had given up hope of meeting Michael, but suddenly after the screaming there was silence and I heard someone whispering "Hey!" to me. I turn round and there's Mike! I was in total shock. But the most important thing is that after the smol-talk I heard the cherished words - Michael, saying goodbye, hinted that he wanted to see me again! I was happy," Smith shared.

The way Will talked about Michael 

Will Smith, like many kids of his generation, grew up on the music of Michael Jackson. When the world heard the album "Off the Wall", released in 1979, the future actor was 11 years old, so it's impossible not to mention that hits such as "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", "Rock with You" from that album were definitely heard by young Will and influenced his tastes. And Michael's later releases "Thriller" и "Bad" only solidified Smith's love of Michael Jackson's music and performances.

Trepidation for Michael had developed into an unbearable longing to meet him, and so, when it became possible, Will could not believe that he was in the realitiesnot a dream.

By the way, it's interesting that Will Smith there are echoes of a musical career too, and to some extent this was clearly influenced by the Michael Jacksonbecause Will was one of the most of the Pop King's loyal fans.

Will's solo career began with the release of the single "Men in Black" in 1997, the theme song to the very film in which he starred. Agent Jay.. This composition even managed to top several charts around the world. The further history of the intertwining of Smith and Jackson's destinies is known - the "King of Pop" performed a brief cameo in the sequel to Men in Black, where he plays an agent who gets a call Will Smith и Tommy Lee Jonesto ask a question. This little part was made especially for him!

"Michael Jackson is very funny. We spent some time together, and I'll tell you what he is... he's not what people think of him... If you say the wrong thing about him, he can give you a good backhanded answer and even poke you!", Will Smith said of Michael Jackson's role in the interview "A Current Affair" in the film Men in Black. II".

That's how the unusual location and setting led to a meeting between the "Fresh Prince of Beverly Hills" and the "King of Pop."