Latest news with #Junger
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How Heath Ledger Outacted 253 Others to Secure His Iconic "10 Things I Hate About You" Role
Heath Ledger 's breakout performance as Patrick Verona in the 1999 teen rom-com " 10 Things I Hate About You " is now mythic, yet the story behind his securing the role is as delightful as the performance itself. The Audition That Changed Everything Director Gil Junger recalled that Ledger was a new face at the time, and the casting process had been exhausting: he had already auditioned 253 actors for the role of Patrick Verona. Disney 's casting chief, Marcia Ross, had brought in Ledger as a favor to a respected agent, recalled Junger, with little hope that he would get it. But, the moment Ledger entered the room, he owned it completely. Junger remembered: Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo "He took three steps into the room, and my thought was, 'If this f---er can read English, I'm going to cast him.'' Even before a word was spoken, Ledger's soulfulness led Junger to think that he had found his Patrick Verona. "He just had a magnetism unlike I've ever felt. It was undeniable. He just was so confident and loving and wanted to be the best he could be. He was just an incredible young man,' mentioned Junger. Live Events Ledger was only 17, with a rather older and more confident personality. Of Ledger's first day on set, the director spoke about his bohemian attire-Frye boots, torn olive green leather pants, a white leather belt, a wacky shirt, and a beanie-that only made him cooler and more authentic. Junger added, "He just had this magic where you could just put anything on him, maybe even paint it, and he'd be incredibly cool, because the kid you saw in the movie, that's who he was. He was just an incredible human." A Breakout Role Ledger's coming into stardom as the mysterious and charming Patrick Verona, hired to woo Julia Stiles' character Kat, was a career-defining role. The film's blend of humor, love story, and pop culture moments- like Ledger's bleacher drama in the high school- earned him a spot as a leading man in romance and set the stage for his future success in "A Knight's Tale," "Brokeback Mountain," and "The Dark Knight," for which he won a posthumous Oscar. Junger's fondness for Ledger was so immense that he would even go out of his way to ride to location with him, simply to be in his company. Now, as the director works on a spiritual follow-up to "10 Things I Hate About You," he's made it a point to avoid an outright sequel out of respect for Ledger's memory and what worked so beautifully in the original. Heath Ledger's casting wasn't a matter of reading lines-it was a matter of an instant, electric presence that separated him from a sea of other contenders.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tacoma police leader ‘feared coming forward' about ex-Deputy Chief Paul Junger
Months before Tacoma Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Junger was fired in March, public records show another member of the police leadership team reported that Junger had harassed her and eroded her confidence in her longevity with the department. Assistant Chief Crystal Young-Haskins made the report to former Police Chief Avery Moore Oct. 24 and then informed the director of the City of Tacoma's Human Resources department in an email about a month later, claiming Junger had created a hostile work environment and subjected her to unlawful harassment. Young-Haskins, who identified herself in the Nov. 12 email as a 43-year-old Black woman, said she believed she was subjected to the harassment because of her inclusion in a protected class and that the 'unwelcome' environment altered her work conditions substantially. 'It eroded confidence in my longevity with the department/city and my emotional/mental well‐being,' Young-Haskins wrote in the email. 'This added unnecessary stress has also impacted my overall quality of life and to a certain extent the overall morale of the department.' Young-Haskins said the hostile work environment began shortly after she was hired by the Police Department in fall 2022 (she was sworn into her position in July that year). She said she wanted to be afforded protection under a whistle blowers policy. 'I feared coming forward out of being a team player and a honest desire to just do my job to the best of my ability,' Young-Haskins said. Young-Haskins said Junger's harassment included unequal treatment for using leave and in the frequency of one-on-one meetings, retaliatory annual performance evaluations, invasion of privacy in her workspace and negating her seniority to undermine her authority and discredit her reputation. The email was provided to The News Tribune in response to a public records request with the City of Tacoma. Young-Haskins' name was redacted from the email, but the fact that it originated from her was corroborated by a photo shared with The News Tribune last year. Also included on the email were former Police Chief Moore and Tacoma Fire Department Assistant Chief Alex Wilsie. Through a Police Department spokesperson, Young-Haskins declined to comment for this story Wednesday. Efforts to reach Junger for comment Wednesday were not immediately successful. His LinkedIn profile says he is retired. Her email sheds light on a murky equal employment opportunity investigation in Junger's behavior. The City of Tacoma has continued to decline to elaborate on exactly what the investigation entailed. Officer Shelbie Boyd, a spokesperson for the Police Department, has said all information would have to go through the public-disclosure request system. The email also lines up with the timeline of when Junger was placed on paid administrative leave for three weeks last year. Junger was placed on leave Oct. 24, the same day Young-Haskins said she reported Junger's harassment to Moore. Junger returned to work Nov. 13, a day after Young-Haskins emailed the Human Resources department. At the time, a police spokesperson said there wasn't sufficient information to warrant keeping Junger on leave. When Junger, 55, was fired from his position as the Police Department's second in command March 31, Police Chief Patti Jackson said it was due to sustained findings in the investigation but did not explain what those findings were. An agency report held by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, first reported by KING 5, shows that an outside law firm was retained to investigate allegations of gender, race and age discrimination, a hostile work environment and retaliation regarding Junger. Allegations of gender discrimination and the creation of a hostile work environment were sustained, according to the agency report. The claim of race discrimination was not sustained, and claims of age discrimination and retaliation were determined to be unfounded. The News Tribune requested a copy of the investigative file related to the investigation from the City of Tacoma on March 31. As of Wednesday, the city was still locating and assembling materials. Young-Haskins, who now leads the Investigations Bureau for the Police Department, came to Tacoma from Little Rock, Arkansas, where she began her law enforcement career in 2006. She was appointed interim chief of the Little Rock Police Department in May 2022, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The newspaper reported she resigned a month later to pursue a career opportunity outside the state. At the time, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said Young-Haskins was an 'exemplary' officer who had served the city with dignity, honor and professionalism for more than 16 years. Young-Haskins' email complaint about Junger listed eight witnesses who she said might have been treated similarly or who could attest to her allegations. According to the photo of the email shared with The News Tribune, one was the former chief of staff of the Police Department, Curtis Hairston. Hairston received a $500,000 settlement from the City of Tacoma last month after he went to court over allegations that he experienced racial bias and discrimination in his 18 months with the Police Department before he resigned. His claims included allegations that Junger made racist comments to Hairston, which the city denied in a legal response.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tacoma police leader ‘feared coming forward' about ex-Deputy Chief Paul Junger
Months before Tacoma Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Junger was fired in March, public records show another member of the police leadership team reported that Junger had harassed her and eroded her confidence in her longevity with the department. Assistant Chief Crystal Young-Haskins made the report to former Police Chief Avery Moore Oct. 24 and then informed the director of the City of Tacoma's Human Resources department in an email about a month later, claiming Junger had created a hostile work environment and subjected her to unlawful harassment. Young-Haskins, who identified herself in the Nov. 12 email as a 43-year-old Black woman, said she believed she was subjected to the harassment because of her inclusion in a protected class and that the 'unwelcome' environment altered her work conditions substantially. 'It eroded confidence in my longevity with the department/city and my emotional/mental well‐being,' Young-Haskins wrote in the email. 'This added unnecessary stress has also impacted my overall quality of life and to a certain extent the overall morale of the department.' Young-Haskins said the hostile work environment began shortly after she was hired by the Police Department in fall 2022 (she was sworn into her position in July that year). She said she wanted to be afforded protection under a whistle blowers policy. 'I feared coming forward out of being a team player and a honest desire to just do my job to the best of my ability,' Young-Haskins said. Young-Haskins said Junger's harassment included unequal treatment for using leave and in the frequency of one-on-one meetings, retaliatory annual performance evaluations, invasion of privacy in her workspace and negating her seniority to undermine her authority and discredit her reputation. The email was provided to The News Tribune in response to a public records request with the City of Tacoma. Young-Haskins' name was redacted from the email, but the fact that it originated from her was corroborated by a photo shared with The News Tribune last year. Also included on the email were former Police Chief Moore and Tacoma Fire Department Assistant Chief Alex Wilsie. Through a Police Department spokesperson, Young-Haskins declined to comment for this story Wednesday. Efforts to reach Junger for comment Wednesday were not immediately successful. His LinkedIn profile says he is retired. Her email sheds light on a murky equal employment opportunity investigation in Junger's behavior. The City of Tacoma has continued to decline to elaborate on exactly what the investigation entailed. Officer Shelbie Boyd, a spokesperson for the Police Department, has said all information would have to go through the public-disclosure request system. The email also lines up with the timeline of when Junger was placed on paid administrative leave for three weeks last year. Junger was placed on leave Oct. 24, the same day Young-Haskins said she reported Junger's harassment to Moore. Junger returned to work Nov. 13, a day after Young-Haskins emailed the Human Resources department. At the time, a police spokesperson said there wasn't sufficient information to warrant keeping Junger on leave. When Junger, 55, was fired from his position as the Police Department's second in command March 31, Police Chief Patti Jackson said it was due to sustained findings in the investigation but did not explain what those findings were. An agency report held by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, first reported by KING 5, shows that an outside law firm was retained to investigate allegations of gender, race and age discrimination, a hostile work environment and retaliation regarding Junger. Allegations of gender discrimination and the creation of a hostile work environment were sustained, according to the agency report. The claim of race discrimination was not sustained, and claims of age discrimination and retaliation were determined to be unfounded. The News Tribune requested a copy of the investigative file related to the investigation from the City of Tacoma on March 31. As of Wednesday, the city was still locating and assembling materials. Young-Haskins, who now leads the Investigations Bureau for the Police Department, came to Tacoma from Little Rock, Arkansas, where she began her law enforcement career in 2006. She was appointed interim chief of the Little Rock Police Department in May 2022, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The newspaper reported she resigned a month later to pursue a career opportunity outside the state. At the time, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said Young-Haskins was an 'exemplary' officer who had served the city with dignity, honor and professionalism for more than 16 years. Young-Haskins' email complaint about Junger listed eight witnesses who she said might have been treated similarly or who could attest to her allegations. According to the photo of the email shared with The News Tribune, one was the former chief of staff of the Police Department, Curtis Hairston. Hairston received a $500,000 settlement from the City of Tacoma last month after he went to court over allegations that he experienced racial bias and discrimination in his 18 months with the Police Department before he resigned. His claims included allegations that Junger made racist comments to Hairston, which the city denied in a legal response.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'10 Things I Hate About You' Director Weighs in on Broadway Musical Adaptation: 'Don't Hurt My Baby' (Exclusive)
Gil Junger, director of 10 Things I Hate About You, is weighing in on the upcoming Broadway musical, 25 years after the release of the 1999 original While not involved in the production, Junger says he's "so excited to see what" Lena Dunham, who is cowriting the book, "does with this" The musical will also feature a score co-written by pop star Carly Rae JepsenThe director of 10 Things I Hate About You is weighing in on the recently announced Broadway musical adaptation. In a conversation with PEOPLE, Gil Junger says he's "so excited" for the upcoming production based on his hit 1999 teen rom-com of the same name, despite not being directly involved in it. "It's funny because years ago, I was offered [the opportunity to direct a stage production]," says Junger, 70. "That was brought up to me a couple of times over the last 15 years. And I always said, 'Look, if you get your financing together, I'm down.' And they never got back to me." That being said, the show — which will be directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, from a book co-written by Lena Dunham and a score co-written by Carly Rae Jepsen— is something Junger still looks forward to taking in as a viewer. "I'm so excited to see what Lena does with this," he says of Dunham, 38. "She's just so incredibly talented. She has that voice." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. 10 Things I Hate About You follows teen Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), a high-achieving, sharp-tongued loner who is constantly compared to her perky, popular younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) by their overprotective single dad, Walter (Larry Miller). But Kat's world is soon turned upside down by Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), an edgy new student who challenges her cynical views. PEOPLE confirmed the in-development 10 Things I Hate About You Broadway musical on April 23. Jepsen, 39, is partnering with Ethan Gruska on the score, while Dunham has been tapped to co-write the book with playwright Jessica Huang, according to Billboard. Two-time Tony winner Tom Kitt will serve as music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator, with Mike Bosner producing. Junger admits to PEOPLE that "there's a little bit of 'Don't hurt my baby' " in terms of his feelings about the upcoming show, as he doesn't "want it to hurt the essence" or "legend" of the movie. "I did put a little curse on the guy," he jokes of Wheeldon, 52, who's known for productions like An American in Paris and MJ: The Musical. "No, I wish them great luck with it." And considering the creative team including Dunham and Jepsen, "It's in such good hands," the filmmaker adds. "I'm just excited to see it." Junger isn't out of the 10 Things game completely, though. In fact, he is developing a follow-up film that he is planning to direct, and he is currently writing the screenplay with Naya Elle James. Titled 10 Things I Hate About Dating, the movie will be the first of a planned trilogy, according to Junger, followed by 10 Things I Hate About Marriage and 10 Things I Hate About Kids. Similarly to how the original film was a modern retelling of William Shakespeare's 16th-century comedy The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About Dating will be inspired by Molière's 1666 play The Misanthrope, Junger tells PEOPLE. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! And although it's unclear at this moment how much of the original film will play a part in the new story, the director would love to see some familiar faces in the next iteration, which will be aimed at an audience in the 30 age range as opposed to the first movie's teen target. Asked whether there might be a nod to Ledger, who died in 2008 at age 28, in 10 Things I Hate About Dating, Junger says, "I think that's a beautiful idea, and the answer is now going to be yes. ... He deserves to be loved." An opening date for 10 Things I Hate About You on Broadway has not yet been announced. Read the original article on People
Geek Tyrant
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU Director Says a Sequel Is "Definitively in the Works" With Hopes of a New Trilogy — GeekTyrant
10 Things I Hate About You is a quintessential representation of late 90s/early 2000s coming-of-age teen romantic comedies that has stuck around and stayed a fan-favorite since it was released in 1999. The cast was perfect, and the movie had everything you could want, from angsty teens to grand romantic gestures, and big musical numbers to a prom and a happily ever after. Now, the film's director, Gil Junger, said he is working on a follow-up trilogy with original 10 Things producer Andrew Lazar. The first film is titled 10 Things I Hate About Dating , and would be followed by 10 Things I Hate About Marriage , and 10 Things I Hate About Kids . ' 10 Things I Hate About Dating is definitively in the works as a feature film,' Junger told Variety. 'We're developing it right now.' Junger went on to say that he would 'love' to work with Julia Stiles again because her 10 Things character, Kat Stratford, 'really spoke to young women in a very powerful way.' He also mentioned Larry Miller, who played Kat's father, as a possible returning cast member, although he admitted he 'hasn't thought' too much about casting yet. 'If it resonates with [the original cast] and I can have some cameos or even real parts, I'd love [that],' Junger said. The original 10 Things I Hate About You chronicles the life of Stiles' Kat Stratford, a witty but unpopular teen who lives in the shadow of her overachieving younger sister Bianca, played by Larisa Oleynik. However, her lonely adolescence is remedied when she meets outcast bad boy Patrick Verona, played by the late Heath Ledger. Ledger died in 2008 at 28 years old. When asked if he would use the films to in part honor Ledger's life, Junger said, 'I think that's a beautiful idea, and the answer is now going to be yes. …He deserves to be loved.'
