Bring It On Stars Reunite 25 Years After Movie’s Release

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Brr, it’s cold in here, there must be a Bring It On Reunion in the atmosphere.

The stars of the 2000 film – Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Bradford, and Lindsay Sloane – had a wonderful reunion at a special 25th anniversary screening held at the Alamo Drafthouse in Los Angeles on September 21st.

The four friends looked hardly older than they did 25 years ago when they posed for photos shared on the Alamo Drafthouse Instagram on September 22nd. One photo showed them laughing together during a Q&A session about the popular teen movie.

Gabrielle, known for playing Isis, the captain of the Clovers cheerleading squad in *Bring It On*, recently shared a nostalgic post on Instagram. On August 23rd, she shared a video reflecting on how the movie had become a beloved classic.

The actor celebrated the 25th anniversary of the film, writing that its enduring popularity is all thanks to the support of its fans. He expressed excitement that the movie still resonates with audiences after all these years.

Gabrielle described the movie as endlessly enjoyable, saying, “We’ll always be fans, so please keep making more!”

The film also had a significant impact on Kirsten Dunst, who was just 17 years old when she portrayed Torrance, the head cheerleader at Toros High.

Kirsten was incredibly excited at a screening in Los Angeles in August 2024, saying it was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen. She felt overwhelmed with emotion, especially because her friends and family were there to share the experience with her. It had been years since she’d seen these movies with an audience, and she said she was deeply honored to be there.

Even though the 43-year-old actor was in a hugely popular and memorable movie, they don’t want to play that famous character again.

She recently told Entertainment Tonight that she has no plans to return for a sequel, explaining she prefers to leave things as they are and isn’t interested in revisiting the role. She jokingly added that she doesn’t feel the need to ‘put on a cheerleading outfit’ again.

Kirsten said she hadn’t given much thought to what she’d do next-maybe coaching, but she quickly dismissed the idea, saying she was content with things as they were.

For a look back at Bring It On, keep reading.

1. The movie was originally called Cheer Fever. 

The script for the film, written by music video director Jessica Bendinger, was difficult to get approved. In a 2015 interview with MTV News, Bendinger explained she faced numerous rejections, having pitched the idea to around 28 different studios and executives. She described a frustrating process where initial enthusiasm would often fade as the script moved up the chain of command, ultimately leading to it being passed on after multiple levels of review.

Although Kirsten Dunst became a highly sought-after actress, she wasn’t originally cast as Torrance. That role was first offered to Marley Shelton, who ultimately chose to appear in the 2001 film *Sugar and Spice* – a movie about cheerleaders who become bank robbers – instead.

Kirsten Dunst, then 17, was a favorite of the film’s producers. She initially said no to the role several times, but eventually agreed after working on a disappointing independent film. As she explained to MTV News, when she read the script, she thought it seemed like a really enjoyable project.

Gabrielle Union’s character, Isis, the captain of the East Compton Clovers, was actually inspired by Michael Jordan! Director Peyton Reed shared with Buzzfeed that Union played a huge role in developing Isis’s personality. They worked closely together, refining the character throughout the script revisions.

Gabrielle Union had a specific reason for joining the film. She explained to MTV that she’d previously been interested in a cheerleading-themed movie about bank robbery, called *Sugar and Spice*, but the studio didn’t want to cast Black actors in any of the roles. She noted the irony that the project which lacked diversity didn’t succeed, while the one that embraced it – and aimed to correct past wrongs – did well. This made her decision to join the current film even more meaningful.

Several actors, including James Franco and Jason Schwartzman, auditioned for the role of Cliff, Torrance’s rebellious boyfriend. However, Jesse Bradford was their first choice, though he was initially unsure about taking the part. According to executive producer Max Wong, after seeing around 300 actors, Bradford was exactly what they were looking for. Wong recalls Bradford asking for a convertible as part of the deal, to which Wong jokingly agreed, even though it wasn’t true.

Missy, Cliff’s sister and Torrance’s surprise co-captain who loves gymnastics and temporary tattoos, was perfectly cast as Eliza Duskhu from *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, according to Reed. She made a great impression at the audition.

I remember the audition so clearly! I was probably a little rough around the edges, maybe even a bit hungover, and I definitely wore all black. Joss Reed just casually asked me if I could do a split, and on a whim, I figured, why not? I went for it, actually managed to hit the split, and thought, ‘Okay, that went better than expected!’ It was a pretty cool moment, honestly.

R&B group Blaque – consisting of Shamari DeVoe, Brandi Williams, and the late Natina Reed – was directly offered the roles of the East Compton Clovers without needing to audition. Shamari DeVoe explained to the Observer that the group was very successful at the time, and their representatives, Johnny Wright and Lisa Lopes (who also mentored them and had creative input), were contacted about the opportunity. They were in high demand, so the offer came directly to them.

Since it was their first time acting in a movie, the singers relied on Gabrielle Union for help. Union told MTV that they were completely new to acting and needed guidance on basic things like hitting their marks, understanding the lighting, and knowing where the cameras were. She described the movie as a collaborative effort where everyone was dedicated to learning and working hard, emphasizing that it truly took a team to make it happen.

The trailer for *Bring It On* includes footage of the Clovers cheerleading squad that doesn’t actually appear in the finished film. In a January 2022 TikTok video, Gabrielle Union explained that this footage was specifically created after test screenings. Viewers wanted to see more of the Clovers, so the filmmakers shot extra scenes just for the trailer to give the impression that the squad had a larger role in the movie than they did.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie – where Torrance and Cliff playfully flirt while brushing their teeth – wasn’t originally planned. It came from a personal experience for the writer, Bendinger. She told MTV that she remembered observing an awkward encounter she had with someone in the bathroom and thought, “What if we put that in the movie?”

Kirsten Dunst added a clever detail to a scene. According to director Reed, she came up with the idea of covering her mouth while spitting, which he thought was brilliant. It was entirely her own contribution.

Most of the lines for Sparky Polastri, the character choreographed in the show, were actually made up on the spot by actor Ian Roberts and Reed. They explained to Buzzfeed that the original script for the role was amusing but lacked depth and relied on clichés. However, the now-famous ‘spirit fingers’ were written into the script beforehand.

During filming, several cast members, including Dushku and Bradford, were arrested in Tijuana. According to Wong, they were drinking on the beach when the police intervened and took them to a Mexican jail.

Dushku wanted to make it clear that no one from the production team helped them out of a difficult situation. She confirmed there was an incident one weekend, but they resolved it themselves – she specifically handled it – and no producers intervened.

14. Most of the cast went through a four-week cheerleading boot camp prior to filming. 

Nicole Bilderback, who played Whitney in the movie, explained to Bustle that the cheerleaders didn’t just learn the dances and cheers-they performed all their own stunts too. This meant hours of training to build strength for the pyramids and learn how to do the tosses safely. It was physically demanding work, often lasting eight hours a day with only a lunch break.

Using even a short clip of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” in the audition scenes would noticeably impact the film’s limited $10 million budget.

Reed remembered telling Buzzfeed it cost $40,000, and that it was the most expensive piece of music – and overall expense – in the film.

16. To make it on one of the squads, there was no faking it when it came to your resume.

As a huge fan, I always found it fascinating hearing about how they cast the movie! Reed once told DVD News that they had every actor audition by performing a cheer – can you imagine?! He explained it was honestly the most embarrassing thing they could ask anyone to do, but they really needed to see if the actors had any sense of rhythm and coordination. It wasn’t just about the acting; the roles were physically demanding, so they had to be able to handle that too.

Lin-Manuel Miranda helped write the music and lyrics for *Bring It On: The Musical*, which was performed on Broadway in 2012. The show was nominated for two Tony Awards in 2013, recognizing its excellence in both music and choreography.

As a long-time fan, I’ve always noticed something amazing about the Toros and Clovers routines – they consistently push the boundaries! A lot of the incredible stunts they do aren’t actually permitted in standard high school cheer competitions, which is part of what makes watching them so thrilling. They’re just on another level!

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always been fascinated by the details, and when we were making this film, we definitely took some creative license with the cheerleading routines. We knew some of the moves weren’t technically allowed at the high school level – some were even college-level skills! – and might have gotten someone disqualified in a real competition. But honestly, we prioritized what looked best on screen and what served the story. And you know what? We’re totally fine with that! It was all about the visual impact and dramatic effect.

The filmmakers disagreed about how the movie should end, specifically which cheerleading team should win the national championship. Ultimately, they decided the Clovers would be the winners.

Reed remembers a lot of discussion about who would win, with some people thinking Kirsten, as the lead, meant her team, the Toros, had to come out on top. However, that wasn’t what happened. While they performed really well, they ended up in second place, which Reed said was a valuable learning experience for Kirsten.

The movie’s unexpected debut at number one, earning $22 million in the US despite predictions of only $6 million, led to some exciting reactions from its stars.

Dushku told MTV that she and some friends went out to celebrate, and they might have jumped into the pool at Sky Bar after finding out their movie was number one.

As a huge fan, I was so excited to discover on the DVD that there’s an alternate ending! It’s really sweet – Torrance and Isis actually both get into U.C. Berkeley and end up cheering together on the squad. It’s a much happier outcome than what made the final cut, and I love seeing them succeed together!

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2025-09-23 01:18