The Secrets Behind 'She's All That': Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

This movie was all that.

A prime example is that the movie “She’s All That” featured Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook, along with the hallmarks of an iconic ’90s teen film.

1999 saw the premiere of a movie that centers around Zack Siler, portrayed by Freddie, a popular high school athlete. His world is turned upside down when his girlfriend Taylor Vaughan (played by Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) betrays him during spring break by being unfaithful with Brock Hudson from ‘The Real World’, played by Matthew Lillard.

Following Zack’s derogatory comment about his ex being easily replaceable, his buddy Dean Sampson, who sadly passed away as portrayed by Paul Walker, proposes a wager: Dean selects any girl from their school, and over six weeks, Zack must transform her into the prom queen. Eventually, he selects Laney Boggs, a student not well-liked in the school.

It’s quite evident where this story is heading – indeed, they both develop feelings for each other; eventually, Laney discovers about the wager they made; and yes, there are classic romantic comedy elements such as a transformation sequence, a significant dance, and an emotional soundtrack (Alexa, play “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer).

But there are still elements to these characters that make them relatable 26 years later.

In an interview with TopMob News in 1999, Rachael stated, “There’s a piece of us all within Laney Boggs.” She explained, “I believe that at some point, everyone has experienced feelings of exclusion and loneliness. Therefore, I think she is highly relatable.

The lessons in this movie don’t just feel relevant today but will likely remain so for years to come. As Anna Paquin, who portrayed Mackenzie Siler, Zack’s sister, noted, it’s important to look beyond someone’s exterior and make an effort to understand them, even if they’re not the type you would typically be drawn to as a friend. This message, I believe, is quite valuable.

Apart from boasting an impressive ensemble, the film features additional appearances by Usher, Gabrielle Union, Kieran Culkin, Lil’ Kim, Dulé Hill, and Milo Ventimiglia. Plus, Sarah Michelle Gellar, who is famously known for her role in Buffy, also made a cameo in the movie.

Before watching the movie again, commemorate its anniversary by uncovering hidden facts about “She’s All That”.

Prior to casting Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook as Zack Siler and Laney Boggs, director Robert Iscove had conversations with various promising young actors about the roles.

Back in 2014, I shared a conversation with the charismatic Josh Hartnett, recalling our chat about the iconic role he took on as Freddie. It was a time when youth and fame were intertwined, be it from a successful TV series or a promising film debut. As I reminisce, I can’t help but marvel at the array of talented actresses we auditioned for Rachael’s part – Leelee Sobieski, Mena Suvari, and Jordana Brewster were just a few of the many exceptional girls we went through. It was quite the journey to find the perfect fit!

2. Following Prinze’s casting as both the high school president and top athlete, there were some minor adjustments made to the character.

In an interview with Today, Prinze shared that he slightly softened the character’s demeanor compared to the original script. This modification allowed the character to show a touch of vulnerability, which in turn made audiences sympathize with him when he made mistakes, rather than labeling him as a jerk.

3. In the pivotal moment when Laney challenged Zack, Cook noted that Prinze found it challenging to shoot the scene where he exclaimed, “Are you seriously betting on me?

She shared with Today that he appeared quite emotional in that particular instance, and she vividly recalled that it was one of the sweetest sights she had ever witnessed, as he seemed a bit overwhelmed.

In 2013, a dispute arose when M. Night Shyamalan claimed he wrote the script, an allegation that was strongly disputed by credited screenwriter R. Lee Fleming Jr. However, according to Jack Lechner, who was Miramax’s head of development in the late ’90s, both writers could technically be correct.

According to Lechner, Shyamalan significantly improved the script. He added depth to it and made the characters more complex.

In particular, Richard N. Gladstein mentioned to TopMob News that M. Night Shyamalan’s adjustments significantly improved his connection with Kevin Pollak (who portrayed Laney’s father, Wayne). However, he stated that the script was already largely complete when it reached him.

5. Although that scene stood out as a highlight in the film, Cook confessed that he felt a bit awkward during the shooting of Laney walking slowly down the stairs in slow motion to unveil her makeover to Zack, describing his feelings as “self-conscious.

Cook shared with Entertainment Tonight that there were two of the same dress on set. One for the scene where she had to dash out, trip, and fall in the driveway required a duplicate dress. She mentioned that one dress seemed noticeably smaller than the other, which was unusual as the main dress wasn’t available. To get down the stairs while not breathing, she wore the smaller-sized dress, spoke a few words, and then they wrapped up the scene.

6. In an interview with the magazine “Interview”, costume designer Denise Wingate shared her rationale for having Laney wear red during a crucial moment, explaining its significance.

Prior to this instance, her color choices were quite subdued, according to Wingate. Therefore, when she descends the stairs to greet Zach, it’s not just about the dress; the vibrancy of the color takes center stage. It’s a striking departure from the muted tones she typically wears.

7. I regret to inform you, but during his interview with Today, Prinze confessed that he required a stand-in for Zack’s iconic hackeysack scene, as the actor actually missed it numerous times.

As they had promised me a trainer, I believed I was on my way to mastery. However, I underestimated the time it would require. Looking back, I remember the day vividly when Rob said, “Alright, we’re filming the hackeysack scene today.” I confessed that I could manage only four successful throws in a row. He reassured me, saying, “Don’t worry, we have a world champion hackeysacker who bears a strong resemblance to you. He serves as a great stand-in for you.” Hearing this, I felt excited! If you rewatch the scene, you’ll spot me – I managed three in a row on a particularly good take, so the first three throws are indeed mine!

8. It turns out that Laney’s eccentric falafel hat from work was her own idea; she admitted this in an interview with Today. Essentially, she made the choice to wear it herself.

9. Matthew Lillard insisted on having a personal trainer prior to agreeing to portray Brock Hudson, the reality TV star boyfriend of the unkind character Taylor (played by Jodi Lynn O’Keefe), in the project.

Iscove told Cosmo that the actor expressed his desire to build muscle because he would be swimming. So, we agreed, saying “Go ahead and get buff if you want.” He followed through, spending two months with a personal trainer before filming his Real World segments, which were captured on video rather than film for the rest of the movie.

10. “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer climbed to the second spot on the Billboard Hot 100 following its appearance in a movie, where it remained in the Top 10 for a remarkable 16 weeks. Interestingly, the film’s title was modified in Europe from “She’s All That” to “Kiss Me”.

11. Rapper Lil’ Kim first appeared as a character named Alex, one of the popular girls. It was revealed that Freddie and she shared Lil’ Kim’s wigs, according to Cook in an interview with TopMob News. “I truly hope Lil’ Kim isn’t watching this because it’s absolutely true,” Cook said. “I have to admit, they are stunning, and I couldn’t resist trying them on. I mean, who wouldn’t, right? They were just there, and as a human being, I couldn’t help but wear Lil’ Kim’s wigs!

12. The movie incorporated a few clever pop culture nods by using the main characters’ names, such as Laney Boggs, which paid tribute to two roles portrayed by Winona Ryder: Lelaina “Laney” Pierce in ‘Reality Bites’ and Kim Boggs in ‘Edward Scissorhands’. Additionally, Zack and Taylor were references to members of the band Hanson.

13. Prior to his portrayal of Jess on Gilmore Girls, Milo Ventimiglia previously played a minor character – one of the J.V. soccer players whom Zack enlisted to tidy up Laney’s home.

14. The location where the movie was shot is also where scenes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Beverly Hills, 90210 were previously filmed on their campuses.

15. Regarding Buffy, it was Sarah Michelle Gellar, Prinze’s future spouse, who briefly appeared on screen as the high school student who handed over some recently ground pepper.

According to Iscove, she was present with Freddie and was asked if she would participate, to which she agreed, but remained silent throughout. She didn’t utter a single word, not even a simple ‘thank you’ or ‘no.’ It was peculiar, we couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t say anything at all. But she carried on with the task as planned. Getting Buffy in the movie was significant because at that time, Buffy was extremely popular.

On Instagram, Gellar humorously commented, “It seems you grasped quite well that my character had no desire for pepper.

16. To ensure the well-known prom scene made it into the movie, Iscove had to argue passionately, telling Cosmo he yearned for a large dance number, even though the studio was hesitant. The strategy: Incorporating more scenes featuring Usher, who portrayed the school’s DJ (After all, it was the ’90s!).

He explained, “So we returned to film additional footage of Usher, reminding him of the dance lessons we had taught him before, or something along those lines.” “Later, we went back to Chicago, where Usher was working on his album, and filmed more scenes with him, incorporating these into our production.

17. It was apparent that Dulé Hill was displeased with the dance routine, as he expressed his frustration that he couldn’t perform tap dancing, based on Prinze’s statements.

According to Prinze, Dulé is an exceptional tap-dancer of the highest caliber, as he shared with The Daily Beast. While filming the beach volleyball scene, I overheard him tapping and sliding his feet on the wooden floor, and I asked, “Are you tap dancing?” To which he replied, “I’m a ‘hoofer,’ man.” This is how we became friends. We frequented a dance studio in Hollywood and often spent our time tap-dancing together.

18. The number was orchestrated by Adam Shankman, who later became famous for directing movies like “A Walk to Remember”, “The Wedding Planner”, and “Hairspray”. While working together on the film, Prinze and Shankman developed a strong friendship, with Shankman even playing an important role in Prinze’s 2002 wedding. In fact, as he shared with Today, “The choreographer from ‘She’s All That’ married my wife and I!

19. During an interview with TopMob News, Cook openly shared that she felt somewhat star-struck by the late Paul Walker, who unfortunately passed away in a car accident in November 2013 at the age of 40. She described him as “an exceptional actor, but not someone who came across as overly theatrical.” Instead, he appeared to be “a laidback surfer plucked from the beach and thrust onto a film set—who just happened to be talented at acting.

She noted that he wasn’t overly outgoing; instead, he focused on his tasks and preferred solitude. Admittedly, I found him somewhat daunting – not only because of his impressive height, but also because he was quite attractive. To put it simply, I was taken aback. Amazing!

20. In 2016, there was a great deal of excitement on the internet when Prinze and Cook met in real life. Cook disclosed that it was Walker’s sad demise that eventually led to their encounter.

In 2013, shortly following Paul’s unexpected passing, I found myself reflecting deeply on life’s brevity. I felt compelled to connect, to extend a greeting. He was someone dear to me, someone I longed to encounter once more. As Cook shared with Today, it had been quite some time since we last spoke and it took another three years before I finally reached out, saying, “I may not see you every day, but I’d love to catch up.” We ended up meeting over an extensive cup of coffee and a delightful assortment of pastries.

2025-01-29 11:20

The Secrets Behind ‘She’s All That’: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

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