2002: "Men in Black II" Filmed
at Fire Island Lighthouse

A scene from the 2002 hit movie "Men in Black II," starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as alien-hunting agents who are trying to prevent an intergalactic crisis, was shot at the Fire Island Lighthouse. The scene supposedly took place at the post office in Truro on Cape Cod. But filming was nearly completed, and the crew was unable to travel to Massachusetts. The movie’s director, Barry Sonnenfeld, instructed the location manager to look for a lighthouse on Long Island that resembled the lighthouse in North Truro. Filming at the Fire Island Lighthouse took place in late June 2001. The crew spent 14 to 16 hours shooting what turned into about five minutes of the movie. An employee who was present recalled that Will Smith was "amazingly personable" and "very accommodating," taking time to pose for photographs with volunteers. Smith and Jones are shown here in a 2002 photo.