Girl Chat and Independence Day Resurgence Party

By: Lynn Barker

After getting some basic info from the female stars of the new Sci Fi sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, Kidzworld is on a giant lawn at the Albuquerque Studios with a big IMAX outdoor screen showing us the entire first film Independence Day. Then, celebrating July 4^th…early, we watch an amazing fireworks show as cast, filmmakers and journalists oooo and ahhhhh.

Let’s get to know the ladies. First Sela Ward (The Day After Tomorrow, Gone Girl) who plays our lady President in the film (yay!), then Maika Monroe (upcoming The Fifth Wave), who works in the White House, Vivica A. Fox (“Sharknado” TV movies and the original Independence Day) playing mom to Dylan Hiller (Will Smith’s stepson in previous film) and Angelababy (Chinese pop star Grace Yeung) who is a fighter pilot!

Kidzworld: So Sela (Ward), you are now the President!

• Sela: I am (everybody cheers). Isn’t that wonderful? Do you know who we have to thank for that? Our fabulous director; forward thinking, non-sexist, socially responsible Roland Emmerich (everybody cheers again).

Kidzworld: Did Bill Pullman’s President character from the first film inspire you or is your President really different?

• Sela: Entirely different. It’s a totally different political landscape. She’s tougher, she’s more decisive, not afraid to use force, more aggressive, sorry Bill, she’s a very different animal.
• Bill Pullman: But she can’t fly a jet (as he does in the first film).  
• Sela: Darn, I can’t and they’re not letting me!  It’s a very different time and we’ve been preparing for 20 years for the inevitability of an invasion. We don’t know by whom or when so there’s a very different climate in terms of the tenor of the movie and particularly for a President.

Kidzworld: Maika (Monroe), the last time we saw her, Patricia Whitmore, your character was a young child and now it’s been 20 years, you’re a lot older and you are also a kick butt secret service agent!

• Maika: Well, Roland (Emmerich the director) do we want to call it that? (he growls).
• Roland: We shouldn’t give away what she is.
• Maika: What can I say then?
• Roland: Well, first of all you have to deal with a very famous father right here (indicating Bill) who now looks a bit like Ernest Hemmingway and you are one of these children who grew up in the public eye.
• Sela: And you’re working for me in the White House.
• Maika: Yeah, I work with Sela at the White House and I have to live up to my dad and he was huge and I want to make him proud and also a fighter pilot as well so kind of a badass.

Independence Day: Resurgence | Official Trailer

 

Kidzworld: Angelababy (Chinese pop artist as well as actress Grace Yeung) you just got here on set to start your part in the film.  Tell us about your character.

• Angela: Okay. I’m a new character in this movie and she’s trained as a Chinese fighter pilot.
• Maika: Tough girl.

Kidzworld: Did the first movie influence you?  

• Angela: I really enjoyed the first movie and it gave me the story of what happened 20 years ago and it was why I became a fighter pilot maybe because I don’t have parents. It’s a tough job.

Kidzworld: What is your feeling about working with this great cast on an American movie?

• Angela: For me, I’m a little bit nervous because English is not my first language so I need to prepare the lines for the scenes so many times but I’m so excited and honored to be here to work with these great actors and great set and as a fighter pilot so I’m really happy to do it.

Kidzworld: Vivica, your character had some incredible scenes in the first film, like the tunnel sequence with the dog and the kid and now you are taking on even more responsibility. Can you tell us what your character Jasmine is doing?

• Vivica: Well my character is no longer working the pole (Jasmine was a stripper in the last movie). She was the stripper with a heart of gold. What’s great is, 20 years later, she’s moved on and she’s now working in the hospital as a hospital administrator and she’s doing good things in the hospital saving lives and raising a very responsible young man played by Jessie Usher here who I met on Twitter and today was the first day we saw each other (in person). She’s raising her son to be a strong man and all he can be. She’s a strong woman again. I don’t know if I’m going to have any more great hair moments like in the tunnel but they’ve written her to be the backbone behind her son and encourage him.

Kidzworld: Strong women everywhere. We love it!

Now everyone adjourns to the huge lawn on the studio grounds where they have set up a humungous IMAX-sized outdoor screen and they are starting up the first movie Independence Day! It’s one of my faves so happy to see it while we all eat some great New Mexico goodies and have “adult” beverages.  Everyone cheers the great moments in the film and after we are treated to a huge fireworks show (after all Independence Day in the states is big on fireworks shows), we gradually make our way back to the Tamaya Resort closer to Santa Fe to chill out before going back to work.

We are looking forward to seeing Independence: Day Resurgence June 24^th, 2016!

Have Your Say

Are you excited to see the sequel to the popular alien invasion movie Independence Day?  Comment below and let us know!