Will Smith Ordered To Move 1,200-Square Foot Trailer After Angering SoHo Residents

City Steps In, Says 'MIB 3' Actor's Monstrosity Has To Go

May 11, 2011 9:48 PM

Will Smith’s trailer in SoHo is seen on May 11, 2011 (credit: Steve Sandberg/1010 WINS)

Filed under

Entertainment, Heard On 1010 WINS, WCBS, WFAN, Local, News, NY News, Watch + Listen

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — After angering a number of residents in SoHo the city took action and ordered megastar Will Smith to move his trailer to a private lot on Wednesday.

Half a dozen blocks in the heart of SoHo were in the shadows of a massive movie production, the filming of Men In Black 3, but the film’s star has come under fire from residents who called his setup a bit too much.

“I mean to have all this nonsense here is just dumb,” Kara Iaconis, who works in the area, told CBS 2′s Katie Fehlinger.

1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg Reports: Residents Say The Trailer Is An Eyesore

“Awful! It’s really disruptive,” said resident Mickey Shamla.

Smith’s trailer was easy to spot. It’s a sleek silver double-decker with nearly 1,200 square feet of pure luxury. Pictures on the manufacturer’s website show the posh insides, complete with a kitchen, bar and movie suite. And just around the corner was another trailer, housing Smith’s personal gym.

Will Smith Ordered To Move 1,200 Square Foot Trailer After Angering SoHo Residents

Will Smith in SoHo while on the set of "Men In Black 3," on May 11, 2011 (credit: Steve Sandberg/1010 WINS)

“Probably bigger than the majority of people’s apartments,” said resident Jenny Blake.

“It’s not fair! It’s not like you’re in the burbs somewhere where there’s plenty of space and plenty of room,” said Suzanne Reiman, who works in SoHo.

Business owners said Smith’s latest action flick was hurting them.

“It kind of blocks the windows of the store so you feel like nobody’s seeing you,” said resident Margarita Nolan.

“They’re disturbing us. None of it is doing us any good,” Shamla said.

Smith’s trailer will be moved but the production trailers will stay put until filming ends on Friday.

Reacting to complaints, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting took action, saying in a statement, “To balance the interests of the production and the neighborhood, we have instructed Men in Black 3 to relocate the trailer to a private lot.”

The office added that New York City is experiencing record levels of film and television production and that the entertainment industry employs over 100,000 New Yorkers and contributes about $5 billion to the city’s economy each year. City Hall said “Men In Black 3″ alone is bringing at least 3,000 jobs to the city.

A representative from Columbia Pictures said: “We appreciate the opportunity to film in New York, which has been the home of all three ‘Men In Black’ productions. This trailer has been used many times in this city by different studios on various movies over the years, and while its use has never been an issue before, we regret any inconvenience it may have caused.”

Do you think the public is overreacting or is it making a good point? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.

Miss D

What the heck is that! That’s not a trailer. Its a Greyhound bus on steriods.
outahre

As a location manager who has filmed in in NY for 20 years, Soho is one of the worst places to film because of the inflated self-importance of the residents who ruined it. First artists move in and a place becomes cool. The rich guys with no taste wanna be where it’s at but they are from nowheresville. Then the artists have to move out for the greedy, and the neighborhood became a shopping mall.

FedUpwithPhonies

Have YOU ever tried to get to work anywhere from 42nd Street to City Hall with a collection of snotty arrogant teens with clipboards diverting traffic so some over-inflated “actor” can be filmed? Forget “rich guys,” you idiot; think about all the people coming to work from the “outer boroughs” who have to circle your garbage day after day! And $ 5 billion income from all this? Only Mayor Codfish! The film-makers make a fortune, NOT New Yorkers!

Lisa

Yeah, I love when you’re told you can’t enter your own apartment because they’re filming a scene. Is this a privately owned sidewalk? Then get the HELL OUT OF MY WAY.

# 1 FAN WE LOVE U WILL

DOING IT UP BIG WILLIE STYLE, I LOVE IT.
nana

as much as I love the fresh prince, I must say there is nothing wrong in parking the trailer in a parking lot,and no Mr. Smith can not do anything he wants, even if the city is profiting from the production, cut- continue.
Ronnie Mund

He’s a horrible actor who makes lousy movies. I heard him on Oprah and he’s the most narcissistic, arrogant, pretentious loud mouth I’ve ever heard.

MILLIONAIRE IN SOHO…

@ Ronnie the HATER,
Don’t hate, be jealous, or so judgemental. It not only rents too much space in that “brain” of yours but it actually takes away time from YOU DOING OR SAYING SOMETHING POSITIVE.
I BET YOU HAVEN’T MISSED AN EPISODE OR MOVIE WILL HAS EVER MADE !!!
Don’t worry we won’t tell anyone..HA HA HA

Ronnie Mund

Why don’t you come up to the show and get topless? T-O-P-L-E-S-S. No problem with that?

MRS. I. UNDERSTAND

@ Ronnie the hater..As I’ve mentioned earlier..”TRY TO FOCUS ON USING THAT “BRAIN” FOR SOMETHING MORE PRODUCTIVE.
EVIDENTLY YOUR TOP IS TOPLESS..
GET A LIFE, OH I BELIEVE BY YOUR EXTENDED VOCABULARY IT MAY BE TOO LATE..HAVE A GOOD NIGHT..DREAM INTELLIGENT THOUGHTS..

Ronnie Mund

Topless. T-O-P-L-E-S-S

Skipper

Ronnie – re your second sentence – I would put our White House Resident right up along side of Will for narcissism and arrogance as the top two contenters for first and second place.

Skipper skipped school

@ skipper and his no-brain buddy, the two of you can only,hope, dream and wish you were in the position of both these men. Stop showing your hatred and get a life.
Skipper

Yank me.

tony

That millions pay $11 to see. But you know better….lol.What a loser….
Go back under your rock.
al

You are so right. Talentless, that guy is just a waste of a movie going. He is so superficial, unfunny and a fake. I can’t stand any movie he is in.

Hungry? Need a job?

Did the Mayor’s Office say the industry brings in $5 billion to the city’s economy each year? $5 billion to the city’s economy each year? Hello !!! $5 billion to the city’s economy each year. Why is the city crying poverty? Between the bridge tolls, parking fines, city taxes, sales taxes. (Did I miss some other source of city revenue?) The city is crying poverty to its public workers? The joker said it best. “looks like we’ve been had boys. ” The joke is on us. $5 billion to the city’s economy each year?

MRS. I. UNDERSTAND

HUNGRY..YES..NEED A JOB..YES..INFLATION..AGGRAVATION..FRUSTRATION..AND APPARENTLY THERE SEEMS TO BE NO HELP..As a city worker for 10yrs with MTA I was a victim of the budget crisis..with all the revenue that the city and MTA generates on a daily basis is ridiculous. We are the ones who suffer, banks received help from the Federal governmant to help with loan modifications yet they don’t want to get off the money. This world is full of crooks and the main ones are sitting behind a desk.
It’s a SHAME..Start YOUR OWN BUSINESS..YOU’RE BETTER OFF

mak

Are you kidding me?!? We have our own small business and it is a nightmare! Between getting hit from the government on one side, the economy on another other side, and the pummeling from the cost of business going up with the rent, taxes, bank fees, electricity, gas, etc., we are barely holding on.

My advice if you want to start your own business: GET OUT OF NEW YORK!!!!

babs

couldn’t have said it better.
Chaz Bono

I need a job. My double-chin has four double-chins.

M.A.D

A small inconvenience that brings jobs to much needed city. Stop the gripping!!

Skipper

Grip this, idiot.

skip the spray paint

hey skipper your intelligence is overwhelming
your mother should’ve swallowed you, lay off the aeresol
Skippy

Quaff my beverage.

FedUp

Are you an actor? Film crew? This does NOT bring jobs. Mr. Smith isn’t even staying in a hotel or using a luxury gym!!! THERE ARE NO JOBS! Even the caterers are from California.

Tommy

I live in Brooklyn. These movie MF’ers are filming on my block and the main commercial street in the neighborhood every week. They hog up ALL of the parking. It is nightmare, I don’t care how much money the city brings in – we pay taxes too. My friend’s pizzeria loses more than 1/2 of its business on days they are shooting and he gets NO compensation from the City or the movie people. Send ‘em back to California, the streets of NYC are for the residents, not for private enterprise.
lha

Stop whining SoHo! They are bringing much needed jobs to NYC.
Capt Lou

The trailer is about as big as his ego. Too bad his acting is average. Now haul that thing out of here!

Omar

Too bad he’s a megastar making millions of dollars for each multi-million dollar film he’s involved in and you’re a nobody posting on a local news website with a gripe. I could see how your opinion really makes a difference.

Capt Lou

Eat my doody!
Mezo

Agreed Omar!

LOU THE LOSER

@ Capt Lou the LOSER…wow what’s the smell…..OH IT”S LOU THE LOSER REEKING OF JEALOUSY AND EVERYONE IN AND AROUND SOHO SMELLS IT..
IF YOU APOLOGIZE PERHAPS WILL THE MILLIONAIRE WILL ALLOW YOU TO TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE AFTER THE PRODUCTIONS ARE OVER…HA HA HA

@ Will’s Lawyer

Who are you Will’s lawyer? You’re the same dummy responding to each and every post that finds either Will’s acting or personality to stink, or that his trailer is obtrusive. Will doesn’t need you to defend him. Oh wait…all African Americans defend one another because they have ZERO ability to be objective.
White as the driven snow

Joke’s on you pal, you might have a point if I were African-American, Ha !

Adopoly.com

People Please Having a Movie this big filming right outside you’re door with arguably one of the best actors of our time and you’re complaining! WOW I wish I had these problems. 911 There is a mega movie star filming an incredible action film right outside my door and no one can see me somebody come quick!!!
JG

Is a bar and gym for Will necessary for production? How egotistical can you get. Seems he would have just a little consideration for the residents and business owners.
Tom Ebbs

Will Smith can do whatever the HELL he wants.

Damn MY liberals! You all want Green, Organic, Peace & Love.

Go TO HELL! Losers!

NYLiberal

Hey, Tom! Kiss my buttocks!

None Of Your Business

I agree with the residents of SoHo. Why should they be inconvenienced by Hollywood “stars” so egomaniacal, stupid and vacuous they couldn’t utter two words unless they had a script in front of them but think they’re on a higher level than God? And, by the way, do we really need Men in Black 3? I think we’re now about up to Shrek 25 and Pirates of the Caribbean 17. When you think about the movies Hollywood made in the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s and compare it with the drek the movie studios turn out today!!! Does anyone actually go to the movies anymore?
STFUNY

Bunch of haters go back tiny ass apartments and pay more mega rent.

Lank Potrzebie

@STFUNY

Shine my helmet.

abner

To Mike Golab:
Please stay in Hampshire where perhaps you just have to deal with an occasional birdwatcher.
Jimmy

SoHo, that’s DiNero’s neighborhood – No?

StormsNYC

No, that’s Tribeca, where the film festival takes place.

Terry T

These SOHO people are so snooty. I can’t tell you how many films have been filmed on my block. Always there’s an interest from the people in the neighborhood and there’s a crowd hanging around. Will, stop wasting your time filming in SOHO and come on down to midtown. We’ll welcome you with open arms.

Jake

stop filming in soho, and come DOWN to midtown? dude, do you even know where you are?
StormsNYC

He already did film in midtown, for I Am Legend

kt

MIB3 was on 45th street a couple of weeks ago too…

Spartacus

The trailer is the size of a semi trailer and there is a second trailer, the same size on the block that has a personal gym. Plus Mr. Smith is renting a luxury apartment within a few blocks of where the film is being shot. Sounds like to me he has plenty of options and the needs of the residents should be considered. Moving the trailers to a private lot should have been done in the first place.
Richard T.

Yeah, the Fresh Prince is not aging all that well…..If he parked his trailer on my block and cleared out all of the available parking spaces, I’d be unhappy as well. And I don’t even live in Manhattan! MOVE THAT BUS, DUDE!
Ellen

Looks like Will’s uptight neighbors need a life. Either that or a laxative.
Jason S

What’s the location of the trailer?
MrNativecolor

Hmmm suspicious the complaints. Maybe they’d rather see him on cardboard boxes holding a sign asking for change rather than trailers “bigger than the majority of people’s apartments” ? How lame and . . .

Fear of an Unracist Planet

@MrNativecolor

Ah yes, the racecard. We wondered when you’d show up. Yay, everything’s racial! D1ck.

nyc

The kind of money that is being spent on making these movies and the profits that are made on them are unbelievable, you would think that the neighborhood would get something if the filming is effecting there business is in a negative way !
Mike Golab

Tell them to STOP WHINNING !!!! Any Film Production Crew with the Actors and
the Support Personal, Bring Business into your City. And will Show those in the
business there on Film giving them and NY Free Advertizing. Some of those
Complainers are Just Jealous Period Tell them to GROW UP and STOP
Whinning ,,,,, or has youse people say,. FORGETABOUTIT….

Mike in N.H.