Back in 1999, Drew Barrymore starred in a film that, to this day, remains among her most memorable: the romantic comedy Never Been Kissed. This production, directed by Raja Gosnell, marked the actress' first time producing alongside Nancy Juvonen after they formed their own production company, Flower Films. Never Been Kissed follows Josie Geller, a 25-year-old woman who works as a copy editor for a Chicago newspaper while dreaming of becoming a reporter. When her editor-in-chief assigns her an investigatory article for which she'll have to pose as a high school student undercover, Josie senses that now is her time to shine and secure the position she so desperately craves. But all this comes with a big problem: she had a terrible experience in high school, and she is afraid that things might go horribly wrong once again in this new assignment. Little does she know, however, that this experience is about to change her life for good.
In many ways, Never Been Kissed is a film that, 24 years after its release, remains relevant: today, many teenagers are still going through traumatic experiences in schools, feeling the need to cope with situations that are not comfortable for them or mimicking what they see repeated millions of times on social media simply to feel part of something. However, looking closely at this production today, it is also true that, like many others of that time, it has a very problematic premise, with an adult posing as a teenager and a teacher who, unaware that she is undercover, falls in love with her and ends up kissing her.
While Never Been Kissed was a blockbuster at the time and managed to win over audiences, it is safe to say that, these days, it would not enjoy the same reception. After the film's premiere, many of the actors in the cast remained in the industry, appearing in a number of film and TV projects. This is what they are doing today.
Drew Barrymore
By the time Drew Barrymore starred in Never Been Kissed, she was already well-known in the industry, primarily thanks to her role as a child star in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. After appearing in Gosnell's rom-com, her career kept on rising, and by the 2000s, she was well established as a leading star with a number of blockbusters in her portfolio, such as Scream, Charlie's Angels, and 50 First Dates, to name just a few.
While she has appeared in several film productions over the years, her latest notable projects have undoubtedly been on TV. In 2017, Barrymore headed the cast of Santa Clarita Diet, a Netflix TV series in which she appeared alongside Timothy Olyphant, Liv Hewson, and Skyler Gisondo. This project aired for three seasons, until it was canceled in 2019. Currently, Barrymore is taking a break from acting while serving as host of The Drew Barrymore Show, a talk show distributed by CBS that was renewed for a fourth season last January.
David Arquette
David Arquette is an actor and former professional wrestler, who was born into a family of artists, and became known in the 90s through his appearances in several films. However, his most popular project, even to this day, is the horror franchise Scream, in which he plays Dewey Riley across all the movies, including the fifth installment of the franchise, released in 2022.
In addition to these projects, Arquette has worked primarily in movies in recent years, appearing in Ghosts of the Ozarks, Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets, and Spree. He is expected to be featured in Mrs. Davis, a Peacock sci-fi series starring Betty Gilpin, Jake McDorman, and Andy McQueen.
Michael Vartan
The actor who plays English teacher Sam Coulson in Never Been Kissed has appeared in several films throughout his career, although he is mostly known for TV projects. Among the most relevant shows in which he was involved are the dramas Alias, Hawthorne, and The Arrangement, an E! show that got canceled after its second season.
In recent years, Michael Vartan has not been quite active in the industry: the latest films in which he starred were the biopic Nina and the neo-noir thriller film Small Town Crime, from 2016 and 2017 respectively. However, from 2020 onwards he became co-host of Advanced Shouting, a live YouTube show in which he talks about sports with his friends Dan Petriw and Noel Fogelman.
Molly Shannon
By the time Molly Shannon starred in Never Been Kissed, she was already well-known for her appearances on Saturday Night Live, where she starred from 1995 to 2001. Over the years, she remained in the industry taking part in different projects, and although most of them were comedies, she has been able to stand out in other genres. Some of her most relevant productions in recent years are Hotel Transylvania and its sequels, Private Life, and Other People, a film that earned her several nominations and awards.
To this day, Shannon remains very active in the business, and this past March saw the release of her latest film to date, A Good Person, a drama starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. She has also launched herself as a writer, and in 2022 she released Hello, Molly!: A Memoir, a book where she talks about a family tragedy she experienced as a child and how it affected her life and career.
John C. Reilly
Just three years after starring in Gosnell's rom-com, actor, producer, and writer John C. Reilly rose to worldwide fame for his role as Amos Hart in Chicago, which earned him Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Over the years, this impeccable actor and filmmaker kept working in the industry, starring in both blockbusters and independent films, proving his abilities in all kinds of roles.
Among his most popular films in recent years, we can highlight Cyrus, Stan & Ollie, Kong: Skull Island, and Wreck It Ralph and its sequel, in which he lent his voice to the title character. In 2022, Reilly headed the cast of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, the HBO series that has already been renewed for a second season.
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba took her very first steps in the industry when she was still a child, but she rose to fame in 2000 thanks to her role in the TV series Dark Angel. From then on, she did not stop starring in films of all kinds, positioning herself as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. She has taken part in a number of high-grossing projects, such as Fantastic Four, Valentine's Day, and Machete, among many others.
However, the last few films in which she appeared did not have the same reception, and failed to impress critics. In 2019, Alba made her return to TV in a starring role, leading the cast of L.A.'s Finest, a Sony Pictures Television production that aired for two seasons, alongside Gabrielle Union. Soon, the actress is expected to star in and executive produce a Disney+ documentary that will feature families from around the world as they share their culture.
Marley Shelton
Just like Barrymore and Arquette, Marley Shelton is also known for her involvement in the Scream franchise, where she played Judy Hicks, although other famous productions in her portfolio include Sin City, Grindhouse, and Planet Terror. In recent years, Marley has not been as involved in the entertainment industry, although she has appeared in a few relevant projects.
In 2022, apart from rejoining the Scream franchise in the fifth installment to reprise her role, Shelton was cast in 1923, a Paramount+ series that serves both as a prequel to Yellowstone and a sequel to 1883. This production, which has currently been on the air for a season, was renewed for one more this past February.
James Franco
Never Been Kissed marked the film acting debut of James Franco, an artist who soon became very popular thanks to his role in Paul Feig's teen series Freaks and Geeks. Over the years, Franco has gained considerable prominence in the industry, not only for his work as an actor, but also for serving as director and producer. He has worked on widely acclaimed films such as 127 Hours and The Disaster Artist, among many others.
However, in recent years Franco was involved in many controversies following allegations of sexual misconduct with different women, which prompted an estrangement from the industry. After some years away from acting, it seems that Franco is starting to take on roles again, and is expected to play Fidel Castro in an upcoming film about his life.
Cory Hardrict
Cory Hardrict also made his film acting debut in Never Been Kissed, although the actor had been playing small roles in TV series such as ER and Smart Guy for a few years. Since then, he has remained active in the industry and starred in both films and TV shows, something he continues to do to this day. Among his most relevant productions are the films American Sniper, The Outpost, and To Live and Die and Live, a film written and directed by Qasim Basir that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January. Hardrict is currently part of the main cast of the TV series All American: Homecoming, a spin-off of All American that has been airing for two seasons.
Octavia Spencer
Back in the 90s, Octavia Spencer was just starting out in the industry with small supporting roles, such as the one she played in Never Been Kissed or A Time to Kill. However, over the years, she became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed performers, garnering an impressive number of accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Today, Spencer remains active in the industry, landing roles in everything from children's films to dramas and across all genres. Her latest films to date include The Witches, Thunder Force, and Spirited, a Christmas movie starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. In addition, in 2020 she starred in and served as executive producer of the miniseries Self Made, a Netflix production inspired by the life of Madam C. J. Walker.