Vivica A. Fox fought hard to shake the soap opera stigma while starring on Y&R

The Young and the Restless lost actress Vivica A. Fox (ex-Stephanie Simmons) in 1995, when the aspiring performer landed the role of a lifetime in Independence Day. But she says the moment almost didn't happen because of long-held stigmas about soap opera actors.

Soap opera fans knew that Vivica A. Fox was destined for greatness the moment she graced the screen as Days of our Lives' Carmen Silva in 1988. But it wasn't until she was playing The Young and the Restless' Stephanie Simmons in the mid-90s that other people in the entertainment industry recognized her talent.

In a new interview with Good Day Atlanta, the Indiana native opens up about the moment that took her away from soaps and changed the course of her career: being cast in the Oscar-winning blockbuster Independence Day, which was released 25 years ago.

"I remember that I had to fight to get the audition," the actress recalls. "I was on a soap opera, The Young and the Restless, at the time, and I remember calling my agent and going, 'Everybody's auditioning for Independence Day, why not me?' And she's like, 'Oh, honey, you're just on a soap opera. They're looking for big names. This movie is going to be huge.' Two weeks later, I got a call, she says, 'It's your chance.'"

Fox took that chance and ran with it, and now she is a global star with credits like Kill Bill, Soul Food, Batman & Robin, and, of course, Independence Day, on her rsum.

"Now it's history," the actress says of landing her first major film role. "I am always connected to the Fourth of July, Independence Day, and forever with Will Smith."

Fox's recent projects include headlining two series streaming on Fox Soul: Cocktails With Queens, where she has happy hour with Claudia Jordan, LisaRaye McCoy, and Syleena Johnson as they discuss current topics; and Fox Soul's The Screening Room, where Fox interviews young Black filmmakers and gives them an opportunity to showcase their short films.

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For more information on Fox's new projects, check out Fox Soul.

What do you think about Vivica A. Fox having to fight for a chance to audition for Independence Day because she was "just a soap opera actress"? How do you feel about the negative connotations that have long plagued the soap genre in the eyes of Hollywood bigwigs? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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