10 Things You Didn’t Know About Independence Day

2. Bill Pullman Was Inspired By Dentistry

The alien surgery that goes wrong is one of Independence Day's most unforgettable scenes.

There are a few fun titbits of information surrounding this sequence. For one, the fact that the alien looks completely different with its outer layer suit removed wasn't originally in the script. Roland Emmerich wrote that in after being so impressed by designer Patrick Tatopoulos's visual ideas that he couldn't pick a favourite between two potential alien looks.

On the acting side of things, Bill Pullman felt it was necessary to channel real-life feelings when interacting with the alien in a bid to make his performance more believable. Specifically, when his character had his mind meddled with by the alien, Pullman brought to mind the pain of having a decayed tooth pulled from his mouth. Dentistry is just about the scariest thing on Earth, after all.

Well, In the sheltered life of a Hollywood actor, that is.