One of the best things to come out of the ’90s was teen rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You. The adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, served as a big break for the movie’s young stars, and is full of surprising facts that will make your jaw drop.
1. The tears during Julia Stiles’ poem reading were unscripted.
“I never expected that I was going to start crying. I don’t know why I did, whether it connected to something going on at the time, or if I was just overwhelmed by the whole experience of making my first big movie.”
2. Heath Ledger was offered multiple roles in teen movies post-10 Things, but turned them down to avoid being pigeon holed
“That character in 10 Things I Hate About You is just such a tiny fraction of what I’m capable of,” he said.
3. There were no sets built for the movie. The entire film was shot at various locations.
4. Josh Hartnett and Ashton Kutcher were both up for the role of Patrick, but it ultimately went to Heath.
5. The high school where the movie was shot was originally a railroad station hotel.
6. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character name, Cameron James, was a play on the name of director James Cameron.
7. Heath Ledger playing with fire in class was improvised.
8. The red Dodge Dart Julia drives in the movie actually belonged to Heath.
9. Julia’s drunk table dance in 10 Things is what won her role in Save The Last Dance.
10. The movie’s screenwriters are also the writing geniuses behind Legally Blonde.
