Editing Men in Black (1997 film) (section)

==Cast==
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* [[Tommy Lee Jones]] as [[Agent K|Kevin Brown / Agent K]]: J's grizzled and humorless mentor. The studio wanted [[Clint Eastwood]] for the part, while Jones only accepted the role after [[Steven Spielberg]] promised the script would improve, based on his respect for Spielberg's track record. He had been disappointed with the first draft, which he reportedly said "stank", feeling it did not capture the tone of the comic.<ref name=hughes/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/men-in-black-oral-history/ | title=The oral history of Men in Black: "He was kind of a pain in the ass." | date=July 5, 2022}}</ref><ref name="The 'Men in Black' That Almost Was">{{cite web | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/men-in-black-20th-anniversary-barry-sonnenfeld_n_5953efcbe4b0da2c73209a5c | title=The 'Men in Black' That Almost Was | date=July 2, 2017 | access-date=August 1, 2024 | archive-date=August 1, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801060627/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/men-in-black-20th-anniversary-barry-sonnenfeld_n_5953efcbe4b0da2c73209a5c | url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Will Smith]] as [[Agent J|James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J]]: A former NYPD detective, newly recruited to the MIB. Smith was cast because [[Barry Sonnenfeld]]'s wife was a fan of ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]''. Sonnenfeld also liked his performance in ''[[Six Degrees of Separation (film)|Six Degrees of Separation]]''.<ref name=hughes/> The studio and Spielberg preferred [[Chris O'Donnell]] for the role, fresh off his portrayal of [[Dick Grayson]], whom he played in ''[[Batman Forever]]'' and ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]'', and Spielberg told Sonnenfeld to take him to dinner to convince him to do it. However, Sonnenfeld got him to not accept the role by saying that he was not a good director and that the script was one O'Donnell should skip.<ref name="The 'Men in Black' That Almost Was"/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Summer Movie Preview |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=May 16, 1997 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287928,00.html |access-date=September 17, 2007 |archive-date=October 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014234550/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287928,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.insider.com/men-in-black-will-smith-barry-sonnenfeld-michael-jackson-director-interview-2022-7 | title='Men in Black' at 25: Director Barry Sonnenfeld shares which famous line Will Smith made up on the spot and reveals why Michael Jackson refused to play an alien | website=[[Insider.com]]}}</ref> [[David Schwimmer]] also turned down the part, a decision he later regretted when reflecting in 2024.<ref name=hughes/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/men-in-black-david-schwimmer-on-turning-down-the-lead-role/ | title=Men in Black: David Schwimmer on Turning Down the Lead Role | date=August 23, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharf |first1=Zack |title=David Schwimmer Says Rejecting 'Men in Black' Offer Was a 'Brutal Decision' and It 'Would've Made Me a Movie Star'; He Chose to Direct a Film Instead |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/david-schwimmer-rejected-men-in-black-offer-brutal-decision-1236148577/ |website=Variety |date=September 18, 2024 |access-date=19 September 2024 |archive-date=September 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919091953/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/david-schwimmer-rejected-men-in-black-offer-brutal-decision-1236148577/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Like Jones, Smith said he accepted the role after meeting with Spielberg and cited his success as a producer.
* [[Linda Fiorentino]] as Dr. Laurel Weaver / Agent L: A deputy medical examiner, and later J's partner.
* [[Vincent D'Onofrio]] as Edgar / The Bug: An abusive farmer who is killed and eaten by a giant alien insect, which then wears his skin in order to search for the Galaxy and incite a war from the Arquillians. [[John Turturro]] and [[Bruce Campbell]] were both offered the role, but they turned it down due to scheduling conflicts.<ref name="hughes" /> D'Onofrio based Edgar's voice on actors such as [[George C. Scott]] and [[John Huston]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/vincent-donofrios-men-in-black-a-sugar-water-oral-history.html | title=An Oral History of Vincent d'Onofrio's Perfect Men in Black Performance | date=June 12, 2019 }}</ref>
* [[Rip Torn]] as Chief Zed: The head of the MIB.
* [[Tony Shalhoub]] as Jack Jeebs: An alien arms dealer who runs a [[pawn shop]] as a front.
* [[Siobhan Fallon Hogan]] as Beatrice: Edgar's abused wife.
* [[Mike Nussbaum]] as Gentle Rosenberg: An Arquillian royal family member, posing as a jeweler, who is the guardian of "the Galaxy".
* [[Jon Gries]] as Nick the van driver: the American smuggler who unknowingly carries a literal alien among his posse.
* [[Sergio Calderón]] as Jose
* John Alexander as Mikey: An alien who poses as a Mexican being smuggled across the border.
* [[Patrick Breen]] as Mr. Redgick
* [[Becky Ann Baker]] as Mrs. Redgick
* [[Carel Struycken]] as Arquillian
* [[Fredric Lehne]] as Agent Janus
* [[Kent Faulcon]] as 2nd Lieutenant Jake Jensen
* [[Richard Hamilton (actor)|Richard Hamilton]] as Agent D: K's former partner who retires after deciding he is too old for the job.
* [[Ken Thorley]] as Zap-Em Man, an Exterminator who is killed by Edgar the Bug 
* [[David Cross]] as Newton, Morgue Attendant 
* [[Sean Whalen]] as Passport Officer
* [[Verne Troyer]] as the Alien son
* [[Harsh Nayyar]] as News Vendor
* [[Bernard Gilkey]] as himself ([[New York Mets]] outfielder)

===Voices/Puppeteers===
* [[Tim Blaney]] as [[Frank the Pug]]: A smart-talking [[pug]]-like alien.
* Mark Setrakian as Rosenberg Alien
* Brad Abrell, Thom Fountain, Carl J. Johnson, and [[Drew Massey]] as the Worm Guys: A quartet of worm-like aliens that work for Men in Black.