Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas reunite to celebrate 20-year anniversary of Save The Last Dance
Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas reunited virtually to mark the 20-year anniversary of Save The Last Dance.
The 39-year-old actress and Sean, 50, portrayed a teenage interracial couple in the 2001 dance film produced by MTV Productions.
Julia in an exclusive joint interview with Sean released Wednesday by Entertainment Tonight revealed that it was the first time they had spoken in 15 years.
Together again: Julia Stiles, shown in December 2019 in New York City, and Sean Patrick Thomas reunited virtually to mark the 20-year anniversary of Save The Last Dance
Sean admitted that he was surprised the movie was still receiving attention.
'I never would have expected that, to have people still talking about it 20 years later,' Sean told ET.
Save The Last Dance follows the story of Julia's character Sara, a 17-year-old promising ballet dancer in suburban Chicago, who moves to the gritty South Side to live with her estranged father after her mother died in a car accident while rushing to her daughter's dance audition for Julliard School.
Sean's character Derek helps Sara rekindle her love for dance by teaching her hip hop moves and they become a couple while he supports her attempt to audition again.
Twenty years: 'I never would have expected that, to have people still talking about it 20 years later,' Sean, shown in April 2019 in Los Angeles, told Entertainment Tonight
Dance moves: Julia and Sean are shown in a still from the 2001 film Save The Last Dance
'I'm really proud,' Julia said of the movie. 'When we made the film, I was like, ''Really? This is still an issue? People don't approve of a Black guy and a white girl together?'' It opened my eyes.'
Save The Last Dance also provided a breakout role for Kerry Washington, 43, who played Derek's sister and Sara's friend Chenille.
Kerry last week took to Instagram to celebrate the movie's anniversary with a throwback photo of the cast.
Breakout role: Save The Last Dance also provided a breakout role for Kerry Washington, 43, who played Derek's sister and Sara's friend Chenille and she also noted the anniversary
"OH EM GEE!!!!! Save the Last Dance turns 20 years old today !" Kerry wrote in the caption. "Playing Chenille changed my life."
"I read that script and I felt like I KNEW her,' she continued. 'At the time, I also knew the narrative that was being served in culture about who Black teen moms are. And I knew that if done right, this was an opportunity to transform some stereotyped thinking and make this young woman REAL. And human. And deserving of love and attention."
'I loooooved being a part of this film This cast. This crew. So many "slammin" memories!,' she added referencing Chenille's preferred complimentary term.
Julia told ET that she could tell Kerry was bound to be a star.
'She's amazing. I could feel it when we were making the movie that it was her time,' Julia said.
Talented teen: Save The Last Dance follows the story of Julia's character Sara, a 17-year-old promising ballet dancer in suburban Chicago, who moves to the gritty South Side to live with her estranged father after her mother died in a car accident while rushing to her daughter's dance audition for Julliard School
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