Independence Day was 'so bad' star tried to destroy its script

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Later today, at 6:20pm on Channel 4 , Independence Day will hit TV screens. The legendary alien invasion movie is now known as one of the best action movies of the 1990s, but before it hit the silver screen, Ethan Hawke detested it.

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In 1995, 20th Century Fox were excited to bring Hawke on as the film's main star, Captain Steven Hiller.

At the time in 1996, Hawke was a very successful actor in the film and TV industry. He had recently released his 1994 movie Reality Bites to critical acclaim, so he was well sought after in Hollywood.

But when the script for Independence Day came across his desk, his arrogance got in the way.

"I'm the bee's knees, right?" Hawke recalled in 2018. "I'm driving cross country with a friend of mine, and I got the script to Independence Day." He added that he was being offered the leading role in the movie before describing his younger self as a "big shot".

"There's, like, dollar bills attached to [the script]," Hawke remembered. But there was one problem - he absolutely hated what he read of the movie.