INDEPENDENCE DAY

WILL SMITH

Will Smith's (Captain Steve Hiller) film career has exploded in recent years, beginning with his critically acclaimed performance in Six Degrees of Separation and continuing with his most recent hit, Bad Boys, co-starring Martin Lawrence. Will's other film credits include Made in America, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson, and Where the Day Takes You. Will began his career in the music business. In 1986, he and Jeff Townes formed the off-beat rap group, D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. The duo released four albums, won two Grammy awards and, in 1992, they were honored as Outstanding Rap Artists at the NAACP Image Awards. Smith's musical talent and showmanship led to the creation of the hit NBC series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which just ended after eight seasons.


BILL PULLMAN

For Bill Pullman (The President), Independence Day is the latest in a string of starring roles including While You Were Sleeping, Casper, Sleepless in Seattle and, most recently, Mr. Wrong. After studying acting and performing in off-Broadway productions and in regional theater, Bill made his screen debut in Ruthless People. He went on to star in Spaceballs, The Serpent and the Rainbow and The Accidental Tourist. Other film credits include Wyatt Earp, Malice, The Favor, Singles and Crazy in Love.


JEFF GOLDBLUM

The enigmatic Jeff Goldblum (David) appeared last year opposite Hugh Grant in the comedy Nine Months. He was also featured as the acerbic, witty scientist in Steven Spielberg's smash-hit dinosaur adventure Jurassic Park. Before that, he was a favorite of audiences and critics for his starring roles in such films as The Big Chill, Silverado and The Fly. Jeff recently appeared in the satirical comedy feature about boxing, The Great White Hype, and last spring he starred opposite Kathy Baker in the critically acclaimed Showtime film Lush Life. Jeff's screen appearances also include Annie Hall, Remember My Name, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Earth Girls Are Easy and The Right Stuff.


MARY MCDONNELL

Mary McDonnell (Marilyn) is a two-time Oscar nominee. She received a Best Actress nomination for her performance as a wheelchair-bound, acid-tongued soap-opera actress in Passion Fish; she also received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance as the white woman raised by the Sioux tribe in Dances With Wolves. Other feature credits include Sneakers, Grand Canyon and Tiger Warsaw. She recently completed her latest film, Mariette in Ecstasy. On television, Mary starred in the Showtime movie Woman Undone, and in the TNT adaptation of Arthur Miller's The American Clock. On stage, she starred on Broadway in the title role of Wendy Wasserstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Heidi Chronicles. Her performance as the lead in Darrah Cloud's adaptation of Willa Cather's Oh, Pioneers was filmed for American Playhouse and aired on PBS in 1991. She made her New York theater debut in Sam Shepard's Pulitzer Prize-winning Buried Child and, in 1981, received an Obie for her performance in Emily Mann's Still Life. Other stage credits include Savage in Limbo, All Night Long, Black Angel, A Weekend Near Madison and Death of a Miner.


JUDD HIRSCH

Judd Hirsch (Julius) is probably best known for his role on the long running classic television series Taxi. It was his portrayal of cabbie Alex Rieger that earned him two Emmy awards. He also won a Golden Globe for his other series, Dear John. Judd's film credits include Ordinary People (for which he garnered an Academy Award nomination), Without a Trace, The Goodbye People, and Running on Empty. In 1979, he originated the role of Matt Friedman in Lanford Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Talley's Folly, which culminated in Tony, Drama Desk and Obie awards.


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