Vivica A. Fox on 'Independence Day: Resurgence': 'I Felt Like That Young Girl 20 Years Ago Who Got That Call'

Vivica A. Fox at the ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Hollywood premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 20, 2016 (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Vivica A. Fox had a breakthrough year in 1996, thanks to two big hits: F. Gary Gray’s female bank-robber saga Set It Off, and Roland Emmerich’s alien-invasion blockbuster Independence Day. This weekend, she’ll bring it back full circle in the long-awaited sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, returning as stripper-turned-medical-professional Jasmine Dubrow, whose son (played by Jesse T. Usher) is following in the footsteps of his fighter-pilot dad Steven Hiller (Will Smith, who chose not to reprise his role). On the eve of the film’s Tuesday night premiere, she talked with Yahoo Movies about what’s changed between Independence Day and its follow-up, how the original film changed her life, and what happened to her character’s famous fireball-outrunning dog Boomer. (Fox has been working with Independence Day: Resurgence promotional partner Twizzlers, unveiling a replica fighter jet made from the candy at the premiere; our chat was arranged as part of that.)

At the Independence Day: Resurgence premiere, you’ll be unveiling a fighter jet constructed out of Twizzlers. Have you seen it?
No, I’m going to be surprised just like everyone else. But what I do know is that it’s an exact replica of the hybrid fighter jet that’s in the film. It’s 7 feet tall, weighs 372.5 pounds — all made of Twizzlers. But you can’t take a bite!

So you won’t get to eat it?
No, I don’t think that that’s a wise choice, my friend.

Fox and ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ costar Sela Ward alongside the newly unveiled Twizzler Fighter Jet at the film’s Hollywood premiere (Photo: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Twizzlers)

I assume the Twizzlers jet plays no role in the film itself? No launching it into any alien crafts à la Randy Quaid’s kamikaze flight at the end of the original Independence Day?
[Laughs] Hey, not a bad idea. It’ll be freaking them out like kids when you give them too much sugar. Maybe we can try that out next time.

Twenty years after ID4, were you excited about coming back for Resurgence?
Absolutely. I was thrilled. I was just, wow – I can’t even tell you. When I got that call, I felt like that young girl 20 years ago who got that call. I had to audition six times the first time to get the role. So when I got the call and they were like ‘Yeah, they’re bringing your character back, it’s on,” I was like “Yes! We are back! Loving it!”

There’s been considerable talk about making an ID4 sequel for years — when did you get the sense that it was really going to happen?
For the last five years, on and off, it was like ‘Oh, we’re going to do it!’ And then it would disappear. ‘Oh, we’re going to do it!’ And then it would disappear. So I kind of lost a little bit of faith. And then, when I heard that Will [Smith] had decided that he wanted to do Suicide Squad instead of ours…sorry to be a selfish actor, but I was like, ‘There goes my storyline!’ So when I got the call from them saying [director Roland Emmerich] is going to keep your story alive and it’s going to be about you and your son, I was like, ‘Yes! We’re back!’

Related: Remember That Time the ‘Independence Day’ Producer Explained the Infamously Inept Hacking Scene?

Can you give us some background on what your character Jasmine has been up to since the last film, and what her role is in Resurgence?
I can tell you this about Jasmine — she’s no longer working the pole, which is great, so I didn’t have to dust off my g-string [laughs]. She’s now a hospital administrator, and because she married Steven [Will Smith’s character] at the end of the first movie, she’s also a military wife. She’s mentoring her young son, who’s played by the incredible Jesse T. Usher — who I totally feel has “next” — and who’s stepping into the shoes of Steven Hiller by leading a fighter-pilot squad. It’s good to see that whole mother-son relationship be really good. He keeps her grounded and moving forward, because they have the loss of Steven. You’ll see a wonderful relationship between mother and son that I was really happy to do with Jesse.

Do you get any further scenes opposite everybody’s favorite fireball-outracing dog, Boomer?
[Laughs] No, Boomer doesn’t make it. It’s been 20 years, so in dog years, Boomer would come limping in.

Did they at least let you reprise the hair?
No [sorrowfully]. She got her professional ’do on. We all must evolve and grow up sometime.

As you said, Will Smith’s Steven Hiller doesn’t return. Was that disappointing?
It changed both of our lives 20 years ago. It made us household names. Of course, we miss working with him. But he gave us his blessings, and we all kept going forward. I think I was bummed because I was like, ‘Damn, I’m not going to win an MTV award for Best Kiss this time. Who am I going to get to make out with? Dang! C’mon!’ [Laughs] Now it’s time for her to pass the torch.

But let me tell you, the rest of the people who showed up — from Bill Pullman to Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch, and then the young kids — it was just a great cast. We all spent a lot of time hanging out together. No one was like, ‘I’ll be in my trailer.’ It was just a great movie to work on.

We had six stages in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which made it a lot more comfortable this time compared to what it was on the first film. The first film, the first 11 days we filmed on Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah — and that, sir, let me tell you, was not fun.

‘Independence Day: Resurgence’: Watch Vivica A. Fox talk about the status of Col. Steven Hiller:

What particularly fond or not-so-fond memories do you have of making the first film?
Oh gosh. I remember filming on Wendover, Utah, on the Salt Flats, and it was like 107 degrees, almost 110, with the salt reflecting up. I think I changed a couple different shades of chocolate. [Laughs] And it was grueling! One time, we had a wind storm come through, and it was like, ‘We’ve got 45 minutes to get out of here, we got to pick up everything because it’ll blind you!’ So it was nice [on Resurgence] to walk into a soundstage, and it was air-conditioned. It was just different. It was like, wow, technology has advanced. I mean, some of the stages were completely blue screen.

Was a lot of your work not done on location?
Well, we did shoot in Albuquerque, and I don’t know if you know, but there’s a story there — some little alien sightings that have happened around there. [Laughs] So it was the perfect spot for us to be at.

The first time, I remember only having a day of green screen. And this time, coming to the set, it was a lot more. Roland, the director, had illustrations, which helped because you knew exactly what you were reacting to. Exactly what he was expecting. And that I appreciated.

How much bigger is Resurgence compared to the last film?
I think [it was just about] continuing the resurgence. And to bring it back bigger, badder, and bolder than ever. That was the goal. And that’s what I liked, more than anything else. He didn’t go, ‘Well, remember the first movie!’ There was none of that going on. He just embraced it, and wanted everything to evolve, from the characters to the aliens coming back. They’re bigger and badder, you’re going to see.

The entire thing was just about going forward. He didn’t want to trip too much on what we did.

So the first time you’re seeing it is tonight?
Yeah. Me and Jesse. Twenty years ago, when I starred in the first movie, I didn’t see any screenings. I’ll never forget sitting there, and after I saved the dog and the kid, and I was like “Boomer!’ And we made it. And everyone clapped for me. I had a Sally Field moment — “They like me, they really like me! This is cool!”

Jessie T. Usher on 'Dylan’ growing up as the son of a world hero in ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’:

1996 was a big year for you, given that you also starred in Set it Off.
Yeah. Totally career-changing. I just remember going from wanting to make it, and always playing the co-star, and having patience…and then Boom! I ended up doing like five movies back-to-back-to-back-to-back. I didn’t have to audition anymore. I mean, it totally changed my life.

Set it Off featured strong, nuanced female characters, which is something that’s defined most of your subsequent roles, including in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
I finally got strong cool characters to play. For a long time I was just the hot chick. And then after I got Kill Bill, now they wanted me to fight all the time. I’m serious! So now it’s great to play roles where she’s like the hospital administrator — more professional roles. She’s the boss, or the head chick in charge. That’s been fun to evolve to.

But it sounds like you enjoy those badass Kill Bill-type roles too.
Why not? Who doesn’t mind playing a badass chick, OK? [Laughs]

I assume that, despite Jasmine’s professional career in Resurgence, you still get a chance to kick some ass in this too.
Oh yeah. There’s going to be one scene that you’re going to be like, ‘Wow, holy cow.’ Just know that that’s all me. I got in there and did it.

‘Independence Day: Resurgence’: Watch the trailer: