>> Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years since the box
office smash save the last dance first hit theaters.
I had a chance to catch up with the film’s 2 stars Julia Stiles
and shot Patrick Thomas.
>> To discuss the anniversary and how the movie didn’t shy
away from issues, we’re still dealing with decades later take
a look.
it seemed the pasta.
>> I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since this movie
premiered did you realize when you were filming that it would
become this
classic for so many of us.
>> I really didn’t know to be honest with you it was a huge
surprise to me when the movie came out everybody to seem to
gravitate towards. Immediately. It was shocking, but also you
know, I was very.
>> Saturday, very grateful. I was trying to manage my
expectations. And I think that worked on, but I feel like
we’re so focused on yeah right and doing the job specially
with the dancing, let you know I have a lot of pressure on
myself to do. Here we are 20 years later, and it’s just
floors me that
we got to be part of something that people are still talking
>> There’s a certain amount of respect that I feel like I get
about.
when I walk on some a lot of sets now just because people
know.
>> That
we did something that his memorable something that has
staying power and over the last 20 years and absolutely learn
to appreciate it for sure.
>> But then brings up a lot of issues that we’re still dealing
with today, you know you care about interracial
relationships, white privilege if you will people living in 2
different worlds, those themes still resonate I think it’s
pretty cool. He snuck in some really serious issues in that.
>> It gives you a right to know the team since movie. And I
think it especially at times pretty calls they sit in a move
for the studio and writers and creators of it I think that’s
also maybe what I miss is appreciated wasn’t.
>> One down you know.
>> The world that this Lee took place and Julie I just for
giggles is all that though that final dance scene for you just
because I’m want to be the answer to and see us just kind
of fun but then I thought
I was nervous but character then now I was watching for you
like at you know as a as a performer, what was that like
for you I was like I’m not watch it again ever because I
would be I got myself I look back I think.
>> It was really really cool that I got to do the dance
training and and you know study choreography from 15 runs in
>> That’s so amazing opportunity I was just reading
life.
about the fact that you guys would you know go out clubbing
that the choreographer you know after shooting all day and
Julia you sound like me like you didn’t really go and maybe
now you wish you would have gotten is that true.
>> I totally regret the session to do better when you’re making
the team would call at the end of the day we like we’re going.
So China’s humans and I think the Kerry Washingtons I would
go out basically a tour all the clubs in Chicago and I’m sure
it was amazing. I don’t hear any stories because I Brussels
next morning. I you know I didn’t want to one of the tires
so.
>> I was born, I regret that that’s the whole reason you
were so good. Yeah, yeah, no seriously because job seriously
you guys ever get tired of it. I was like an artist who had a
hit song and they get tired of singing the song like do you
guys get recognized for this moving and you’re like you
know, it’s been 20 years, we do other things.
>> No I think you have to be grateful. I mean to you we
should also look at how it’s on I mean that there’s one thing I
did not like.
In Mike that’s with 4 years after the movie came out.
You know, when I would not go out to a club or whatever
out the back of my fellows you know having drinks everyone out
anywhere near the dance floor. It was like wow.
She wants out there outside of that I’m eternally grateful for
getting to do this film going to do with Julia.
>> You know we’re in the age of reboots and sequels would there
be anything perhaps in your crystal ball that could see
some kind of
reboot sequel something.
>> If I could have a cane like to be on the same.
I open to it maybe you know
run into each other, maybe she herself dancing, comes into the
hospital and I’m on the doctor that the heels are broken bones
of some and I help her dance again. You know it’s funny as
we’re smiling, but I guarantee you somebody is listening.
teaching certain dance.
In the studio and they’re like mobbing the city recover the
Nevada in their heads.
>> Change change.
Same the pasta.
>> I was on the back that it was hard way but has not been
for them, I can say that because I’m terrible I
the only thing that I brought to the table is that I could do
So yeah, it became like a community calls.
Hi, I’m Julia Stiles and I’m flashing back to save the last
dance.
How would I describe the character center said last
dance she has its experienced a trauma or mother dies in the
beginning that the
and she’s has a place.
She’s like unsettled. With the move to her father’s house and
I think
starts off very. I’m sure herself very and secure in many
ways.
But over the course of the movie learns
with the help of Chuck Thomas character she she finds her.
A sense of self-worth and confidence and yeah, she’s a
she’s in a ditch, the fish out of water in her new school she
learns to and after learning environment.
He’s amazing. He’s such a lovely human being such a
gentlemen’s and we really rely on each other in the making of
a home because you know when you’re from when you’re on
pretty much and you become the lead in the studio movie that
whether spending a lot of money.
The pressures on even if it’s not spoken, you know, it’s
there and the 2 of us together I think are really my steam and
he used.
I think but it was more.
I guess noticeable back then when I was 19 and I think it is
30.
I can because you have a ground estimate life experience that
it was really nice.
I think I did a screen test and that Tom’s part of the director
and he told me that he is
had seen 2 things I hate about you and the doubts tonight that
cause goes on it
cool table and she’s strong.
Today Smalls he saw was like oh you have for them.
So then I think justice with Shawn and then another actor
was a ball.
And then they heard it.
The absolute best thing about making a movie was the dance.
I mean the rehearsals and the Jets training I was like.
I was like sign me up where do I start. It was really
challenging really daunting because I’m not a professional
dancer. So there’s a lot of playing catch up, but and so on
and such an awesome opportunity to get to do that kind of like
my wrist hanging and
crowd here are cells.
We did over a month, I think it was 2 months before we started
filming of like that for me the ballot because I had to bust my
to get in shape and also too. You know catch up to the level
that Sarah or at least look like I could catch it could be
a little nuts and supposed to be out. I think that way
as a kid and a teenager, but it stopped. So this was that was
the the most rain chance we did he did 2 months before settling
and then on the weekends we would use of the crack of
assault on 59 who was the he appeared for when she would we
would rehearse the abduction scene and she was always always
refining the nose, so
it’s hard to keep up. But
the beauty and the heartbreak of the motion ship is that
Sarah doesn’t really see the big deal is which is nice and
also let you know because my courage but she really likes
and doesn’t see why the outside world has an issue with it but
inevitably because other people do it’s going to affect the
relationship. I think
even aside from the race issues. I think
this sort of classic romance of their relationship is beautiful
because it’s like he leaves in her and he us route.
He teaches her how to be another girl’s hair and the
better, you know his in parts of love
very mature.
I guess to her and cares for her is really really beautiful.
The things that they say in the movie particularly she’ll carry
much of Washington’s character they when they talk about their
experience and why they might be uncomfortable with the idea.
A black and white girl and also what it’s like to be an African
American woman.
I think is I I mean you know it it opened my eyes to something
that I have talked about before and I think it’s really cool
that it’s like something you up
a teen dance movie.
>> Care act like it will cause people to pull together
and you know hurt people to see.
>> Kerry Washington was and is amazing.
Absolutely there’s no doubt in my mind why she has the career
that she has she’s an incredible actress and I can
see it then. She was really time really generous, you know
and I just remember being really impressed by her
skill set like she’s just really good actress and she was
so ready for that breakout part she was like, you know she was
really really ready to
step into that role and in that kind of a platform like me that
a lot of people can see.
>> She was dying while I was dancing in
>> I do remember that scene I remember something I remember
we’re on the Chicago River. So it’s like an amazing
landscape and location I terms of like crying in emotional
scenes, I learned so much now in the last 20 years about how
those things like I definitely watching and I love myself,
but it was I mean genuine and real I guess
I am really grateful to be have been a part of something that
resonates with people entertained people even this
many years later and that’s what we hope for as an actor.
Start over. It’s usually it’s hot out there. So people say
it’s their their excitement and enthusiasm about it like that
to me is the most flattering I wasn’t even thinking about like
this anniversary coming out and then was told oh it’s that went
overseas. So let’s test and says
just now from this interview last stop like thinking about
the what everything’s so much to do list that I I was like
reflecting going, you know what was the 19 year-old Julius
think of Julia now 20 years that is my entire adult life so
from 19 until now, you know now so. Last lost a beautiful 4
far
field much I feel like I’ve learned so much
about acting about the movie industry about myself in those
20 years has some experience is like.
I’m pretty grateful.
40 is looking alright, 40’s looking pretty flat.
>> It’s entertaining and it has the formula loves dance movies.
Which I love, but it does have something deeper going on.
And it’s it’s a hot team dance movie put it underneath that is
likely snuck in some pretty major ideas and it’s a classic
like underdogs not really the underdog, but like fish out of
water, big triumphant and rising to this challenge.
But then also the romance part of it is this really you know,
dance is very romantic and the way that the things that Sarah
learns it in from all this is a look at some stories that dance
movie and that’s going to be ending you know.
I can’t say this on the record yet.
But welcome to Juilliard
there’s a part of me like many years ago that would have been
2 sort of cynical for that sort of thing now more than ever I
think
I just want to watch something the Senate.
This is a choice.
>> That was a bolder choice and I would probably make now it is
charity I I was I mean I bought a Mets t-shirt and I got it up.
Hi, I’m Julia Stiles and I’m looking at some of my oh jeez
styles looks from the past.
I got I could get tickets to go see Mets games after that.
And what first of all just forget about my look at my
face.
Yeah, I think I wear that on Conan o’brien and it’s a pretty
it’s a pretty big day.
I didn’t know how to pose
carpet who can’t
it’s I think I was clearly panicked
wow
well I want to know who’s photobombing me that person is
but those really sweet, I don’t think I’m wearing any makeup.
I like the have I don’t know how I go with that but yeah
that was my natural hair,
have uncovered idea.
I wish I could have it back.
If you’re with us over a lot of 90’s I was logo, it’s really
annoying people tell you to smile, but like enjoy it,
I would tell her to enjoy it. And it’s clear. Yeah, I just
was crying or sunburned of the North.
Yeah, it’s enjoy a little bit more.
I was really into chokers head and that era, I know
I don’t know where I got that dress.
Yeah, I don’t know what’s going on there and very like the
mysterious fish, especially I think I was a little more
reserved was like growing up a little bit more in a little
more reserved at that point.
Also you know like I was I was just really really excited to
and I was in college at the time that’s all I really
remember it’s kind of a blur I went to a school that would let
me
take a semester off I needed to work. So I could do either or I
didn’t have to do both at the same time and and it was really
great to go to college when I did because my even though it
was probably the best career move. I was working more
becoming more recognizable unlike
going back to school kind of kept my head on straight and
like give me a good perspective on
the craziness of kind of the county Tennessee from $0.2.
>> Now I can clearly not happy about my hair color at that
>> because I was doing I was doing a movie that businesses
strangers which is a really great movie and I was happy to
be a part of that but ended up dying, my hair darker
unlike with streaks
it was very noncommittal I couldn’t quite commit to
totally the Internet anyway.
Lots of glitter
Barry 90’s.
Yeah, that was a trendy them.
Yeah,
yeah cargo pants
I was there I don’t need to watch it again I think of when
I look at times when
that timing saying about us come on TV, I’m curious for
like a second in the 90’s specially off.
I remember we were really called on the times are coming
in Chicago
in the middle of winter. Remember it was always just
like counting down when the director and yell cuts we could
run off to the heaters and they become time.
Oh I’m so glad that my eyebrows go back.
It’s a King
Iris intensely at this time of his 90’s. And I think it back
they can stay in your lovely.
Yeah, there’s that choker again really
nobody should be
quoted in print or photographed on the red carpet before they
turned 30, I think
I shouldn’t have
I must have been like 17 or 18 I think do I cut Bay. It’s what
happened there.
And they have done that myself.
I don’t remember anything from that are really but
yeah, I mean I think it was probably all over on the other
at that point I was obviously like really happy and not at
the point of being scary.
If I had known that you were going to show you these
pictures.
20 years later, I probably would have been very scared.