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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Julia Stiles signs up to be stalked

When is Julia Stiles finally going to become a superstar?

I mean, the woman is gorgeous, smart and talented. And when she speaks, that low, sexy voice makes me wish she were speaking to me. Saying things I would never repeat in polite company.

I first noticed Stiles in Mona Lisa Smile, in which she played Joan, the bright pre-law student who believed she could have either a family or a career, not both. (Stiles shared her take on the movie in an article for The Guardian.)

The film should have been better than it was, but, as a sucker for sap, I enjoyed it. More importantly, I got what I thought was a glimpse of greatness in Stiles' performance.

Being a good fan, I went to see her next movie, The Prince & Me, the weekend it opened — two hours of my life I can never get back. Julia, Julia — what were you thinking?

Whatever possessed her to do Prince was still at work several years later when she did The Omen. The fact that this remake was released at all proves that "the curse of The Omen" is true.

I had a spark of hope when I read Dorothy Snarker's blog earlier this year about Stiles' directorial debut, Raving, with Zooey Deschanel, but if it's been released, it hasn't been to my neck of the woods.

If Stiles has the chops to succeed, we'll see her brilliance in The Bell Jar. And now comes word of another promising project, as Stiles has signed to star in Cry of the Owl as a woman who falls in love with her stalker. A French adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel was mediocre at best, so perhaps this will be a rare instance of a remake that improves on the original. And perhaps this will be the breakthrough role that brings Stiles the recognition I still think she deserves.

Do you acknowledge the greatness of Julia Stiles? What role are you looking forward to? Has anyone seen Raving? Can Stiles overcome bad film choices with a breakthrough performance? And will you ever forgive her for The Prince & Me?

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  • K's picture

    Julia Stiles

    great actress...great looker...and hey...she gave veganism a chance...but her movie choices have sucked the last few years...i was really really glad that she was given a much bigger part in this last bourne movie. ive really enjoyed her in those. the bell jar with her i dont see being a breakthrough performance because i dont think as many people are going to sit through that as they would with a totally commercial movie.

    i LOVED her in 10 things i hate about you but i dont think that i can forgive the prince and me *shiver*...however if she would wear that outfit up above with the tie to my place i might be willing to forgive it all.

    mcyw's picture

    10 things i hate about you

    was the 1st movie i saw with her in it and i fell in love with her then! but her movie choices after that are questionable...

    but i think she redeemed herself in her role in the Bourne movie franchise. They are small roles, but she did a great job in it..especially in the last Bourne movie...where she played quite the heroin!!

    http://lezhangout.blogspot.com --where globetrotter girls hangout--

    syd's picture

    i agree 10 things i hate

    i agree 10 things i hate about you is one of the best films she has been in , if not the best but i admit that i do go to watch films just because she is in them, beacuse as the last photo proves she is stunning
    Mara's picture

    Julia oh Julia, where art thou?

    I like her. She's brainy (Stiles has a degree in English from Columbia, if I recall correctly), she's a great actress, and she hasn't succumbed to the Hollywood standard of beauty (or else she'd have boob implants) which makes her even more attractive in my eyes. Which brings me to the last picture: YOWZA! H-o-t! 

    _ _ _ _ _

    "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)

    chanticorae's picture

    raving

    is a short film she did. i got it for free on itunes when it was released. it's probably still available.

    oh, and that picture in the necktie is super sexy. yowza!

    jenn's picture

    download yours today!

    it's still on itunes, and it's still free.
    LoveMeTender's picture

    All I Want For Christmas!

    is Julia coming down my chimney in one of those scantily clad santa outfits ;)

     She is an absolutely wonderful actress, and gorgeous! I was so impressed with how believable her acting is. Gimme her in that last pic and I won't ask for anything else I PRomise!!!

    Samantha's picture

    Bourne

    Julia was also really good in the Bourne movies.
    Carrie Lyn's picture

    Um....yes.

    I developed an innocent crush on Julia Stiles after seeing 10 Things I Hate About You. (Yeah, I'm a sucker for teen movies).

    But the movie I liked her in best was 'Down to You' with Freddie Prinze Jr. I mean, don't get me wrong, it wasn't going to win an OSCAR for best picture or anything. But I thought she was really great in it. It had more of an 'indie' feel as opposed to main-stream-love-story type of deal.

    I also liked her in 'O', although didn't care for the movie that much.

    Buzsurf's picture

    The Business of Strangers

    Good Lord, you must see this movie. She and Stockard Channing are greatness. Especially the elevator scene.
    Broadwaybabe's picture

    Julia Stiles is AMAZING

    She is a great actress, but my favorite movie of hers is definitely 10 Things I hate About You.  I noticed her way back when she did the NBC mini-series The 60s with Jordana Brewster (two amazing ladies on the same screen) and have seen almost everything she's been in (with the exception of the Omem).  But yeah, she's been great in all her modern Shakespeare adaptations and teen movies!
    Jess's picture

    She rocks

    I <3 Julia

    10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorite "teen" movies and my friend and I watch it and just laugh and sing along with Heath haha I loved Mona Lisa Smile as well. Oh! And Save the Last Dance!! Her audition in that movie at the end - I <3 her.

    Prince & Me is something that is unforgivable. I mean, there was NO plot, NO character development... just terrible!

    I'm looking forward to her being on the screen again. If it's not a horror film, I'll gladly go see it... hers is a name that pulls me to the theatre.

    Interviewer: "Why do you write these strong female characters?"
    Joss Whedon: "Because you're still asking me that question." - Equality Now speech
    If I'm borrowing your icon, I'd be happy to give you credit, just let me know :)

    v's picture

    julia=hotty with a body.

    julia stiles is amazing!

    i have always had a soft spot for her since she played tough feminist Kat in ten things! in fact one of the images i most distinctly remember from that movie is her sitting in the lounge reading The Bell Jar..

     pretty sure she's going to be awesome in this role..

    and as for the omen  and prince.. a girl's gotta make a living somehow :P i think we can overlook these minor slip ups

    carolinagrrrl's picture

    Save the Last Dance

    ...is where I first noticed her. I am a sap and fell in love with the movie (it has a killer soundtrack, guilty pleasure, i know). but whatever you think about the plot, the acting or the movie... you can't turn down the chance to see this girl dance for two hours! HOTT!

     

    "Whatever people consider to be normal, it never is." -Ashley Davies

    Tals's picture

    Julia in The Bell Jar

    I first saw Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You as well, and I'm slightly embarassed to admit I really enjoy that movie. And then I liked her in Save the Last Dance.

     I think it's high time she made it big in Hollywood, she's certainly likable. However, like someone said ealier, I can't see The Bell Jar being the catalyst for her career. It has some pretty heavy content that not too many people would really be willing to sit through.

    And good lord, I will never in my life forgive her for The Prince and Me, eugh, that was just an awful movie

    Pyewacket's picture

    Before Women Had Wings

    It was about 10 years ago when I first saw her play the teenage daughter of alcoholic Ellen Barkin in Oprah Winfrey's Before Women Had Wings.  Such a great performance...it stayed with me for days...and I have since enjoyed her work in everything I have seen her in.

    I think the lack of plumb roles some times might have had to do with her studies and now that she graduated in 2005...I am hoping that it will soon be her time to shine...she has the talent, the beauty and the brains (just read her article on Mona Lisa Smile).

    Love her in the Bourne series and looking forward to the Bell Jar.

    Renegade Rhymer's picture

    Shakespeare

    She rocks my world because she seems to love doing Shakespeare adaptations... For those who have mentioned that their favourite movie of hers is '10 Things I Hate About You'... well, that's a remake of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew'.

    Then she was in 'O', which was a modern day remake (although with Shakespeare's language) of Othello which centred around a group of basketball players... was it with Mekhi Phifer?

    And then there was 'Hamlet'... I'll let you guess what THAT was an adaptation of, though it was quite interesting as they set it in a hotel where the King was the manager of the hotel. She played opposite Ethan Hawke in that one.

    Granted she did die quite dramatic deaths in the latter two roles, but that is par for the course... Ophelia and Desdemona can't expect to live happily ever after.

    My favourite movie of hers has to be 'Save The Last Dance' though. Not really for her, just because I'm a HUGE dancing movie/musical fanatic.

    I loved the soundtrack to '10 Things', but the sound track to Mona Lisa Smile was even better.... but that might stem more from my obsession with Julia Roberts at the time.

    dj shiva's picture

    ummm...

    ...i know there was a blog, and it talked about julia, but i can't remember anything it said because i am now fixated on that pic of her with a tie.

    *droolthud*

    p.s. the guardian story she did just made her like 130957324843 times hotter. brains r sexay!!!

    kazcymru's picture

    Am I the only one?

    I have to admit I liked the Prince and me, it wasn't the greatest movie but very watchable. Typical boy meets girl storyline but with some feminist leaning as her character opened up to life and love but didn't give up her dreams to be with the guy. Am I the only one who quite likes it? Ambition and emotions conflict in life. She's also very cute dancing in the scene when she's cleaning up.

    The 'Bourne' movies are great but I first saw her in 10 things and liked her since. I look forward to the Bell Jar, I hope it's a great movie.

    velocity2399's picture

    Loving her in the tie!

    Loving her in the tie!
    Brit's picture

    save the last dance

    i first noticed her in save the last dance. she was great and ive loved her since
    Renegade Rhymer's picture

    Oh and...

    Another thing... anyone think it's kind of amusing that the book Kat is reading in '10 Things' is 'The Bell Jar', and now she's going to be in that movie??

    Coincidence sure, but funny none-the-less.

    megsaintg's picture

    She looks HOTT in that tie

    I saw her in NYC last year walking in the east village. She is just as beautiful in person :-)

    That is kinda crazy that she was reading The Bell Jar in that movie....

    Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there

    tucksioni's picture

    Julia Stiles+tie=yum

    Loved her in O, 10 things... and Saved the Last Dance (agree it is a fab soundtrack and a guilty pleasure). Never saw Mona Lisa smile as it just seemed like a rip-off of Dead Poets Society but with the gender changed, although the cast do all look scrummy in the period outfits so perhaps I should give it a try.
    Be good to see her back on the big screen asap