The latest addition to Roland Emmerich’s long-gestating sequel Independence Day 2 is a little less unexpected than last week’s newbie. Vivica A. Fox, who portrayed Will Smith’s stripper girlfriend Jasmine Dubrow in the 1996 original, has officially signed on to reprise her role.
Emmerich announced the news via Twitter today:
Exciting news… just officially closed @MsVivicaFox for #IndependenceDay! Here’s the pic! pic.twitter.com/hXVjnqOFaD
— Roland Emmerich (@rolandemmerich) March 24, 2015
Fox’s character had a pivotal role in the first outing that involved reuniting the First Lady with the President. Whether or not she will grapple with something a bit meatier – i.e. taking out the aliens – is unknown. One thing is for certain, whatever she does she’ll have family alongside her. No, she didn’t marry Smith’s cocky pilot and he’s definitely not returning. Throughout her story arc in the original she was accompanied by her son, who will be back and played this time around by Jessie Usher.
The pair join Liam Hemsworth, returning star Jeff Goldblum and recent addition Charlotte Gainsbourg. Plot details are still scarce, but we’ll see how this new ensemble unites against the alien threat next summer.
Directed by Emmerich from a script most recently reworked by James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright, Independence Day 2 is slated for release June 24th, 2016.
