Fans weren't the only ones to mourn the loss of Captain Steve Hiller from "Independence Day," as it turns out Will Smith -- the actor who portrayed the charismatic, cigar-chomping, catchphrase-spewing character from the 1996 blockbuster -- has admitted, "It was terrible when I found out my character died."

Smith told Yahoo! News, "The ["Independence Day: Resurgence"] trailer looks really cool...I’m going to be sitting around with tears in my eyes when that one comes out."

The "I Am Legend" star says he didn't return for "Independence Day: Resurgence" because he was working on "Suicide Squad" when the movie went into production. However, he does admit that director Roland Emmerich discussed the project several times prior, saying, "Roland [Emmerich] and I had talked about it."

The death of Captain Hiller was revealed on the "Independence Day: Resurgence" viral site, which writes, "While test piloting the ESD's first alien hybrid fighter, an unknown malfunction causes the untimely death of Col. Hiller...Hiller's valor in the War of '96 made him a beloved global icon whose selfless assault against the alien mothership lead directly to the enemy's defeat. He is survived by his wife Jasmine and his son Dylan."

"Independence Day: Resurgence" is set for a June 24 release.