Though many directors expressed interest in taking on The Pursuit of Happyness after reading Conrad’s script, it was Smith and Lassiter who lobbied for Gabriele Muccino, despite the fact that he’d never directed an English-language film. One of Muccino’s movies, The Last Kiss, had won Sundance’s Audience Award when it premiered there in 2002, and his follow-up, Remember Me, My Love with Monica Bellucci, was admired by film critics around the world. “I had watched Gabriele’s last two Italian films and was really attracted to the intricate nature of emotions he was able to understand and depict cinematically,” says Smith.

Adds Lassiter: “When we met with Gabriele in Paris, he was really passionate about the material. But here’s what really sold us. He said to us, ‘As Americans, you guys don’t really understand the American dream. To really appreciate the essence of the American dream, you have to be a foreigner.’ That’s when we realized his impression of the American dream would be original and different and give the movie a unique take.”

“As soon as Gabriele said that Americans take the American dream for granted, he had me hook, line and sinker,” says Smith. “I became intrigued by the idea of non-American eyes capturing the beautiful and the not-so-beautiful aspects of this story.”

Muccino’s attitude even managed to win over producer Todd Black. “I first met Gabriele at Will’s house and said to him, ‘You’re not American and this is an American story.’ He looked at me and replied, ‘It’s not just an American story; it’s a universal story. There’s homelessness everywhere in the world. This could happen to anyone.’ Gabriele was smart in realizing that this movie could reach out to people all over the world. The idea of being able to pick yourself up, work hard and ultimately have that hard work and perseverance pay off — that is applicable to any human, not just an American.”

For Muccino, the arc of The Pursuit of Happyness was appealing on an even more elemental level. “What really attracted me is the character’s desperate attempt to survive, and that the most precious thing to him was protecting his child. Chris endures the unimaginable and still makes sure that not even the worst moments will have a bad effect on his son’s life. It’s truly a family’s journey — a desperate and unfortunately real voyage that becomes epic simply because it touches on so many universal values.”

As for working with Smith, Muccino maintains that “Will’s approach is completely honest. He has a real urgency to do something different, something dramatic and very real. It was a huge pleasure to take him on this journey. We had a fantastic relationship. I learned a lot from him, and hopefully, he also learned something from me.”

Early in the development process, the filmmakers started talking about the importance of the actor who would play Chris Gardner’s five-year-old son. They met with more than a hundred kids. “Then we met Jaden Smith and it was night and day,” says Blumenthal. “Jaden was this kid. He came in with sincerity, honesty and rawness. We cast the absolute best person for the job!”

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