Twenty years of ‘10 Things’
Looking back at the Heath Ledger classic.
It’s been two decades since audiences first swooned over Heath Ledger’s bleachers rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” That means “10 Things I Hate About You,” the 1999 film inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” is turning 20. USA TODAY remembers one of Ledger’s iconic performances and looks at where his castmates are now.
HEATH LEDGER
Ledger died in 2008 at age 28 from an accidental overdose of prescription medications. It’s impossible not to think about his huge loss while rewatching “10 Things,” more than 11 years after the actor’s death.
Before Ledger’s shocking death, he took on many memorable roles, including his Oscar-nominated Ennis Del Mar in “Brokeback Mountain,” in which he co-starred with Michelle Williams, the mother of his daughter, Matilda. He won a posthumous Oscar in 2009 as The Joker in “The Dark Knight.”
ANDREW KEEGAN
Keegan played rich boy Joey, the guy who paid off Ledger’s character to woo Kat (Julia Stiles). Since “10 Things,” Keegan has added more than 30 roles to his IMDb page, including a stint as a teen dad on “7th Heaven.”
Keegan, 40, is now a dad who cofounded Activ888, an interactive meditation service in Venice, California.
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT
Gordon-Levitt, quiet nerdy guy Cameron who’s in love with Bianca in “10 Things,” went on to appear in a Christopher Nolan “Batman” film, playing police officer John Blake in 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”
The 38-year-old actor has had a busy career since “10 Things,” starring in rom-coms including “500 Days of Summer” and “50/50” and action films “Inception”
and “Looper.” In 2015’s “The Walk,” he played high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who famously walked a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974, and in 2016’s “Snowden,” he portrayed NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The former “3rd Rock From the Sun” star is a father of two with his business developer wife Tasha McCauley.
LARISA OLEYNIK
Oleynik, 37, whose popular girl winds up punching Joey in the face on “10 Things,” is probably best known for playing the title role in the ’90s Nickelodeon show “The Secret World of Alex Mack.” But she also has been in TV’s “Mad Men,” “Hawaii Five-0” and “Pretty Little Liars.” Her horror film “Animal Among Us” is expected this year. She also stars in the show “Half Life,” which airs on NYC Life.
JULIA STILES
Stiles, 38, whose Kat hates the way she doesn’t hate Ledger’s bad boy, has appeared in a number of movies and shows since “10 Things.” She is best known for starring in 2001’s “Save the Last Dance” and 2004’s “The Prince and
Me.” The actress also had major roles in the “Bourne” movies, TV’s “Blue” and in “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Stiles has added plenty theater credits to her resume the last two decades, performing in Broadway and off-Broadway shows, including 2014’s “Phoenix.”
Stiles and husband Preston J. Cook welcomed a son, Strummer Newcomb, in 2017. She’ll be seen next in “Hustlers,” about former strip-club employees, with co-stars Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart and Cardi B.
GABRIELLE UNION
Union – Oleynick’s “10 Things” bestie, Chastity (Bianca memorably explains to Chastity that she likes her Sketchers, but loves her Prada backpack) – has gone from sidekick to leading lady. Union, 46, broke out as the lead rival cheerleader in 2000’s “Bring It On.” Since then, she has starred in “The Perfect Holiday,” “The Birth of a Nation” and “Think Like a Man.”
Union, married to NBA player Dwyane Wade, is an activist, published memoirist and mother. Union welcomed her daughter via surrogate last November and has been open about her struggle with infertility.
The actress stars in BET’s “Being Mary Jane.” The show’s fifth season premieres April 16.
ALLISON JANNEY
Before Janney, 59, became an Oscarand Emmy-winning actress, she was the principal and aspiring romance novelist Ms. Perky in “10 Things.”
Last year, Janney won an Oscar for playing Tonya Harding’s mother in “I, Tonya.” She’s earned several Emmys for playing press secretary C.J. Cregg in “The West Wing,” Anna Faris’ mother in CBS’ “Mom,” and also for her recurring role on Showtime’s “Masters of Sex.”
DAVID KRUMHOLTZ
In “10 Things,” Krumholtz was the guy who dressed in Elizabethan clothes to woo a girl. Since then, he’s had a hit with “The Deuce,” which was renewed for a third season. But before he landed the role of Harvey Wasserman, he was in a few failed series, including “The Trouble With Normal,” “The Playboy Club” and “Living Biblically.”
Krumholtz also has been seen in other series: “The Newsroom,” “Numb3rs,” “The Good Wife” and “Mom.” The actor played an old woman living in Florida for one season as the star of “Gigi Does It.”
LARRY MILLER
Miller played Kat and Bianca’s dad on “10 Things” – the one who makes the nonsensical rule that Bianca can date only if Kat does, and serves as a catalyst for the entire movie. You might also know him for his role in 2001’s “The Princess Diaries.”
Miller is an actor, podcaster and stand-up comedian. He has appeared on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (after “10 Things”) and “Seinfeld” (before “10 Things”). In 2013, the comic recovered from a life-threatening brain injury and continues to post episodes of “The Larry Miller Show” on his website.
In 2009, Miller reprised his role of Bianca and Kat’s dad in the ABC Family series “10 Things I Hate About You.”