Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

As a film enthusiast who has watched countless movies, I must say that the making of Bring It On is nothing short of inspiring, especially for those aspiring to be in the world of cinema. The budget was tight at $10 million, yet they managed to create something extraordinary with a single music cue costing $40,000 – an expense that proved to be worth every penny.


T-T-T-Torrance can still b-b-b-bring it!

As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I got to witness Kirsten Dunst gracefully stepping into the spotlight at the screening of the timeless teen cheerleading comedy “Bring It On” held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on August 17th. The moment the opening scene unfolded, with her embodying the Toros squad’s captain, Torrance, I felt a surge of nostalgia as she flawlessly recited the iconic cheer that has become synonymous with this beloved cult classic.

In a video she posted on Instagram, credited to the Rodarte fashion label founders Kate and Laura Mulleavy, she sang, “You resent us for our beauty,” but the feeling is mutual. We, too, don’t take a liking to you. We’re like cheerleaders, proclaiming, “Here we are, we are here. Let’s hear it for the squad!”

Moments ago, Kirsten unexpectedly took the stage to excite the audience by presenting the upcoming film.

In the video a fan posted on Instagram, you can hear a man, aged 42, excitedly announce, “I am Torrance!” The crowd erupted in cheers. He then declared, “Your captain is Torrance! Onward, Toros!”

She went on to exclaim, “Wow, this is unbelievable! I can’t believe what I’m seeing – it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced in my life! I’m absolutely thrilled. My loved ones are here, and I get to share this moment with you all. It’s been a long time since I watched these movies, and being here among an audience makes it even more special. I feel truly privileged.”

T-T-T-Torrance can still b-b-b-bring it!

On August 17, Kirsten Dunst visited a screening of the 2000 teen comedy movie “Bring It On” at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. During the viewing of the film’s opening scene, where she portrayed captain Torrance of the Toros cheer squad, the actress memorably recited their well-known introductory cheer.

In a video she posted on Instagram, crediting the Rodarte fashion label founders Kate and Laura Mulleavy, she sang, “Dislike you because we’re stunning,” implying that they themselves were not fond of her either, echoing the words, “We’re cheerleaders, we are cheerleaders. Let’s hear it for the team!”

Just moments ago, I was utterly taken aback as none other than Kirsten herself made a shocking entrance to present the film, leaving the crowd in complete awe!

Overwhelmed with enthusiasm, I proclaimed to the roaring audience, “I am none other than Torrance, the seasoned veteran at 42 years old!” In a video posted on Instagram by an enthusiastic fan, you can see me shouting, “Your Captain Torrance! Onwards, Toros!”

She went on to say, “Wow, this is unbelievable! I’ve never experienced anything quite like this in my entire life. I’m absolutely awestruck. My loved ones are here, and I can’t wait to watch with you all. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen these films, and the excitement of watching them with an audience is indescribable. I feel truly privileged.”

On the evening of reminiscence, Kirsten opted for a laid-back style, donning a black, mid-length sleeved, slightly transparent knit top, teamed with high-waisted blue denims and thick black sandals.

Cinespia organized a twin bill showing of both “Bring It On” and the 1999 movie “The Virgin Suicides,” featuring Kirsten, for their yearly sleepover event held in the graveyard.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

As a devoted fan, I recall vividly that the actress had already turned 17 when she brought the character to life in the hilarious movie “Bring It On.” Notably, this was one of her rare forays into comedy. The production boasted an impressive cast, including the talented Gabrielle Union portraying Isis, captain of the rival Clovers cheerleading squad, Eliza Dushku as the fresh Toros cheerleader Missy, and Jesse Bradford stepping into the role of Cliff, Torrance’s charming love interest.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

Read on to find out 21 behind-the-scenes secrets about Bring It On

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

1. The movie was originally called Cheer Fever

2. The script for the music video, penned by Jessica Bendinger, was initially difficult to convince studios to produce. In an interview with MTV News in 2015, she shared, “I visited around 28 locations and had approximately 27 pitches. Sometimes, I’d present my idea at a studio, they’d be enthusiastic and take it to their supervisor, only for it to be rejected at the third round.”

3. Despite being a highly sought-after actress of her generation, Kirsten Dunst wasn’t initially chosen for the role of Torrance. That honor went to Marley Shelton, who ultimately decided to leave the movie to star in “Sugar and Spice,” a 2001 film about cheerleaders transformed into bank robbers. Wow, isn’t that surprising?

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

4. At 17 years old, Dunst was often considered the prime choice by the producers. However, she had previously declined their offers on multiple occasions before eventually accepting the role after completing a “downhearted, poor indie film.” In an interview with MTV News, she shared, “I read it and thought, ‘This movie seems like fun.'”

5. The character of Isis, captain of the East Compton Clovers portrayed by Gabrielle Union, was modeled after basketball legend Michael Jordan. No big deal. Interestingly, Union played a significant role in shaping the character’s personality as revealed to Buzzfeed; she was instrumental during script revisions, stating that they spent a lot of time refining her character.

7. I joined the movie for a significant reason: the film, similar to the bank-robbing cheerleading flick “Sugar and Spice,” initially refused to cast any characters of color. As I shared with MTV, it’s intriguing how the project that shied away from diversity struggled, while the one aimed at rectifying injustices thrived, and embraced diversity wholeheartedly.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

7. James Franco and Jason Schwartzman were among several actors who tried out for the role of Cliff, Torrance’s rebellious rocker boyfriend. However, it was Jesse Bradford who stood out, although he initially showed some reluctance to join the cast. As Max Wong, the executive producer, explained to MTV, “Out of the 300 people we auditioned for Cliff, none were quite like Jesse.” Bradford even asked for a convertible car, to which Wong replied affirmatively, though he had no means to provide one.

8. As for Missy, who was both Cliff’s sister and Torrance’s unforeseen co-captain with a fondness for gymnastics and temporary tattoos, Eliza Dushku, the sole actress considered for the role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was Reed’s top pick. And she certainly lived up to expectations when she attended the audition. “I remember I was a bit hungover and I was wearing all black,” Dushku shared with MTV. “[Reed] asked, ‘Can you do a split?’ To which I replied, ‘Let me give it a try,’ and I effortlessly executed a split on the spot, thinking, well, this could work. It’s kind of neat.”

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

9. The three members of R&B girl group Blaque, namely Shamari DeVoe, Brandi Williams, and the late Natina Reed, were directly offered roles as the East Compton Clovers without needing to audition. As DeVoe shared with the Observer, “We were at the pinnacle of our career. Our management was Johnny Wright and Lisa Lopes, who served as our mentor and held creative control. We were popular, and they approached us.”

As they were making their acting debut in that film, the singers sought advice from Union. Union clarified this to MTV: “It was their initial foray into acting altogether,” she said. “So guiding them on where to stand when the cameras are focused, and where the lights are positioned… It was a movie where everyone was determined to get it right and everyone was willing to put in the effort. If mastering the craft required a community, then a community was what we had.”

1. As an ardent fan, I can’t help but share this exciting revelation! The trailer for Bring It On features additional scenes starring the Clovers that aren’t actually part of the film itself. In a TikTok post in January 2022, Union explained that these bonus snippets were filmed after production had ended because viewers who saw the movie wanted more of the Clovers. The scenes were created solely for the trailer to create an impression that we see more of them in the film than is actually the case.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

1. One memorable scene from the movie, where Torrance and Cliff flirt while brushing their teeth, wasn’t originally scripted but came from a real-life incident. As Bendinger shared with MTV, she found herself observing a man in a similar situation and found it rather unattractive. She then thought, “Why not incorporate this experience into the story?”

Instead of her, Kirsten herself originated a fantastic idea concerning hiding the side of her mouth while spitting, which I found brilliant. Reed shared this information. It was entirely Kirsten’s contribution.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

12. A large portion of the lines spoken by Sparky Polastri’s character were improvised by actor Ian Roberts and Reed during filming, as they shared with Buzzfeed. They mentioned that the original role was humorous but lacking in depth and stereotypical. However, the spirit fingers moves were carefully scripted.

14. During filming, multiple actors were apprehended in Tijuana, among them Dushku and Bradford. As it was disclosed by Wong to MTV News, they were enjoying drinks on the beach when they were taken into custody and detained in a Mexican prison.

Dushku made it clear that no producers rescued us from our predicament, he explained. While there might’ve been a situation in TJ over the weekend, we managed to extricate ourselves without any help from the producers. I was the one who led us out and there was no instance of a producer intervening or bailing us out.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

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

Beyond just mastering the dance moves and cheers, Nicole Bilderback (playing Whitney from the Toros) shared with Bustle that we also performed our own stunts. This meant learning to construct pyramids, building up strength for them. We had to learn all the tosses as well. In essence, we learned every trick of the trade. It was an eight-hour daily grind, with a lunch break in between. It was challenging and demanding work.

15. As a lifestyle expert, I’d say acquiring the rights to Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” for a segment of our audition scenes could shave off a substantial chunk from our movie’s lean $10 million budget, making it a smart financial move for us.

In the Buzzfeed interview, Reed mentioned that he remembered the cost being around $40,000 for the most expensive and significant music cue in the movie.

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

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

Reed stated to DVD News that during auditions, everyone was required to bring a prepared cheer with them. This could be seen as one of the most embarrassing tasks for an actor. The reason behind this was to evaluate if they had any sense of rhythm and coordination, as it was crucial not only for their acting abilities but also to meet the physical requirements of the roles they were auditioning for.

17. Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborated on the music and lyrics of the musical “Bring It On,” which was staged on Broadway temporarily in 2012. In 2013, it earned two Tony Award nominations for “Best Musical” and “Best Choreography.”

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

18. The majority of the acts carried out by both the Toros and the Clovers involved stunts that are not permitted in high school competition settings.

In an interview with HuffPost, Reed admitted that there are moves in the film which are against the rules. Some of these moves are more complex and sophisticated, like those seen at college level, rather than high school level. If such a move had arisen during the making of the movie, they chose to prioritize what was most effective for the story or visually appealing over adhering strictly to the rules. And that’s perfectly fine with us!

19. There was disagreement among the movie’s creators about how the story should end, specifically who should win the National Championship between the cheerleading squads. However, it was ultimately decided that The Clovers would emerge victorious and claim the trophy. [Spoiler alert]

Reed shared with MTV that there had been much discussion about who would emerge victorious, and some people were convinced that since Kirsten was the main player, the Toros should have won. However, Reed clarified, “That wasn’t the case…they played exceptionally well. But they ended up second to the other team, and it turned out to be a valuable lesson for her.”

Kirsten Dunst Is Still Awesome, Oh Wow, at Reciting Bring It On Cheer

20. The movie astonishingly opened as the top-grossing film, earning $22 million domestically contrary to predictions that it would only bring in $6 million, and some of the actors reacted extraordinarily well to this unexpected success.

A substantial group of us girls and I ventured out for a night on the town to celebrate, possibly including a spontaneous jump into the pool at Sky Bar, as we exclaimed, “We’re number one in movies!” according to Dushku, who shared this with MTV.

21. (Reformulation) The DVD offers a different conclusion where Torrance and Isis are depicted as attending U.C. Berkeley simultaneously, being part of the same cheerleading team.

Read More

2024-08-19 02:19