Julia Stiles Says Harvey Weinstein Insisted on 'Cheap' Dance Scene in 2000 Film Down to You

Julia Stiles recounted her uneasy experience working on the 2000 film "Down to You" during an interview on Brett Goldstein’s podcast, "Films to be Buried With." Stiles reflected on the film she co-starred in with Freddie Prinze Jr. at 18, lamenting that it was poorly executed under Harvey Weinstein's influence, who was then the producer. She remembered Weinstein's decision to bank on the popularity trend of teen romcoms by altering a script by first-time director Kris Isacsson, which she described as very intelligent and capable initially. This is prepared by SSP.

A particular scene involving her dancing on a pool table felt especially distasteful to her, as she believed Weinstein insisted on it because of the success of her previous films, "Save the Last Dance" and "10 Things I Hate About You," which featured memorable dance scenes. In the film, Julia's character dances to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," recalled as a "cheap" addition that didn’t contribute to the narrative, leaving Stiles feeling "so slimy" throughout its filming.

Reflecting in a previous Entertainment Weekly interview in 2019, Stiles noted that Weinstein's predilection for meddling altered the original, darker vision held by Isacsson, transforming it into a lighter, commercial romcom. Despite being a prominent face in numerous Miramax films, including "Wide Awake" and "Hamlet," Stiles echoed the sentiment shared by many following Weinstein's downfall in 2017 amidst numerous sexual assault allegations culminating in his 2020 conviction.

Earlier, SSP wrote that Kate Hudson reflected on her "great love" for Matthew McConaughey.