Independence Day Director Recalls Bill Clinton Ran Out During Screening
**Roland Emmerich Recalls Bill Clinton’s Brief Exit During White House Screening of *Independence Day***
While celebrating the 25th anniversary of *Independence Day* with The Hollywood Reporter in 2021, director Roland Emmerich shared a memorable and somewhat amusing moment from the film’s screening at the White House. During the event, the 42nd U.S. President, Bill Clinton, suddenly left the room right after the iconic explosion of the White House played out on screen.
Emmerich recalled, “One minute later, he comes back, shaking his hands dry. Dean and I looked at each other and nearly started laughing.” The brief exit, as it turned out, was simply a bathroom break. The director explained that this was a common occurrence during screenings: “In test screenings, a lot of people left right after, and then they immediately came running back. They didn’t pee earlier because they were so into the movie.”
This incident provides an interesting contrast in light of current events, especially with President Donald J. Trump’s recent renovations involving the demolition of the White House’s East Wing to build a new ballroom.
Emmerich, producer Dean Devlin, and actor Bill Pullman were all present at the private screening. During an interview, they shared more details about how the screening came to be.
The *Independence Day* team was in New York for the movie’s promotional event when Devlin received an unexpected phone call. “The phone is ringing in my room,” the producer recalled. “I pick it up and they said, ‘Could you hold for the White House?’ I said, ‘What?’ And they said, ‘The President would like to screen the movie tonight.’”
Shortly after, the trio found themselves inside the White House, holding an exclusive screening for Bill and Hillary Clinton. Emmerich described the screening room as “a former bowling alley, a little postmark of a screen.”
The group was so nervous they just stood in the back row as the president watched the film, fully aware of the scene where the White House is blown up. When that moment arrived, Devlin recalled exchanging looks with Emmerich and saying, “We’re in the White House watching it blow up,” adding that the situation was “bizarre.”
This unforgettable experience remains one of the unique stories behind the making and legacy of *Independence Day*.
https://www.comingsoon.net/pop-culture/news/2048894-independence-day-screening-bill-clinton-ran-out-screening
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