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Jeff Goldblum defends 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' cameo (exclusive)

Watch: Jeff Goldblum reacts to size of role as Dr Ian Malcolm

Jeff Goldblum wasn't concerned about the backlash to his small appearance in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom when he signed on for sequel Jurassic World Dominion, which hits IMAX and cinemas on Friday, 10 June.

The star featured heavily in trailers for JA Bayona's 2018 movie, but ultimately had just a few minutes of screen time as Dr Ian Malcolm gave evidence to a Senate hearing.

"I don't really focus on that. Who said there are no small parts, just small actors?" Goldblum told Yahoo in an interview to promote Dominion.

Read more: Jeff Goldblum says he nearly wasn't in Jurassic Park

He added: "The last time I appeared in the last movie, it's true that I wasn't on screen that much. But I thought the implication of how I had developed, what brought me to that point and what I had to say — which was a moment in which I had to be articulate and it was urgent and of deep passion and interest to me — was interesting."

Jeff Goldblum returned as Dr Ian Malcolm for a cameo in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom back in 2018. (Universal)
Jeff Goldblum returned as Dr Ian Malcolm for a cameo in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom back in 2018. (Universal)

Goldblum said he spoke to Colin Trevorrow — who co-wrote Fallen Kingdom and directed Dominion — for a couple of hours in order to collaborate on Fallen Kingdom.

The star reconnected with Trevorrow ahead of filming Dominion and said 'the size of the part didn't concern me this time either' when he saw the script.

Read more: Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum sing on Dominion set

Malcolm plays a much larger role in Dominion, which sees cast members old and new arrive at a sanctuary for escaped dinosaurs run by Biosyn Genetics.

"I hope I have something that can contribute something interesting and satisfying," said Goldblum.

Dr Ian Malcolm is back for a much larger role, alongside Sam Neill and Laura Dern in Jurassic World Dominion. (Universal)
Dr Ian Malcolm is back for a much larger role, alongside Sam Neill and Laura Dern in Jurassic World Dominion. (Universal)

He added: "I was thrilled to be with Laura Dern and Sam Neill and with Mamoudou Athie and DeWanda Wise and Omar Sy and Dichen Lachman and Campbell Scott and BD Wong again. He's got an interesting story in this movie."

Goldblum cited the 'brilliance' of Trevorrow and his co-writer Emily Carmichael in finding a way to make all of the moving parts work in Dominion.

Read more: Colin Trevorrow says Jurassic World Dominion celebrates entire franchise

He said: "When they constructed this story, they had no easy task, I think. Their task was to say 'how do you get all these characters and make it logical that they wind up together and doing this thing?'.

"There are a lot of ways that could have gone less than well."

Jurassic World Dominion unites the cast of the original Jurassic Park with the new Jurassic World characters. (Universal)
Jurassic World Dominion unites the cast of the original Jurassic Park with the new Jurassic World characters. (Universal)

Dominion builds on the events of Fallen Kingdom, in which dinosaurs escaped captivity and spread out across the world.

This was picked up previously by Trevorrow in his eight-minute short film Battle at Big Rock, in which a family's camping trip is interrupted by an Allosaurus attack.

Read more: Bryce Dallas Howard reveals bruises after filming Dominion action

The latest Jurassic World film began shooting in early 2020, only for Trevorrow and his crew to be stopped in their tracks by the COVID-19 pandemic, later becoming one of the first major projects to get started again after lockdown.

Jurassic World Dominion is in IMAX and UK cinemas from 10 June.

Watch: Trailer for Jurassic World Dominion