I was in one of the biggest movies of all time with Will Smith – here’s what it’s really like

HOLLYWOOD histrion James Duval has lifted the lid connected what it’s truly similar down the scenes of a immense blockbuster movie.

James, 52, is known for his roles successful 1996 big-budget movie Independence Day starring Will Smith and the 2001 American subject fabrication thriller Donnie Darko with Jake Gyllenhaal.

In Independence Day James played Miguel Casse, the oldest lad Randy Quaid’s quality Russell Casse who had been abducted by aliens 10 years earlier the events of the film.

He said: “There’s truthful galore secrets from some films. One of the biggest ones, erstwhile we were filming Independence Day the worldly with the fireballs ripping done the cities, done New York and Los Angeles, we really changeable connected a monolithic greenish surface astatine a warehouse. 

“We had cars hanging from cranes and erstwhile the manager called action, they were really dropping existent cars onto different cars portion everyone was moving distant from the occurrence balls. 

“It truly was rather a spectacle to sprout and adjacent though I wasn’t successful those scenes I did amusement up connected acceptable for the time conscionable to ticker them. They were truthful incredibly good organised and shot. 

“There were astir 20 cars connected these cranes that were each swinging and past they’d beryllium thrown down that truly was rather something.”

On moving with Will Smith, 56, and Jeff Goldblum, 72, helium said: “Independence Day was an implicit joyousness to shoot. 

“You are successful the biggest sandbox successful the world, springiness the biggest toys to play with. I cognize with astir of the actors, we were each precise blessed to beryllium there.

“At 1 constituent during the filming Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith were perpetually conscionable singing to each other. They would sing the lines during rehearsal and past we’d commencement filming they would get backmost into quality and play it straight. They would beryllium singing Elvis.  

“Will Smith is simply a powerhouse of an histrion and besides 1 of the astir fantastic radical I’ve ever met. I besides got Christmas cards from him for years aft we changeable that movie. He was a precise giving guy.”

James besides reveals however the country wherever Will punches an alien successful the caput earlier smoking a cigar was not successful the script.

He said: “They dropped Will from a small crane, and helium parachutes in, walks toward the alien ship. Look astatine you, I had a barbecue today, past helium opens the ships and says, what’s that smell, helium past punches the alien and says ‘welcome to earth’ helium past pops retired the cigar and says ‘now that’s what I telephone a adjacent encounter.’ Those small moments were brought to beingness by Will Smith, they weren’t successful the publication but they are testament to his abilities.”

In Donnie Darko James played the elephantine bunny named Frank who convinced Donnie, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, 43, to perpetrate respective crimes.

James said: “With Donnie Darko immoderate of the magic down the scenes relates to Jake, what was truly incredible, astir of the clip my dependable had to beryllium done successful station production, I had to shriek my dialog done the disguise and that’s a testament to Jake, to beryllium capable to perceive this muffled dependable and  not rather beryllium capable to perceive what I was saying, and to reply backmost truthful emotionally and precisely arsenic helium did. 

“I deliberation it’s thing that astir radical don’t know, Frank’s dependable didn’t travel retired similar that, it was overmuch much screaming done a mask, the magic of station accumulation made the scenes with Frank mode much eerie, it’s a testament to Jake’s acting, helium wasn’t capable to spot my look oregon perceive what I was saying but helium could inactive present it, and the show that helium has gave was incredible.”

James besides revealed that helium signed up to the movie aft different histrion singed up to play the pb relation but helium pulled retired weeks earlier filming started.

He said: “When I signed onto Donnie Darko, what astir radical don’t know, is I signed up to the movie due to the fact that Jason Schwartzman was involved. I was blessed to get the portion but erstwhile Jason pulled retired I didn’t cognize what to expect. Of people I knew Jake from October Sky, and I person to say, it would ne'er person been that movie without Jake.

“All the actors were wonderful, particularly this playing the kids. We had these small trailers but Jake’s was bigger and helium told america each to spell retired and bent successful his trailer, that mode you don’t person to power rooms. 

“We’d walk guitars circular and sing. When Jake had a moment, which wasn’t often, helium would travel and bent with america too. But that information helium gave america his trailer truthful we could each beryllium unneurotic successful 1 country and make this relationship and chemistry that you could spot connected surface betwixt america all.

“I didn’t person to beryllium successful make-up. I conscionable had to travel successful and enactment the bunny suit on. It was unthinkable to beryllium crossed from Jake and ticker him marque magic. Memories that I volition clasp beloved for the remainder of my life.”

James volition beryllium successful London for a large enactment to observe Donnie Darko this week wherever helium volition beryllium attending the Donnie Darko Halloween House Party connected Friday (November 1st) that volition transport clubbers into a 1980s themed setting.

James said: “I’m ever excited to travel to London it’s 1 of my favourite places and I’ve had immoderate of the champion times of my full beingness here.”

Readers tin bargain tickets to the immersive Donnie Darko Halloween House Party here