Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt in "Twister."
The son of late Twister star Bill Paxton says there’s an important reason he’s appearing in a cameo in Twisters.
Twisters is a standalone sequel to the 1996 blockbuster hit starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell. Paxton starred in the 1996 version opposite Helen Hunt.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, James Paxton—who appears in the new movie as a disgruntled hotel guest in a scene with Edgar-Jones and Powell—said that his appearance in Twisters isn’t big, but it has deep meaning.
"It's really a cameo, so it's an Easter egg for the fans of Dad and the original," James Paxton told EW. "I did this one for Dad."
In addition to Twister, Bill Paxton—who died in 2017 at age 61—starred in several blockbuster films throughout his career, including Titanic, Aliens and True Lies.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 30: Bill Paxton and his son, James Paxton, attend the premiere of ... [+]
Paxton Wanted To ‘Be A Conduit’ For His Dad In ‘Twisters’
James Paxton told EW that he auditioned role in Twisters at the urging of his representatives, but after a few months of not hearing back from the production, he made peace with not being in the film.
Once the actor heard that he did indeed land a role in Twisters, he said that the enormity of what the opportunity meant in relation to his father’s role in the franchise hit him.
“It took me a little bit of time to process it, just given the context of my Dad and his significance in the original and him not being here,” James Paxton told EW. “It's an emotional thing. It wasn't something that I could really decide immediately, It took a little time just to process it, just the magnitude of it.”
Eventually, Paxton said, he took the role as a way to honor his late father.
“I wanted to be a conduit for his spirit there and cheer everyone in this production on to success because I know he would be,” Paxton told EW. “I wanted to do something that really honors his presence in this new chapter and really do something for him.
Plus, Paxton added, there were “amazing people” on the production that he wanted to get to know.
“And so, it ended up feeling like the right thing to do, to be representative of Dad there,” Paxton told EW.
Apart from the Bill Paxton connection with the appearance of his son, James Paxton, none of the original stars of Twister appear in Twisters.
However, in an interview with Variety, Daisy Edgar-Jones said there are nods to Twister in Twisters, including the use of Dorothy weather sensor device, which was an important part of the original movie.
Edgar-Jones also said there are moments and costumes in Twisters that are reminiscent of the original film, and many of its crew members are also working on the sequel.
Twisters opens in theaters nationwide on July 19.
