Independance+Day+Character+List

Cast and characters

 * ** [|Will Smith] ** as **Captain Steven Hiller**: An assured [|United States Marine Corps] [|F/A-18] pilot at the forefront of the human resistance counter-offensive. His ambition before the alien attack is to join [|NASA] 's [|astronaut] training program. Devlin and Emmerich had always envisioned an African-American for the role,[|[5]] and specifically wanted to cast Smith after seeing his performance in //[|Six Degrees of Separation]//.[|[6]]
 * ** [|Bill Pullman] ** as **President Thomas J. Whitmore**: A former [|Persian Gulf War] fighter pilot and current [|President of the United States] whose approval ratings early in the film indicate the nation's dissatisfaction with his performance. To prepare for the role, Pullman read //The Commanders// by [|Bob Woodward] and watched the documentary film //[|The War Room]//.[|[7]]
 * ** [|Jeff Goldblum] ** as **David Levinson**: An [|MIT] -educated computer expert who is a [|chess] enthusiast and [|environmentalist], working as a satellite technician for a cable television company in New York City when he discovers the aliens' invasion plot. He still has strong feelings for his ex-wife and later formulates a plan to defeat the invaders.
 * ** [|Mary McDonnell] ** as **First Lady Marilyn Whitmore**: The wife of President Whitmore, who is wounded while fleeing the destruction of [|Los Angeles] and later dies from her injuries.
 * ** [|Judd Hirsch] ** as **Julius Levinson**: A cigar-smoking [|Jewish] [|immigrant] and widowed father of David Levinson, whom he loves but also teases by referring to him as a cable repairman.
 * ** [|Robert Loggia] ** as **General William Grey**: A United States Marine Corps general who is the [|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff], and one of President Whitmore's most trusted advisors. Loggia modeled the character after the generals of [|World War II] , particularly [|George S. Patton] .[|[8]]
 * ** [|Randy Quaid] ** as **Russell Casse**: A widowed, alcoholic [|crop duster] and veteran [|Vietnam War] pilot who claims to have been an [|alien abductee] ten years prior to the events of the film. He struggles to care for his three children. At the end of the film, he sacrifices himself to destroy an alien destroyer, gaining the admiration of his eldest son, whom had previously held little respect for him.
 * ** [|Margaret Colin] ** as **Constance Spano**: The [|White House Communications Director] and David's ex-wife. Though she still loves David she feels that he is underachieving, and divorced him to pursue her career alongside President Whitmore.
 * ** [|Vivica A. Fox] ** as **Jasmine Dubrow**: A single mother, Steve's girlfriend and [|exotic dancer] . She searches for fellow survivors in the aftermath of the Los Angeles attacks, finding the First Lady in the process.
 * ** [|James Rebhorn] ** as **Albert Nimziki**: The [|Secretary of Defense] and former director of the [|CIA] . Rebhorn described the character as being much like [|Oliver North] .[|[9]] The character's eventual firing lampoons Joe Nimziki,[|[10]] who was [|MGM's] head of advertising and reportedly accounted for unpleasant experiences for Devlin and Emmerich when studio executives forced recuts of //[|Stargate]//.[|[11]]
 * ** [|Harvey Fierstein] ** as **Marty Gilbert**: David's flamboyant boss who is killed during the alien attack on [|New York City].
 * ** [|Adam Baldwin] ** as **Major Mitchell**: A [|United States Air Force] officer who is the [|commanding officer] at Area 51.
 * ** [|Brent Spiner] ** as **Dr. Brackish Okun**: The scientist in charge of research at Area 51. He is later killed by a captured alien.[|[12]] Devlin, who is open to the idea of bringing Dr. Okun back in the event of a sequel, later implied that the character is merely in a coma.[|[13]] The character's appearance and verbal style are based upon those of visual effects supervisor Jeffrey A. Okun, whom Emmerich had worked with on //[|Stargate]//.[|[14]]
 * ** [|Harry Connick, Jr.] ** as **Captain Jimmy Wilder**: The best friend of Steve and fellow pilot, he is killed while fleeing a failed attack on an alien spacecraft. Connick took over the part for [|Matthew Perry], who was originally cast in the role.[|[15]]
 * ** [|Kiersten Warren] ** as **Tiffany**: A friend of Jasmine and fellow stripper. She wants to go up on the [|First Interstate World Center] to greet the aliens. Despite Jasmine's requests to not go, Tiffany goes anyway and is one of the first to be killed in the destruction of [|Los Angeles].