Vivica A. Fox is getting real about the Independence Day sequel she starred in and expressing how she really felt about the film.
Fox played Jasmine Hiller, wife of Will Smith’s character Captain Steven Hiller, in the 1996 film directed by Roland Emmerich. The star went on to reprise her role in Independence Day: Resurgence in 2016, but this time without Smith by her side, which she felt was a factor in the movie not living up to the box office results of the original.
“I just didn’t feel like it was good and lived up to the first one,” Fox said in an interview with The A.V. Club. “I really feel we missed out by not bringing Will Smith [back].”
She continued, “We got most of the original cast but I think the one true link that was missing to the success of Independence Day 2 was that we missed that Will Smith wasn’t there.”
Fox said that when she was at the premiere she thought to herself about “how the fans are going to feel about” Smith not returning to the film. “And sure enough on Twitter, they blew me up,” she added.
In 2016, Smith said that he was unable to act in the sequel due to scheduling conflicts.
“It was one of those things — I had a couple of films lined up, I had Concussion and Suicide Squad, and so it was a decision, timing-wise, between Independence Day and Suicide Squad,” Smith told BBC Radio. “They were sending pictures from the set, and I was like, ahh.”
He continued, “The world is in a place of nostalgia right now. Specifically in entertainment, there’s such a pull for nostalgia, so it was just the perfect opportunity and it didn’t work out.”
