Latest news with #GilJunger
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What made Heath Ledger stand out among 253 actors for '10 Things I Hate About You'? The director weighs in
Heath Ledger , the phenomenal actor, charmed his way into securing the role in the classic ' 10 Things I Hate About You .' Without uttering a word, the late actor outdid the auditions of 253 actors for the role of Patrick Verona . The director, Gil Junger , revealed the insightful details about the beloved 1999 film as he works on the follow-up trilogy of the rom-com. 'He was magic,' Junger said, while telling what he did during the auditions that made him the final choice, according to Entertainment Weekly. Heath Ledger and his magnetic charm Gil continued, 'The truth of the matter is, we were casting, and he walked into the room, and I'm very picky. I had already read 253 guys — 253 guys!' The head of Disney casting, Maria Ross , suggested Heath Ledger's name as a mere favour to someone she respected. Just as the late actor walked into the room, he had made a lasting impression on Gil Junger. 'And this is the God's honest truth, on my parents' life: He took three steps into the room, and my thought was, 'If this f---er can read English, I'm going to cast him,'' the 70-year-old recalled. If there were old souls, Heath Ledger's would have been centuries old... Before Ledger spoke any dialogue, he had the unquestionable aura that made him the instant choice. 'He just had a magnetism unlike I've ever felt. It was undeniable. If there are old souls, he must have been centuries old because he just had a way about him that — he was only 17, and yet he just was so confident and loving and wanted to be the best he could be. He was just an incredible young man,' the filmmaker added. Heath Ledger's ensemble Gil even added that on the first day of the shoot, Heath wore 'Frye boots from the '70s, and then he had on these worn-out olive green leather pants, a white leather belt, some crazy shirt, and a hat like a beanie.' He recalled thinking Heath was cool wearing the ensemble and thinking 'If I wore one of those pieces of clothing, I would be the laughing stock of everyone that knows me.' Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Julia Stiles: Nineties female characters were either sexy or had glasses
It is, amazingly, a quarter of a century since a 17-year-old Julia Stiles redefined the rom-com heroine in 10 Things I Hate About You. Surly, bookish and magnificently uninterested in being liked, Kat Stratford, the lead character of Gil Junger's high-school take on The Taming of the Shrew, became a feminist icon for millennials. Kat read Sylvia Plath, kicked mocking classmates in the balls and dismissed Earnest Hemingway as an 'abusive, alcoholic misogynist who squandered half his life hanging around Picasso, trying to nail his leftovers'. Sweet and pliant she was not. 'Teen romantic comedies were very popular in the late Nineties and the female character was either sexy or had glasses on,' Stiles says, speaking from New York, where she was born
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
10 Things I Hate About You trilogy in the works, but fans call it 'disrespectful' cash grab: 'Disservice to Heath Ledger '
Director Gil Junger is working on a follow-up to 10 Things I Hate About You, with a whole trilogy concept in mind. The first movie is titled 10 Things I Hate About Dating, and if it moves forward, it could be followed by 10 Things I Hate About Marriage and 10 Things I Hate About Kids. Right now, only the dating-themed sequel is confirmed to be in development, but the idea of expanding the story has already stirred mixed reactions. Director Gil Junger shares early details and a Heath Ledger tribute In a recent interview with People, Junger shared that he's co-writing the script with Naya Elle James. The project is still in its early stages and hasn't been greenlit yet, but Junger says it's actively being developed as a feature film. While casting hasn't been decided, he's open to bringing back familiar faces like Julia Stiles and Larry Miller. When asked about a tribute to Heath Ledger, who passed away in 2008, he said he hadn't thought about it until that moment but added, 'He deserves to be loved.' The original film became a cult favorite 10 Things I Hate About You still| Credit: X 10 Things I Hate About You hit theaters in 1999 and quickly gained a loyal following. Its clever take on The Taming of the Shrew, mixed with standout performances from Ledger, Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and others, helped cement its status as a teen classic. The film's charm, humour, and emotional moments have kept it relevant over the years and led to a short-lived TV spin-off in 2009. Fans feel the sequel might do more harm than good Despite the nostalgia, many fans are skeptical about the new project. Some believe it could take away from what made the original so special, especially with Heath Ledger no longer here to be part of it. Ledger passed away in 2008 at the age of 28. One user wrote, "This is a disrespect to Heath Ledger's memory, and these three sequels are pointless" and another mentioned, "Ugh…what a disservice for Heath Ledger. No one can top him or the story." Ugh…what a disservice for Heath Ledger. No one can top him or the story. — Stacie (@StacieATyler) May 7, 2025 A third fan noted, "I get the nostalgia factor, but three sequels without Heath Ledger feels like a stretch. The original's charm was its cast and story. hard to recapture that magic decades later." I get the nostalgia factor, but three sequels without Heath Ledger feels like a stretch. The original's charm was its cast and story . hard to recapture that magic decades later. — WisdomOrWhatever (@wisdomorwhtevr) May 7, 2025 One critic argued, "WTF??? Why?!? No sequels are needed. Dear Hollywood, I'm so sorry that you are running out of ideas. Perhaps you should look to new and upcoming talented writers, directors, actors, and visionaries to usher in a new era of entertainment for the masses. What you're doing just isn't working anymore, and the public is completely over sequels, prequels, and reboots. Please stop. You're wasting time and money and sacrificing the dreams of creative minds everywhere when you just pump this crap out." wtf??? Why?!? No sequels are needed. Dear Hollywood, I'm so sorry that you are running out of ideas. Perhaps you should look to new and upcoming talented writers, directors, actors and visionaries to usher in a new era of entertainment for the masses. What you're doing just… — 🪐Celestial Blue💚🥰🧘♀️🦋👽 (@CelestialBlueRa) May 7, 2025 For the unversed, 10 Things I Hate About You is inspired by William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
