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Vivica A. Fox’s iconic character, Jasmine Dubrow, in 1996 movie ‘Independence Day’ was very close to being played by another actress. Fox shares her story of the tough six-audition test, the lucky advice that changed everything, and the surprising thing that she learned from director Roland Emmerich at the movie’s premiere in a recent interview from Lena Waithe’s ‘Legacy Talk’ archives.
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The unreleased video clip was presented by Lena Waithe, who commended Fox’s agent for stating that she “was the quintessential sexy of the 90s” and the character being the pivot of the whole alien invasion fiction plot. The video itself tells a story of a woman’s persistence in the face of obstacles. Fox tells how her agent first turned her down for the major film simply because she was a soap opera actress, but then, quite by accident, she got to audition because the producer’s wife, who was watching ‘The Young and the Restless’, was a fan.
What was really dramatic, however, was the audition itself. Fox was wearing a “tight white patent leather jumpsuit” for the first try-out and thought that it would be the way of the stripper character. The casting director in a very blunt way told her that the outfit was “totally wrong.” But instead of being discouraged, Fox was assigned a task: to analyze the character of Sandra Bullock in ‘Speed’ in order to deliver a more complex, human-like performance. She returned for another audition in a pretty dress and combat boots and the director was captivated immediately and then he advocated for her. Six auditions and a screen test later, the role was hers.
At the premiere, the punch line was revealed. “The director Roland Emmerich said to me, ‘Good thing you did good because my first choice, your first day of filming, my first choice said she was available,’ Fox recalls. Then he turned around and said, “But I looked at your dailies and you lit up the screen.”
The tale was that powerful; it reverberated across the internet, Fox was quick to get into the comments and to assert her viewpoint. She wrote, “Darlings do your homework when auditioning for a role! Go in there leaving no doubt that the role is yours!!” She articulated her journey perfectly, replying to a user: “It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t instant. What it was… Destiny meets preparation.”
That combination of destiny and hard work was just right. It was so much that the case of patience even for a star like Fox, had to be at the level of inspiration. “At this level of accomplishment and fame it is hard to believe someone as epic as Vivica had to audition 6 times,” one observer noted, who was really impressed by Fox and the candor with which she shared her struggle. Another fan pointed out the success’s hidden factor: “Also a testament to how when you move through life, you never know who is watching you. But they watchin’!”
The revelation about the director’s “first choice” created a lot of curiosity. “I wonder who the director’s first choice was?” one commenter was pondering, with suggestions ranging from Regina King to Nia Long in the replies. But the major feeling was that no one else could have done the role better. “I don’t care who his first choice was… No one else is as beautiful and could have played that role the way you did,” a fan declared, while this feeling was shared by dozens of others.
There was also a lot of personal stories about Fox’s affability which showed that her off-screen reputation was equal to her on-screen power. One user narrated a cute story of his/her meeting with her in an airport security line, calling her “sweet as pie.” Another one recalled the time when they catered for an event in Houston that Fox attended. “She is so sweet and down to earth!… she loved our food!” they said.
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The journey of Vivica A. Fox from the wardrobe malfunction to the final, picture-saving compliment, is not just a story from Hollywood. It’s a guide: keep returning, receive the criticism with a positive attitude, research, and be so convincingly brilliant that no one can remember there was ever anyone else. Sometimes, as Fox has demonstrated, being the second choice means nothing; you continue being the one for the part.
