Lacey Chabert has wrapped her Disney-themed movie, coming soon to Hallmark Channel for the holidays, meaning it’s time to think about her next Hallmark movie. The Queen of Christmas never seems to slow down, as she’s always working on something new. At the very least, a lot of her movies has her reuniting with either previous leading men or even former co-stars, and Jennifer Love Hewitt pitched an idea that I would love to see.

Before making waves on Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, and 9-1-1, Hewitt starred in Fox’s Party of Five in the ‘90s alongside Chabert. Even though the show ended over 25 years ago, the cast still seems to keep in touch. Chabert has even worked with her former co-star Scott Wolf on a Hallmark project in the past. After Chabert and Hewitt previously had a sweet exchange over Hallmark Christmas movies, Hewitt took to her Instagram Stories to pitch herself to Chabert for a role, and Chabert is on board for it:

It seems like it’s been forever since Hewitt and Chabert did a project together, especially with Chabert putting most of her focus on Hallmark and Hewitt being busy with 9-1-1. So what better way for them to work together than a Hallmark movie? And not only that, but having them play sisters would certainly be fun to see. The early aughts icons working together again is a dream they both seem to have, and I need it now more than ever.

With Hewitt’s schedule being taken up by 9-1-1, she hasn't appeared in many other projects since joining the cast in 2018. It’s not impossible, though, as she can always film during hiatus. Plus, Hallmark does have a knack for hiring ‘90s and early aughts icons for films, whether they’re fully joining the network or it’s just a one-off. And it’s even better when a reunion is involved.

As for what a possible movie with the two of them could look like, the possibilities are endless. Obviously, it would have to center on two sisters, but beyond that, it’s really anyone’s guess. They could both be looking for love, one could be looking for love, one is going through a breakup, etc. There’s a lot of material that Hallmark could play around with, and I’m really hoping this follows through.

I just need Lacey Chabert and Jennifer Love Hewitt to do another project together, and now that they’ve shared their interest in it, I can’t stop thinking about it. Hopefully, Hallmark will come up with something in the near future, but knowing that both of them want more than anything to do a movie together and play sisters makes me think that it could be sooner rather than later. That’s the hope, at least.

9-1-1 is preparing to resume its ninth season on the 2026 TV schedule on Thursday, meaning there will be plenty of storylines to look forward to, including the crossover with 9-1-1: Nashville. While the show has yet to be renewed for Season 10, there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight, so there will be many more stories to look forward to at the 118. And Jennifer Love Hewitt has one in mind that involves a certain Oscar winner that I am dying to see.

9-1-1 has seen its fair share of guest stars, including Ronda Rousey, Brooke Shields, Abigail Spencer, and, most recently, Mark Consuelos and Aimee Teegarden, among many others. There is one celebrity that Hewitt has her eye on, though, and she told People who her dream guest star is. Now, I need it to happen:

Hewitt and Curtis actually worked together back in 1996 on the comedy House Arrest, so it would be fun to see them reunite. Plus, Curtis is no stranger to Ryan Murphy, who co-created 9-1-1 and serves as an executive producer. The Freakier Friday star appeared in his underrated Fox horror comedy Scream Queens as Dean Munsch. Considering Murphy has a knack for bringing back actors he’s worked with, it might just be a matter of time before he finally calls her up.

As for what that secret storyline is that Hewitt has up her sleeve, it really could be a number of things. Curtis has had quite a wide range of roles throughout her prolific career, but it can be assumed that whatever Hewitt has in mind would involve Maddie. Maybe she can be someone new at the Dispatch center or an old Buckley family friend. Perhaps she can even be someone in need of help who calls 9-1-1. Of course, whatever the role is, Curtis would definitely knock it out of the park.

Whether or not Curtis will ever take Hewitt up on her offer is unknown, but the Ghost Whisperer star seems to be keeping mum about her secret storyline just in case anything happens. And I can’t say I blame her. Since 9-1-1 seems to be a lock for next season, there are still plenty of chances to get Curits to come play, even with the many other projects she’s working on. It would be fun to see the two Scream Queens working together again, so you never know.

For now, fans will have to settle for what they have when it comes to 9-1-1 and hope that Jamie Lee Curtis graces the 118 in the near future. All episodes of the first responder drama are streaming with a Hulu subscription, and new episodes return on Thursday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

It’s almost time to return to the ballroom, as the cast for Dancing with the Stars Season 34 has been revealed ahead of the show’s return on the 2025 TV schedule. The cast is certainly stacked this season, between fan-favorite Olympians, actors, reality stars and more, but there are still so many others who would make for perfect competitors. Co-host and former Mirrorball champ Alfonso Ribeiro is still pushing for Fresh Prince co-star Will Smith to compete, but I'm more focused on the A+ actress he also mentioned.

Whenever a new season of ABC's long-running dance competition show comes around, the speculation about who will compete on DWTS that time around is always a big topic. While some fans have correctly predict some of the contestants each season, it’s always fun seeing the full cast. In my opinion, though, it's never to early to start thinking about casts for future seasons, though. Ribeiro spoke about his dream contestants while chatting with TV Insider, which is when he mentioned his on-screen cousin:

Most of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast members still remain close decades after the series ended, including almost birthday twins Smith and Ribeiro. Even though Ribeiro has admitted to initially not wanting to help Smith learn his iconic Carlton dance, he wants more than ever for Smith to compete on DWTS. Since Ribeiro even went viral for performing The Carlton on the show, it would be fun to bring another piece of Fresh Prince to the ballroom. Whether or not it will actually happen is unknown, but I hope it does.

That being said, Smith isn't the only dream celebrity contestant for Ribeiro. He also mentioned a certain actress who is not only part of the ABC family but is quite the scream queen and a fan of DWTS, and I would love nothing more than to see her join the series:

It might be a bit hard getting JLH on the show, considering she’s busy starring on 9-1-1. After all, the first responder drama is still going strong, even following that major death earlier this year. However, considering both shows are on ABC, maybe the network would work out the logistics so that Jennifer Love Hewitt could be on the show. I'm confident that Hewitt would crush it, though, especially considering that she's a star of many talents.

And on that topic, Ribeiro also threw out an NFL Hall of Famer who would be perfect, since athletes have also performed will on the show:

As of now, it's unclear just how long Dancing with the Stars, but I'm hopeful that it'll be on the air long enough for Will Smith, Jennifer Love Hewitt and any other A+ stars to join in the competition. For right now, though, let's look towards the season that's nearly upon us. DWTS Season 34 premieres on Tuesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will be streamable with a Disney+ subscription as well.

Spoilers ahead for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, to the delight of superfans like me. Some of the best horror movies returned with new sequels, including I Know What You Did Last Summer. Prior to its release, it was arguably my most anticipated upcoming horror movie of the summer because of how much I adore the first two movies. And while I ultimately loved the new installment, that finale was a real letdown.

CinemaBlend's I Know What You Did Last Summer review praised the work of director/writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson on the new slasher. I would rank it even higher, and I had a blast thanks to its surprisingly hilarious script, Sarah Michelle Gellar's cameo, and the twist of the Fisherman's identity. But why was the ending "battle" such a nothing burger?

The Final Confrontation With Ray Wasn't A Full On Battle With Julie And Ava

I was shook when Ray revealed he was The Fisherman this time around, killing his associate Stevie in the process. We haven't seen any heroes turned villains in the new Scream movies (which are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), so this was a fun departure. And I was super hyped about seeing Ray and Jennifer Love Hewitt's Julie James come to blows in the final battle.

The I Know What You Did Last Summer trailers showed Julie saying her signature line, "What are you waiting for?", which she said to her ex while preparing for him to try and murder her. But before a full-on battle could happen ala Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, Freddie Prinze Jr.'s character is shot and killed by a harpoon gun courtesy of new Final Girl Ava (Chase Sui Wonders).

This final moment was my one letdown of the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it was a major misstep. The movie came and went without Julie James really fighting off The Fisherman, despite Jennifer Love Hewitt being one of the best scream queens of all time. I loved seeing her back on the big screen in one of her signature roles, but I just wanted Julie to get in on the violence and scares of the story a little bit more.

This is all the more surprising since Julie was advocating for the new cast to hunt down and kill whoever was terrorizing them. Plus, the final scene of this new sequel featured Brandy's long-awaited return as Karla, where she asked her former college roommate, "Who are we fucking up this time?" It sounds like the pair are down to fight off the mysterious villain who is stalking them, but why didn't we get to see this type of badassery throughout the movie?

The new I Know What You Did Last Summer is available to purchase or rent now as part of the 2025 movie release list. I really loved 95% of it, so I'm hoping we get another sequel... one that puts both of the remaining legacy characters in the action.

Everybody loves a crossover, right? At least the really good examples, if not the most bizarrely conceived ones. (I’m looking at you, Dancing with the Sharks.) Most of the time, obvious reasons exist for the characters to bounce around, usually tied to the shows existing in the same franchise. But sometimes such logistics aren’t necessary, and it just naturally makes abundant sense to bring two otherwise disparate shows together, such as Jennifer Love Hewitt’s 9-1-1 and Kaitlin Olson’s High Potential.

The latter dramedy is heading into its second season after taking over the viewership charts during its initial run. Olson is pulling triple-dipple duties, having also filmed for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 and Hacks Season 4, and it sounds like Hewitt would be beyond the moon to bring her 9-1-1 dispatcher into the world of Olson’s neurodivergent semi-genius Morgan later on during the 2025 TV schedule (or after, but nobody wants to wait that long).

Talking with AwardsBuzz, Hewitt looked downright delighted to bring up her HIgh Potential fandom in the same breath that she voiced her crossover wishes. Here’s how she put it:

No lie, Jennifer Love Hewitt looks almost more excited about the thought of being involved in High Potential's second season as I've ever been excited about anything in my life. Her childlike enthusiasm is infectious, too.

I'll be honest in declaring I hadn't ever really thought about the idea of characters from other ABC shows entering the world of High Potential, and hadn't really put much thought into seeing Morgan pop up in a different series. (Maybe it's because the Always Sunny and Abbott Elementary crossover eps were aces enough to cover those bases.)

But Hewitt has clearly put a bit of thought into the idea, even if she might not have anyone to share those thoughts with on the professional side of things. In her words:

Realistically, at least in an idealized version of society, Jennifer Love Hewitt wouldn't even need to repeat her desire for a High Potential crossover, and ABC execs would be falling all over themselves to make sure audiences go to see Maddie and Morgan taking down one form of criminal slime or another. Obviously there are more elements at stake than just fan-based wants, but hopefully all it takes is getting the word out, and nature will run its due course.

After the traumas that went down in 9-1-1's season finale, Maddie could probably use a pick-me-up in Season 9 in the form of a brilliant single mom with a sharp tongue. No telling what kind of hijinks they could get into solely relegated to Dispatch, but I'm sure they'd find ways to entertain.

Considering 9-1-1's ninth season is currently filming, everyone at ABC should have their ears perked up and looking out for crossover suggestions the closer we get to the Ryan Murphy drama's October 16 premiere date.

The Britney Spears documentary Framing Britney Spears (which is streaming with your Hulu subscription), brought audiences into the darker side of media attention. The New York Times Presents episode delved into the “Free Britney Movement” and the misogynistic behavior the singer experienced. Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt got real on why she “started crying” as she connected so strongly to the Britney Spears doc.

Framing Britney Spears showed a lot of disturbing early footage of the pop singer’s misogynistic interviews. We see Spears at the age of 10 being asked by Ed McMahon about her “boyfriends.” Diane Sawyer’s 2003 interview had her asking the “Everytime” singer what she “did” to break ex Justin Timberlake’s heart. After watching the FX on Hulu special herself, Jennifer Love Hewitt expressed to Vulture why she connected so strongly to it:

It’s heartbreaking how watching the tragic experience of one child star can bring up the traumatic memories of another's past. Documentary specials like this remind us how Hollywood has failed to protect many young performers from media scrutiny and the lasting emotional scars.

Jennifer Love Hewitt had her share of being objectified by the media during her start in Hollywood. She was dubbed a sex symbol at a young age, previously talking about having to wear small outfits for photo shoots and in movies.

The 9-1-1 star told Vulture about having to wear a little blue top and small skirt in the first I Know What You Did Last Summer and getting asked “inappropriate” questions about her boobs more than about her performance. Hewitt said looking back, she wished she hadn’t laughed off those questions and defended herself if she had known back then how wrong those interviews were.

When Jennifer Love Hewitt returned to the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise, she made sure to work with her stylist and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson about Julie’s new look. Compared to her character’s sexualized image in the first movie, Hewitt is seen throughout the movie in vintage T-shirts, blazers and jeans.

The Can’t Hardly Wait actress said her wardrobe revamp was very “healing” for her, knowing there’d be no more boob talk this time around. Based on the first images of the slasher movie, Hewitt seriously looks incredible in her jean jacket and honey-toned hair.

As Jennifer Love Hewitt had similar experiences to Britney Spears about misogyny with the press, it’s no wonder the talented actress “started crying” watching Framing Britney Spears. Fortunately, the Heartbreakers actress was able to control the narrative by picking a wardrobe that was right for bringing back Julie and reclaiming her character on her own terms. You can see her 2025 movie release I Know What You Did Last Summer in theaters now.

The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, with some of the best horror movies returning to theaters with new sequels. One of the summer's most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies is finally here: the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. Jennifer Love Hewitt is back as Julie James, and recently shared what she needed to know about her signature character before signing on.

First reactions to I Know What You Did Last Summer were positive, and longtime fans were thrilled that both Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. returned to their roles. But JLH needed some convincing, specifically related to how Julie was handling her trauma all these years later. As she said in a ScreenRant TikTok:

Points were made. Since the sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is canon, Julie survived two harrowing near-death experiences as a result of The Fisherman. So, having her be completely over it would be a non-starter for Jennifer Love Hewitt in the new movie. Luckily, that wasn't the case, and the Ghost Whisperer star signed on for her third appearance in the slasher franchise.

Footage of Julie in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer trailer was limited, so her story is a mystery for moviegoers gearing up to see the horror flick this weekend. But it sounds like Hewitt thought she was handled well enough to return to the role.

Later in the same interview, JLH spoke more about where we find the character in this latest horror flick. In her words:

Now I'm even more excited to see I Know What You Did Last Summer this weekend. The movie's marketing has been guarding its secret, especially regarding how Julie and Ray will factor into the story. I'm personally hoping they manage to survive another encounter with The Fisherman, and will therefore be available for future sequels. What can I say? I love this franchise.

The hype surrounding this new slasher is high, so it has the potential to be a horror blockbuster. CinemaBlend's I Know What You Did Last Summer review praised it as "a surprising mid-summer treat", and praised director/co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson for her love for the franchise.

The new I Know What You Did Last Summer is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see if fans agree with Jennifer Love Hewitt regarding the handling of Final Girl Julie James.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article may give away a few details from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. Honestly, I don’t think this is the kind of horror movie that lives or dies by spoilers, but in case you prefer to go into everything with a fresh pair of eyes, proceed with caution if you continue to read on.

I am not really a fan of the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, like some other people, believing it is one of the more bland, uninspired, and nonsensical ‘90s-era slashers. Thus, I was not quite looking forward to the upcoming 2025 movie of the same name that continues the franchise, and I especially was not interested in watching the inaccurately titled I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

However, after hearing surprisingly good things about the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer legacy sequel, I decided to give the widely panned 1998 follow-up about youths facing deadly consequences for a grave mistake (again) on a stormy Bahamian island a fair try, and you know what? I don’t know what I was waiting for, because this was a whole hell of a lot more fun than the first one to me. Here are my three reasons why.

The Acting Is Solid, Especially From Brandy

If you ask me, a key to enjoying any classic slasher movie, good or bad, is a cast of characters worth investing in, and I found myself legitimately rooting for (most of) the heroes in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, thanks to some decent performances. Notably, Jennifer Love Hewitt is strong here, reprising her role as Julie, who is still traumatized from being targeted by a man she and her friends thought they killed, named Ben Willis (Muse Watson), a year earlier. I think her one-in-a-million scream alone might even earn her a spot on the top horror movie Scream Queens list.

However, I think the real standout performance comes from R&B singer Brandy Norwood, who really surprised me with the energy she brings to her theatrical feature debut as Julie’s new friend, Karla Wilson, who could easily have been a forgettable throwaway character. The cast’s only weak link, in my opinion, is Matthew Settle as Julie’s classmate Will Benson, who is actually not who he says he is at first (more on that later), but is not even convincingly menacing when he makes his true identity known.

Seeing Jack Black In This Movie Is Surreal

Now, if we really want to talk about memorable standout performances in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, we have to talk about Jack Black. Indeed, if you did not know already, the future Golden Globe-nominated comedy icon and rock star has an uncredited role in this horror flick as an island resort employee named Titus.

Boasting a ridiculous head of dreadlocks, a colorful Hawaiian shirt, and the astonishing ability to continue smoking a joint after it was fully submerged in a jacuzzi, Black really gives it his all here to deliver on the comic relief. I’m actually convinced that I still might have found this performance amusing had I seen it before he hit the A-list. Then again, I don’t quite think Titus is even the funniest thing about the film.

This Is The Perfect Horror Movie Party Choice

Typically, I pride myself as a fan of truly great horror movies with strong, lasting tension, indelibly frightening imagery, and thought-provoking nuance. However, every once in a while, I like to indulge in a cheesy B-movie with hokey dialogue and plot twists that make absolutely no sense, that I can poke fun at with my friends over a few drinks. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer perfectly fits that criteria for me.

There are all kinds of reasons to justify this as a straight-up horror-comedy movie (the aforementioned Jack Black notwithstanding), from a karaoke machine that is somehow hacked to flash the movie’s title at Julie, to Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) falling for the Fisherman’s elaborate trap involving a fake car accident set up on the exact street he happened to be traveling down, and the final jump scare that proves Ben Willis is somehow still not dead. However, the big one is the stupid twist reveal that Will Benson is “Ben’s son” (yeah, that’s actually what they went with) and has set up this entire vacation to help his father with yet another vengeful killing spree.

Sometimes, a person’s favorite installment of a franchise might not be the objectively “best” one, especially when it comes to horror. I never thought I would say this, but you can call I Still Know What You Did Last Summer my favorite installment of this series… for now.

The fall TV season is right around the corner, and 9-1-1 will be returning soon on the 2025 TV schedule. While it’s exciting knowing that the 118 will be back on screens soon, not everyone is returning. Fans are still mourning the loss of Peter Krause’s Captain Bobby Nash following his controversial and heartbreaking death. His loss is not only felt on-screen but off as well, and Jennifer Love Hewitt opened up about filming new episodes without him, which has me in my feels.

Production has started on Season 9 of the first responder drama, which will mark the first season that Krause is not a series regular. Even though it’s still possible that he could come back in flashbacks, dreams, or hallucinations (maybe even come back to life as some fans are hoping), it’s going to be hard knowing that he is no longer on the show full-time. When asked by ET what the 9-1-1 world looks like without Bobby at the premiere of the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, Hewitt said what we’re all thinking, and I’m crying just thinking about his death again:

It’s been nearly three months since 9-1-1 made the ballsy move to kill off Bobby, the first major character death in the show’s eight seasons. It came as a big surprise, and to this day, fans are still upset and probably will always be upset. Even Angela Bassett is still mourning the death of her on-screen beau.

Although Hewitt makes the good point that this is what really does happen in real life for firefighters, she’s also right in that nothing is ever going to be the same. It just shows the kind of impact that Krause and Bobby had on 9-1-1, and I’m dreading Season 9 knowing that he won’t be part of it.

Bobby’s death will certainly be felt for as long as 9-1-1 continues, especially when the 118 eventually chooses a new captain. Hen already announced she’s not taking the job, saying that it didn’t feel right. And while Kenneth Choi previously shared that Chminey’s ready, Aisha Hinds said that he’s not ready for that kind of responsibility, which makes sense considering he went on a bit of a power trip the last time he was interim captain.

Obviously, 9-1-1 is not the first show to have a major death and won’t be the last, but this is definitely different, considering that the reason a lot of people liked the show was because no one on the main cast died. They’d be close to death, but that was it. It will be weird when 9-1-1 comes back for Season 9, and as Jennifer Love Hewitt said, nothing will ever be the same.

Fans can watch every Bobby episode with a Hulu subscription to fill the void.

It’s been nearly three decades since Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. first fought off the hook-wielding murderer in I Know What You Did Last Summer, and now they’re back. The legacy sequel of the same name is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar on July 18, and those who have caught early screenings of the slasher are hitting social media with their first reactions. Given how horror fans have been feasting this year, I’m feeling optimistic.

The OG stars are back — yes, Julie and Ray are still alive — and they’re joined by a new group of potential victims played by Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King. and more. There’s no shortage of legacy sequels out there to choose from, and while some sequels turn out to be pretty good, there are some we wish were never made. Which box will IKWYDLS fall into? According to critic Sean Tajipour, it’s the first one. He writes:

Scott Menzel agrees with the enthusiastic response, calling the upcoming horror movie his “favorite film of the summer so far.” The critic praises the newcomers, particularly Sarah Pidgeon and Chase Sui Wonders, who continues to show her range as an actress. Menzel’s post reads:

Juan, self-proclaimed box office expert, says Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt — a classic horror movie final girl — are responsible for some of the best parts of an overall great summer movie. He continues:

Sophia Soto of Nerds of Color says the legacy actors as well as the new generation absolutely kill it in the franchise’s fourth installment, and she recommends watching at least the first two movies before heading to the theater in order to fully appreciate the experience. Soto continues:

That’s some pretty high praise for the latest offering in the horror movie series, with several people calling this their favorite movie of the summer. So, in the words of JLH’s Julie … what are you waiting for? Reserve your seats now, because I Know What You Did Last Summer slashes its way into theaters on Friday, July 18.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is getting a soft reboot, as we still have many of the original characters appearing in the movie. That may be pretty confusing for those who saw what happened to Jennifer Love Hewitt's Julie at the end of the sequel. However, one of the writers of the project on the 2025 movie schedule explained why her return makes sense.

As we wait for the release of the new horror movie on July 18th, SFX on CinemaBlend had a chance to speak to co-writer Sam Lansky about how Julie is in the new movie, despite being pulled underneath the bed by the fisherman at the end of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. Lansky brought up how the scene is similar to the shower scene at the end of the first movie, and even suggested that neither really happened, explaining:

This aligns with director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's comments about the scenes, in which she suggested they exist outside I Know What You Did Last Summer's canon. Going between the comments of both, it sounds like those moments could be acknowledged in some way, and could be explained away as some trauma or PTSD she's suffered from going through this not once, but twice before.

There were many discussions and arguments between the creatives about how traumatized Julie should be in this movie. I'm not sure this latest answer from Lansky informs the reader on where the team landed, but rest assured, it sounds like the writers weren't content to just pretend those scenes didn't happen in one form or another.

I think at this point, I Know What You Did Last Summer fans are just happy to see Jennifer Love Hewitt back in the franchise. Seeing her in the first trailer along with The Fisherman had me psyched for this movie, and I'm not sure I would've felt the same if she and Freddie Prinze Jr. weren't in the mix.

While some fans may take issue with how I Know What You Did Last Summer explains Julie somehow surviving that incident in the sequel, I should always point out that there were pushes for much more improbable scenarios. In fact, at one point, there was a conversation to try and convince Sarah Michelle Gellar to return as Helen, but she shut that down pretty quickly. At least the writers weren't burdened with having to explain that away!

As mentioned, we'll see I Know What You Did Last Summer in theaters on July 18th. As always, stick with CinemaBlend as we reveal our own conversations with the cast, and their thoughts on some of the wild moments of this upcoming horror entry.

There are a lot of upcoming horror movies on the way, but I’ve been particularly excited to know more about what’s in store for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, especially after finding out Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Julie James is officially returning alongside Freddie Prinze Jr’s Ray Bronson. After recently learning that handling the return of Julie didn’t come without some back and forth from its new writers, my excitement has only been elevated.

On behalf of CinemaBlend, I had the chance to attend the trailer release event for I Know What You Did Last Summer over the weekend at Sony Pictures Studios in L.A. While there, we were among the first to watch the brand new trailer (which you can watch below) along with an insightful conversation with the filmmakers and new cast members.

Wasn't that a blast?!? Now here’s what writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson had to say about the writing process with co-writer Sam Lansky, at least when it came to addressing the first official sequel to the O.G. slasher. In her words:

Robinson, who previously directed Netflix’s Someone Great and Do Revenge, shared that she and Lansky are such superfans that wanted to do justice to the franchise that they really got into it while watching the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer together. At the time, the writers actually went to the franchise's key setting of Southport, North Carolina to experience the town for real.

Speaking to the subject of authenticity, Robinson continued, saying that Lansky was more invested in sticking to the reality of the sequel, while Robinson had more of a joyous return in mind. As she put it:

So basically, they got really deep into Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character Julie James, and how they should logistically approach the character nearly 30 years after her last appearance, without originally seeing eye to eye. And hey, they both have a point!

As Robinson shared, she kind of wanted Julie to be a bit unserious and remain the “fun” character that fans fell for to begin with, while her co-writer had other ideas. As Lansky added:

It does have me wondering how the present day Julie James will be like after their “heated argument” on the topic, but nonetheless, I’m excited to see her tackle the character after so long. I get both sides, because I want Julie to match the spirit of the original, but I also think Sam has a really good point, that it would be odd if the movie doesn't get into how this would affect someone.

While we got a glimpse of her in the first trailer, this new one shows that she’ll be super involved with the whole I Know What You Did Last Summer cast in trying to take down the mysterious fisherman killer on his new reign of terror. I love that the trailer has her saying a callback line from the original, which totally makes me want to rewatch the original, while not giving away a lot of the key plot beats.

This is definitely one of those 2025 movie releases I’m marking my calendar for. It’ll reach theaters on July 18.

You know that classic phrase, “Oh god, I’m turning into my mother”? Yeah, that’s where I’m at right now with Ghost Whisperer.

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve never seen this show once on my own in my life, aside from watching my mother view it when I was a kid. And even then, I never really stayed around in the living room that often. I was more the child who would get home from school and, after spending a couple of minutes in the living room with her, would either go and watch my favorite TV show, Avatar: The Last Airbender, or watch YouTube.

But now, in my mid-twenties, I wanted to see all the fuss about this show that my mom seemed to really enjoy. And wow…I get it now, but let’s get into why.

I Always Wondered Why Her Ghost Shows Were So Popular

First off, my mom was always really into any show that had anything to do with ghosts, spirits, the occult, or any of that, and really not for the reason you think. It’s not because she dreams of living her life in the best fantasy TV shows or the best fantasy movies – nah, my mom is just really religious.

Not to the point where it’s too much, like “I will kick you out if you don’t conform to my faith” religious. But she’s the kind of person who is a devout Catholic who spends a lot of her time at Church and worshipping, which isn’t inherently a bad thing. Because she is religious, she enjoys learning about the other side, spirits, ghosts, and everything else, because Catholics believe in that.

Of course, that leads to her love of shows that revolve around that kind of stuff. I’m pretty sure I ended up loving all my supernatural shows because of her – I found out about the series Supernatural due to my mother, and I think I watched that longer than she did—anyway.

Ghost Whisperer was just one of many ghost-featured shows that she would watch when I was a kid. And while my curious mind would always sit down with her to watch Ghost Hunters, I never found myself attracted to Ghost Whisperer. However, one day while I was scrolling Hulu, I saw that the entire series was there. So what’s a girl to do? She decides to check out the show her mother loved. And wow…I think I get it now.

But Now, Watching It, I Finally Get Why – Because It’s An Interesting Concept, But Also Really, Really Silly

This show is silly. Like, really, really, silly. But it’s also an excellent concept.

If you’ve never seen Ghost Whisperer, the essential premise is this: the show follows a young woman who can see ghosts and tries to solve their problems so they can cross over. Sometimes, they can be menacing, and she has to be very smart with how she approaches them. Meanwhile, she also attempts to live a normal life.

Yeah, this series basically sets up every kind of “Oh, I’m not like other girls” trope for any supernatural series about a girl who has mystical powers. The main character, Melinda (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), is pretty much the exact kind of person you could imagine would lead this – someone who really believes in her gift and the power of others and everything else.

It’s about as cliche as cliche can get – but I’m no better than my mother, and there’s a reason as to why these types of shows do well. Even if it is the type of story we have seen before, it’s still a really, really interesting concept.

I've always enjoyed the ability to see ghosts and help them to the other side, and now I can see why my mom enjoyed it, too. Melinda's personal life is interesting to follow, and the lives of the people around her make it even better. The episodes can get very dramatic. I totally understand.

Five Seasons Is Crazy For This Show - But I Enjoyed Every Second I Watched

However, I will say that I did not watch all five seasons of this show – five seasons is really crazy for the type of content that we get. Even so, I won’t sit here on my computer and say that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, a lot, for the few seasons I watched.

Honestly, Ghost Whisperer is the kind of show where you don’t have to be fully invested. It’s the kind where you can probably put it on in the background as you’re doing dishes, and you’ll still get the basic idea as to what is going on without missing much. And that’s really what my mom used to do.

Truthfully, now it’s just another excuse to talk with my mom and connect over something that she used to love, like I did with Carrie. And to me, that’s worth every episode until the next show I binge – at least until the next 2025 TV show I watch.

There’s plenty to be excited about right now if you’re a Jennifer Love Hewitt fan — particularly the fact that she’s returning to one of her most beloved roles for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel that’s set to hit the 2025 movie calendar in July. Ahead of the upcoming horror movie’s release, however, the actress debuted a new hair color, and it’s actually kind of scary that I almost didn’t recognize her.

Jennifer Love Hewitt took to Instagram on Mother’s Day to share some words from her book Inheriting Magic with others who might be without their mom for the holiday. As she read from “My Journey Through Grief, Joy, Celebration, and Making Every Day Magical,” I was taken aback not only by her compassion for her fans but by her transformed look, which you can see below:

Am I the only one having just a tad bit of trouble believing that’s even Jennifer Love Hewitt? Even though she rocks a lighter shade of brown these days on 9-1-1 — whose Season 8 finale is set to air on the 2025 TV schedule on May 15 — than she did back when she first became a horror movie “Final Girl” in 1997, I’ve never seen her cross this far into red.

When she debuted the look last week, she said it’s something she’s been wanting to do for a long time:

I have to say, the color — dubbed Sunset Lover by her hair stylist — looks fabulous, and her fans and celebrity friends alike were in full agreement, posting comments that included:

• Yessssss 😍😍😍😍😍 … And that’s exactly what you are! 😍😍😍 Sunset Lover 🌹🌹🌹 – Riawna Capri
• Such a beauty… in any color. 😍🔥 – Gio Benitez
• Stop!!🔥🔥🔥🔥 – Marla Sokoloff
• Oh wow!! I love it! – Amanda Kloots
• This is a yes for me. 😍 – Alyssa Milano
• Ravishing in red! 😍 Should I go red to match??? – Tommy DiDario

We’ve already gotten to see Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie in the first images from I Know What You Did Last Summer, so we know she was still rocking her classic brunette look for the film. She and Freddie Prinze Jr. are set to reprise their roles, which is great news for fans of the ‘90s horror flick but also possibly a bit confusing.

Spoilers ahead for the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, but it is suggested that both Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.’s characters are killed in the end. The new movie’s director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson disputed claims that she’s ignoring the sequel but said she thinks the movies’ final scenes happen outside the canon and therefore Julie and Ray are still alive.

Justify it however you want, because I’m just happy we’ll see our newly ginger queen back in that universe. I Know What You Did Last Summer premieres Friday, July 18, and you can also catch Jennifer Love Hewitt on 9-1-1 as it wraps up its current season at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, May 15, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It's a great time to be a horror fan like me. The genre has been thriving for years now, with some of the best horror movies returning to theaters with new sequels. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies is that type of project, the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. And the first trailer gave the Fisherman a new weapon and brought back Jennifer Love Hewitt.

The original IKWYDLS movie is super re-watchable, and the sequel is also a memorable part of '90s horror culture. The upcoming sequel is expected to be connected those two slashers, especially thanks to the inclusion of franchise heroes Julie (Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) Both of them were featured briefly in the above teaser, along with flashes of The Fisherman's kills.

The trailer opens on two of the new characters making their debut in the slasher movie. In what could be the first big kill of the movie, we see the Fisherman stalk them in their home, and use a harpoon gun to sneak up on his victim. But don't worry, his hook still gets plenty of screen time throughout this trailer.

Like many Legacy-quels before it, it looks like I Know What You Did Last Summer will focus on new characters, but bring back the OGs when they need help. Looks like another group of teens are being hunted for covering up a death, but this time there are two survivors who might be able to help them. Namely, Julie and Ray.

The latter was seen earlier in this teaser, appealing to the authorities in Southport to take the murders seriously. It's unclear if Jennifer Love Hewitt's character is still living in her childhood town, but eventually the teens track her down and beg for help. And that was basically the moment that ends this first trailer.

It's currently unclear how big the roles of the franchise OGs will end up being in this movie. Perhaps it'll be like Neve Campbell's Sidney in 2022's Scream, serving as more of a supporting presence than a protagonist. Either way, Jennifer Love Hewitt's return to the franchise is huge news for horror fans like myself. I have to assume that both she and Prinze are going to come face to face with the new Fisherman sometime throughout the movie's runtime.

Of course, there's another legacy character that's noticeably missing: Brandy's Karla. She notably survived I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which is still canon for the franchise. Brandy confirmed she was in talks to return, but she hasn't been included in the cast list.

I Know What You Did Last Summer will hit theaters on July 18th as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see if Brandy is actually in the film after all.

The horror genre's current renaissance has been a joy for fans like myself, especially since some of the best horror movies returned to theater with new projects. Case in point: the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, which is expected to arrive in theaters this July. Jennifer Love Hewitt is returning as final girl Julie James, and just revealed the first look at the upcoming horror movie. I've got to say, she and Freddie Prinze Jr. look pretty incredible.

While set photos from I Know What You Did Last Summer teased the Fisherman's bloody return to the big screen, fans are particularly interested in seeing Hewitt and Prinze reprise their roles. While the Party of Five alum has been busy on 9-1-1 (steaming with a Hulu subscription), she also took the time to post on Instagram with the sneak peek images from IKWYDLS. Check it out below, and scroll to find some beautiful shots of Hewitt and Prinze:

Julie and Ray are back, baby! And while I would have loved to see Brandy also back as Karla, seeing these two horror characters back for the first time since I Still Know What You Did Last Summer hit theaters back in 1998. I've got to give credit where credit is due: they both look pretty incredible in these first looks from People.

Of course the new cast of actors who are going to be in I Know What You Did Last Summer are prominently featured in the first image. They'll seemingly be a big focus of the story, as they follow in the steps of Julie and her friends and try to avoid the same fate. A synopsis for the upcoming slasher reads:

Except for a few details, this seems like a pretty identical situation that occurred to the teenagers in the 1997 original film. Although this time the group who is being hunted down by a mysterious figure with a fisherman's hook will have someone to turn to. Namely, the legacy characters played by Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. respectively.

As previously mentioned, I was really hoping Brandy would also be getting in on the fun as her legacy character Karla. While Brandy confirmed she was in talks, she's been noticeably absent from any announcements/ the cast list.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 18th as part of the 2025 movie release list. So we should expect more images and even footage to come as time passes.

We’ve known for a while that franchise OGs Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr would be returning to the I Know What You Did Last Summer set more than 25 years after the original film hit theaters. But it’s one thing to know something is coming and quite another to see it play out on-screen. Even if you don’t care about the former teen heartthrobs specifically, Sony just dropped the first-look footage at the upcoming horror movie I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025, and one more word I need to throw out there is: harpoon.

We’ve been hearing about I Know What You Did Last Summer for some time now, and while news has been coming down the pipeline steadily, all we’ve really gotten in terms of a “look” at the movie so far is one measly poster for the upcoming sequel. Audiences at CinemaCon 2025 were in for a treat, however, and luckily CinemaBlend was on hand to live blog the entire Sony event!

The Murder Sequence Shown In The First Footage Is Intense

Obviously, I'm about to get into some first look spoilers, so I hope that's what you came here for. If not, now would be a great time to check out one of our other awesome articles.

The new footage opens up at night with a couple in a lit kitchen. There are lots of open windows to the outside, which feels very dark and ominous. He encourages her to take a bath and put on some headphones while she does a meditation. He stays in the kitchen to clean up when he notices a light flicker on and off outside. He goes to investigate, and a harpoon plows through the glass and into his body.

He turns to try and get away and the harpoon gets ripped back and sent flying. Meanwhile, the woman (Glass Onion's Madelyn Cline) is still in the tub doing her guided meditation with headphones on. She can't hear a thing. The audience can see and hear, however, and what we see are a pair of sturdy rubber boots and a large hook. The young folk in Southport are about to start dying… again.

The good news? Some folks have been there before.

Freddie Prinze Jr. And Jennifer Love Hewitt Show Up And Did Not Disappoint

We get flashes of the beautiful Southport in the daylight juxtaposed with some more chilling footage. Then, of course Freddie Prince Jr.’s Ray Bronson pops up onscreen, though he has so much more grey hair than the last time we’ve seen him in the role! He gets one line and it’s a doozy, noting, “this isn’t the first time there’s been violence like this in Southport."

But, of course, the violence will only end when the killer is caught, and to catch that killer the young residents of Southport are going to need the help of Julie James (Hewitt)! The best moment in this entire trailer obviously has to do with Hewitt’s character, who is asked for help as part of the Sony footage. Julie James responds, “I just have one question: What did you do last summer?"

We saw a lot of great stuff during the Sony Panel. The new Beyond The Spider-verse footage wasn’t even fully animated yet and still looked flipping cool. The Karate Kid: Legends trailer (which everyone will be getting tomorrow) looked awesome. Tom Holland announced the title of Spider-Man 4! The Beatles are getting four movies in one day from Sam Mendes! But it’s Jennifer Love Hewitt iconically asking “What did you do last summer?" that is sticking with me tonight. And when the studio officially unleashes the official trailer on fans, both OG and new alike, I hope everyone gets as pumped as I did.

The first look felt to me like a solid nod to the past while still being its own thing, and I'm excited to see what else the public gets tot see coming up. I Know What You Did Last Summer is hitting the 2025 movie release schedule on July 18, 2025.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, with some of the best horror movies getting new sequels or reboots. And among the upcoming horror movies is the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, which will feature the return of some OG stars. We just got treated a poster for the movie, but I'm still bummed about one casting issue: Brandy isn't returning as Brenda.

Horror fans were hyped when Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed her return in Know What You Did Last Summer, with she and fellow OG Freddie Prinze Jr. both reprising their roles. Brandy confirmed she was in talks as well, but the poster reveal and press release didn't list her in the cast. You can check out the image below:

The first look for I Know What You Did Last Summer also showed the Fisherman's hook, and it looks like the movie is leaning into that iconography to help drum up excitement. This poster also came with a press release for the film, which listed the cast as the following:

• Madelyn Cline
• Chase Sui Wonders
• Jonah Hauer-King
• Tyriq Withers
• Sarah Pidgeon
• Billy Campbell
• Gabbriette Bechtel
• Austin Nichols
• Lola Tung
• Nicholas Alexander Chavez
• Freddie Prinze Jr.
• Jennifer Love Hewitt

As you can see, the "Almost Doesn't Count" singer's name was noticeably missing from that list. While it's possible that the studio is keeping Brandy's appearance as Brenda under wraps, I'm bummed that it looks like she probably won't be part of the slasher sequel.

This feels surprising, as Brandy expressed interest in returning to I Know What You Did Last Summer alongside her former co-stars. The singer and actress has been keeping busy lately, including her role in Descendants: Rise Of Red (streaming with a Disney+ subscription) and her return to horror with The Front Room. The timing seems to make sense for her to join the other legacy characters in the new Last Summer flick, but it appears that's not happening.

Brandy joined the franchise in the sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which also happens to be the first R-rated horror movie I've ever seen. That title has always had a special place in my heart, and gives Brandy a place in the history of Black characters surviving horror movies. Especially given how common it was that actors of color were killed off at the time.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is just the latest horror franchise to be revived in the midst of the genre's ongoing renaissance. Halloween got a new trilogy, the Scream movies have been super successful, and there have also been new takes on Child's Play, Nosferatu, and Candyman. Luckily our questions about IKWYDLS will be answered when the new sequel hits theaters July 18th as part of the 2025 movie release list.

As original and new fans flock to the I Know What You Did Last Summer press and gear up for the release on our 2025 movie schedule. One of the summer slasher flick’s OG cast members, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has already made waves about the return. Beyond her confirmation that filming began before it was officially public, she also went viral when asked about her former cast mate Jennifer Love Hewitt’s involvement. The notable moment made fans think that the two were beefing but Gellar explained what was behind the reaction.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer star cleared the air with on her Instagram story. She posted a set photo from the horror movie with a caption that reads:

The somewhat "appearance of shadiness" of her reaction came from her processing in real time if it was okay to disclose that information. This moment does follow the 47-year-old leaking the closed IKWYDLS set photo on Thanksgiving.

Gellar used her social media to directly address the viral moment of hers. She posted after the viral clip gained enough attention, explaining that there’s nothing between the two besides excitement to see one another and joking about trying not to break her NDA again. Although the Scooby-Doo alum’s character, Helen, was killed in the original movie, she has an unofficial title on set that I love for her.

Soon after this New England slasher movie buzz started taking off, Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed her return to the reboot with that iconic Instagram. I’m thrilled about her announcement and the spirit she put into it and it makes me all the more excited for the return. Now, I’m hoping for Brandy’s return more than anything else with Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. confirmed. All three had a film on our 2024 movie schedule, so I’m hoping the same will be true for next year with the scary movie, set to have a July release.

As another iconic '90s teen horror franchise Scream illustrates, you need legacy characters to continue. Unfortunately, Gellar and Ryan Phillippe, won’t have the privilege, and it’s all the more reason to bring Brandy back. We know not to count on the Cruel Intentions alum to spill any more beans about the continuing franchise, so hopefully, there are a few surprise cameos ahead.

Now that Gellar has cleaned up, dealt with, and knocked down the feuding theories of her viral moment, all we can do is wait. That, and catch some upcoming horror films in theaters to prepare for the return of the hooked-wielding stalker.

While the previous flicks are only available on demand, Prime Original has a series of the same name, available with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was a ‘90s starlet who started out as a supporting character in Party of Five Season 2. But as her popularity kept growing with roles in the teen comedy Can’t Hardly Wait and the slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer, her popularity dubbed her as a rising sex symbol at a young age. If the Texas native actress could advise her "pretty innocent" teen self, she reveals she knows exactly what she’d say.

Known by this generation for playing dispatcher Maddie Han in ABC's 9-1-1 (which returns with its 2025 TV premiere on March 6), Jennifer Love Hewitt’s beginnings in Hollywood certainly gave her desirable "girl next door" vibes. But when the Garfield actress told People about watching the Hulu documentary Framing Britney Spears, she said she could relate to the pop singer about being seen as a sex symbol at a young age and being asked demeaning questions during interviews.

The Golden Globe nominee spoke about the innocence of not being aware of her sex symbol status when she first started out in Hollywood and how she feels about it now:

I can understand the innocence for the actress as a teenager in Hollywood following the directions of higher-ups. Jennifer Love Hewitt’s early experience proves the challenges young starlets face when adults shape their images without knowing the consequences. I can imagine how scary it may have felt to look back at old photos of wearing small outfits and wondering how that could have been okay at the time.

Being new in the business, it appears that the Ghost Whisperer star was just trusting the process without real comprehension of it. Hewitt previously said when she would get asked about her boobs, she wouldn’t think twice about the inappropriateness of the questions. The talented actress knows in today’s age, you’d have more freedom to turn down indecent questions compared to feeling the need to laugh them off.

If only we could time travel and speak to our younger selves to better ease their worries of getting older! Jennifer Love Hewitt told People that she’d say to her 18-year-old self, “You don’t have to be sexy” and other useful pieces of advice:

The film/television star indeed is still here at 45. Other than continuing her role as Maddie on 9-1-1, 2025 looks to be a great year for Jennifer Love Hewitt. She’s got her new memoir Inheriting Magic: My Journey Through Grief, Joy, Celebration, and Making Every Day Magical in bookstores now about healing through grief, being a mother of three, and her love of party planning. Hewitt also decided to bring her Lifetime Christmas movie The Holiday Junkie to the real world by turning it into the brand 2021 Co. x Holiday Junkie, filled with holiday greeting cards and stationery gifts.

We can also look forward to seeing Jennifer Love Hewitt reprise an iconic role in which she ran for her life from a hooked serial killer. Yep, I Know What You Did Last Summer is getting a sequel and the Heartbreakers actress has confirmed her return. All we know about the upcoming horror film is that Freddie Prinze Jr. will return with a plot similar to 2022’s Scream in the legacy cast joining with a younger cast. My child of the ‘90s self is ready to see Hewitt bring back her iconic screams and the emotions she brought to her character of Julie in the first place.

Jennifer Love Hewitt may not have been aware during her "pretty innocent" teen years of her sex symbol status, but her adult self knows now how those early experiences have shaped her career and that her journey is far from over in her 40s. With I Know What You Did Last Summer 2 having a 2025 movie release on July 18 and 9-1-1 continuing to thrive in its eighth season, I know Love will keep spreading.

The horror genre has been thriving for years now, with the current renaissance resulting in new sequels for some of the best horror movies. And while we got new entries to franchises like Halloween and Scream, a '90s classic is coming with a new I Know What You Did Last Summer. After much discussion, Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed she's back as Julie James with an epic photo. And as a hardcore fan of the franchise I couldn't be more thrilled.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is filming now, which made the lack of an announcement about Hewitt both noticeable and worrisome. Jennifer Love Hewitt expressed excitement about returning for the upcoming horror movie, but was waiting to sign on the dotted line. But she confirmed it's happening on Instagram, complete with a cool moody image. Check it out below:

I guess we no longer have to ask Sony "What are you waiting for?" in related to casting for the new slasher. Although on second thought, there is still one big legacy character that I'm hoping also gets signed on to return: Brandy's Brenda from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. Luckily, Brandy confirmed she'd had talks, so hopefully another deal is inked sooner rather than later. After all, the sequel has seemingly already started filming.

With this announcement, it's official that both Julie and Ray will be back for another battle against The Fisherman in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Whether or not the killer will be Ben Willis or another character remains to be seen, but the two leads from the original films are returning. And fans like myself are absolutely thrilled.

The first sequel I Still Know What You Did The Last Summer was the first scary movie I ever saw as a child of the '90s, so the franchise has a special place in my heart. And Jennifer Love Hewitt truly deserves her flowers for performances as Julie James, especially for her iconic screams in terror and full emotional commitment.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is directing and writing the new sequel, and has a clear reverence for I Know What You Did Last Summer's legacy. She confirmed the first sequel was staying cannon, which seemed like a hopeful update about Brandy's chances of returning as Brenda. Fans are hoping for more legacy characters, but unfortunately most of them died like Sarah Michelle Gellar's Helen. But she did offer a post from the movie's set, presumably there with husband and co-star Freddie Prinze Jr.

Each I Know What You Did Last Summer set photo is helping to increase fan excitement, and the movie is going to have to move quickly if its still going to hit its release date this summer.

The new I Know What You Did Last Summer is currently set to arrive in theaters on July 18th. But if it's actually a 2025 movie release date will presumably depend on production.

While the 2024 movies designed to thrill, delight, and scare audiences seem to have been doing the trick, there are more projects already looking to step into the limelight. The recently announced I Know What You Did Last Summer legacy-quel is such a project, especially with OG stars Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt both in talks to return.

Fans are going to love the latest update on the other massive late ‘90s horror hit’s new groove, as the next chapter has now officially cast a legacy actor, with even more good news waiting on the hook. Per reporting out of Variety, fans of Ray Bronson should be prepared to see what he looks like almost three decades later.

That’s because Freddie Prinze Jr. has now been announced as confirmed to be returning for what will be his third appearance in the series. As Prinze’s earlier I Know What You Did Last Summer update had him noted as “in talks,” this announcement feels like it’s been a long time coming. Speaking of “talks,” the other good news about this report is the fact that Jennifer Love Hewitt is working on her own deal to potentially return as well.

Fans of both entries in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise could probably say this was something bound to happen. I mean, Hewitt herself teased the possibility earlier this year as well, but in a post-Scream VI world, we horror folks have learned not to take legacy cast members’ returns as granted. Still, if only a contract is standing between the 9-1-1 star and a new round of terror, the matter is still further along than it was yesterday.

The clock continues to tick on though, as the new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel is rumored to start shooting in October. We’ve already seen scheduling conflicts alter the roster of young cast members, as Riverdale alum Camilla Mendes left the film to fulfill her role in the latest iteration of the cinematic reboot of Masters of the Universe. So while you might be inspired to celebrate both Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt being back in the mix, you should hold off until that dotted line is signed.

A fourth I Know What You Did Last Summer picture is something legacy fans are probably still pumped over, and that fact could work in Hewitt’s favor at the bargaining table. But just in case there is a last minute break down in negotiations, at least 1998’s I Still Know What You Did Last Summer did the series a favor in setting up a potential exit for Julie:

We’ll have to continue to wait and see what happens with the latest I Know What You Did Last Summer legacy-quel. But in the meantime, you can stream the original 1997 classic, on AMC+, which can easily be added onto a valid Prime Video subscription.

If you’re looking for what’s about to go bump in the night in the near future, the upcoming horror movies schedule is there to shed some light in the darkness. That way, you’ll always know what you’ll watch next summer.

The horror genre has a way of making tons of money at the box office, and it continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry. And some of the best horror movies have returned with new sequels as the horror renaissance continues. Case in point: the developing I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel. After chatter online, the upcoming horror movie's director has clarified a big deal about the project.

Fans are eager for any information about the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, particularly if/when Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. will officially sign on. A rumor circulating online was that the upcoming slasher will completely ignore the movie's sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. The chatter got loud enough that director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson shut it down on Twitter, posting:

Do you hear that sound? It's longtime fans of the franchise letting out a sigh of relief. Because I Still Know won't be retconned for the next movie, allowing that wild massacre to influence its story. And that also means that the door may be open for Brandy to return as reprise her role as Julie's college roommate Karla. Fingers (and knives) crossed.

In the 1998 sequel, Brandy played fan favorite character Karla. While she had some scares and injuries, she managed to survive The Fisherman's attack. And it would be awesome seeing the Cinderella actress back in that role as another legacy character for the developing I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is a self-proclaimed fan of the slasher franchise, so the new installment is in good hands. And the fact that she's already dismissing rumors online is no doubt going to thrill the hardcore fandom. It also doesn't hurt that writer Jeff Howard is contributing to the screenplay, especially after his acclaimed work on Mike Flanagan projects like Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, and Gerald's Game.

While fans assume that Hewitt and Prinze will be back for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, they haven't officially signed on the dotted line at the point of writing this story. But the pair of '90s icons both seem down to clown, and have been sharing excitement over the prospect.

With I Still Know remaining canon, smart money says fan calls for Brandy's inclusion will get louder. The iconic pop singer/actress has been on our screens a number of times lately, including roles in Descendants: The Rise of Red (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), the holiday flick Best. Christmas. Ever! and a cameo in Ariana Grande's latest video (plus a killer remix with Monica).

I Know What You Did Last Summer's sequel is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 18th, 2025, so development will likely have to pickup pace soon. In the meantime, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit featured a talented group of young actors/singers as the students who were forced by lounge singer-turned-nun Sister Mary Clarence to form a choir and save their school from closure. The most famous of those was, of course, Lauryn Hill, iconic rapper and frontwoman of The Fugees, but some may forget that Jennifer Love Hewitt was also among those musically gifted teens. With Sister Act 3 coming to streaming (have that Disney+ subscription ready), the 9-1-1 star gave her thoughts on reprising her role more than 30 years later.

Yes, it was 1993 back when Jennifer Love Hewitt portrayed Margaret on Sister Act 2. This was pre-I Know What You Did Last Summer and even before Party of Five, so no one knew the stardom that was to find the actress. Her role alongside Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Mary Clarence was small, but she told ET she’d definitely be down to join the upcoming Tyler Perry project if they asked her to. Hewitt said: 

Jennifer Love Hewitt had only great things to say about her experience on the set of Sister Act 2, as she recalled Whoopi Goldberg “so kind and so amazing.” She also marveled at the fact that she got to listen to Lauryn Hill sing live every day. 

There aren’t many updates about Sister Act 3 to share at this point, and Tyler Perry has acknowledged how long it’s taking to come together. In the meantime, though, Whoopi Goldberg got the band (or choir, rather) back together on The View to celebrate Sister Act 2’s 30th anniversary, treating the audience to a performance of “Oh Happy Day,” complete with solo from Ryan Toby (who played Ahmal). 

Lauryn Hill was absent from the reunion, as well as Jennifer Love Hewitt, so I don’t know if that says anything about the chances that they’ll be back for the threequel. As for who might return, Whoopi Goldberg made a heartfelt appeal to Maggie Smith to come back as Mother Superior, and Kathy Najimy (Sister Mary Patrick) has reportedly expressed interest in returning. It wouldn’t seem right to do it without Wendy Makkena also returning as Sister Mary Robert, but we’ll have to see how it all plays out.

As for newcomers to the franchise, Keke Palmer has thrown her name out there, saying she’ll accept “any job” on Sister Act 3, and there were rumors that Whoopi Goldberg had expressed interest in tapping fellow EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson for a role in the movie — a notion that some fans weren’t happy about.

Whether it’s Jennifer Love Hewitt, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Hudson or any other name, I’d be happy just to hear that the project is continuing to move along. While we wait for news, both Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit are available to stream on Disney+, one of the best streaming services you can subscribe to, and you can also see what else is coming soon with our 2024 movie release calendar. 

The horror genre has been thriving for a number of years now, with some of the best horror movies returning to theaters with reboots or sequels. After seeing both Scream and Halloween get new entries, there are reports of a possible I Know What You Did Last Summer threequel being developed. And franchise star Jennifer Love Hewitt recently explained her feelings about possible returning as Julie James, saying she's "honestly terrified." Luckily those are the exact feelings she needs to channel for a scary movie.

The biggest question surrounding the developing I Know What You Did Last Summer movie is whether or not Jennifer Love Hewitt will actually be back as Julie. While speaking with ET, she explained that talks are still happening, and nothing is set in stone just yet. But if a deal is inked, she explained how she's feeling about possibly returning in an upcoming horror movie. As she put it:

There you have it. It sounds like Hewitt is a little scared to returning to I Know What You Did Last Summer, specifically because it's been over two decades since debuting as horror final girl Julie James. And given the long and grueling hours involved with a movie like this, can you blame her?

Hewitt gave an iconic performance in the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, before reprising her role in the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. She wasn't in the cast of the short-lived TV series, which is why her possibly returning in the threequel is so thrilling for fans. Later in her same interview, she spoke about the upside to the time that's passed. In the Ghost Whisperer actress' words:

Points were made. While Jennifer Love Hewitt has become a mother and has three kids, it should be interesting to see where Julie James ends up in life if/when we see her in I Know What You Did Last Summer 3. Hopefully an official deal is inked sooner rather than later, allowing for the story to come together. 

For now there are plenty of other horror flicks coming to theaters, while development for the possible threequel continues. And for fans of Jennifer Love Hewitt, she's starring in the popular TV series 9-1-1. While we wait, check the 2024 movie release dates. 

9-1-1 has made quite a splash since hopping over to ABC from Fox for its seventh season, treating fans to a “huge spectacle” of a cruise ship crisis in its premiere episodes for the alphabet network. Now the series prepares to celebrate its 100th episode, and it will do so with a crossover of sorts with The Bachelor. As for how the surprising pairing came about between the first responder drama and the long-running reality dating show, it turns out we have Jennifer Love Hewitt to thank.

When ABC announced it was saving 9-1-1 from cancellation by taking it off of Fox’s hands, further crossovers between that series and its spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star (which will remain on Fox) became unlikely. The firefighters of the 118, however, still found a show to team up with, though their appearance at the iconic Bachelor Mansion was far more unexpected. 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear said one specific Bachelor superfan helped to make that happen, explaining to EW: 

Jennifer Love Hewitt was shown in the live studio audience during the finale of The Golden Bachelor, which saw Gerry Turner get engaged to Theresa Nist. She definitely seemed invested in the love story, reacting dramatically to the episode’s emotional turns. Her ties to the franchise actually go back way further than that, too, as she was rumored to have dated Ben Flajnik — one of many Bachelor contestants who remained famous after the show — before he became the lead in Season 16.

Tim Minear said after JLH’s suggestion, he reached out to The Bachelor, which was filming Season 28 with Joey Graziadei, and they loved the idea as well. The co-creator continued:

The episode, titled “Buck, Bothered and Bewildered” certainly looks like a lot of fun, not just for fans of both ABC series but for The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei — whose season just ended with a proposal and historic Bachelorette announcement — and host Jesse Palmer, who are both seen in the preview (embedded below): 

How very meta that even within the 9-1-1 world, The Bachelor is a thing, and it looks like Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Maddie Buckley is a big fan too! If you want to see how it all goes down, 9-1-1’s 100th episode will air at  8 p.m. ET Thursday, April 4 on ABC and can be streamed the next day with a Hulu subscription. 

The horror renaissance has been happening for years now, to the delight of fans. Some of the best horror movies returned to theaters, including titles like Scream and Halloween. It was previously announced that I Know What You Did Last Summer was getting a new sequel, and it was rumored that two stars were going to return. So is Jennifer Love Hewitt actually going to reprise her role as Julie James? Here's the latest from the 9-1-1 actress.

Not much is known about the upcoming horror movie, although the writer of I Know What You Did Last Summer's sequel is a huge fan of the franchise. While it was originally reported that Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt were reprising their roles, there hasn't been any updated. The latter actress was asked by ET about this concept, and she responded coyly by saying:

Honestly, I'll take it. Jennifer Love Hewitt was an excellent scream queen in her pair of I Know What You Did Last Summer, and it's been too long since she returned to the genre. She didn't deny returning for the new sequel, which certainly seems like a good sign.  

Horror fans are eager to see the franchise return to the big screen, especially after I Know What You Did Last Summer's TV series, which was available to stream for those with an Amazon Prime subscription. Later in her same interview with ET, Hewitt mused about what her return as Julie might look like, saying:

All jokes aside, I'm sure that Jennifer Love Hewitt would kick some ass as Julie James decades after the release of the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. But if Jamie Lee Curtis can fight Michael Myers for the Blumhouse Halloween trilogy, what's to stop the Can't Hardly Wait star from following suit? 

While she hasn't been in the horror space for years, Hewitt has definitely been keeping busy and flexing her dramatic/thriller muscles for her starring role in 9-1-1.  As such, she could likely jump back into the role as Julie James easily. Hopefully she officially get confirmed for the project sooner rather than later. Who doesn't want to see her and Freddie Prinze Jr. face off against a clawed villain for the third time? 

Clearly the development process for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer is ongoing, so fans might have to be patient before getting any concrete news from the studio or its potential stars. That being said, it definitely seems like Hewitt is down to clown. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.

Everything is bigger in Texas, they say, and that certainly includes the star power of its homegrown celebrities. From the biggest stars in music to the biggest on the silver screen, the biggest celebs in the squared circle, and almost everywhere else, Texas has bred them all. 

California may be home to Hollywood, but there might not be a Hollywood without its biggest legends who hail from the Lone Star State, so here is our list of some of the biggest stars from Texas

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, raised mostly in Longview, TX, went to college in Austin, and got his first big break in show business in Dazed & Confused, which was, of course, filmed in Texas. McConaughey still lives in Austin. It makes sense that the proud Texan wants to see more movies made in his home state. McConaughey has also sparked rumors in the past that he might be interested in running for political office in Texas, though he's usually brushed them aside. Politician or not, the man sure loves his home state. 

Renée Zellweger

She may have won accolades for playing an English woman, but Renée Zellweger is Texas through and through. The Bridget Jones' Diary star was born outside Houston in Katy, TX, and grew up there before attending the University of Texas. It was in Austin that she discovered her love for acting and she landed her first on-screen role as an extra in Dazed & Confused. 

Owen Wilson

Dallas-born Owen Wilson has played a lot of fantastic roles over the years, but none better than his many roles in the films of Wes Anderson. Wilson and fellow Texan Anderson have been friends since their college days at the University of Texas. It's also worth noting that both of Owen Wilson's brothers, Luke and Andrew, also hail from Texas, of course. 

Jim Parsons

While some people ooze "Texas," Houston native Jim Parsons doesn't, really. You might guess he'd be from New York or Chicago, but nope, he's a Texan. Born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, he also attended the University of Houston before striking out for Hollywood and making it big. 

Carol Burnett

Comedy legend Carol Burnett grew up in California, attending high school right in Hollywood, but the Annie star was born deep in the heart of Texas, in San Antonio in 1933. Though her vast career has taken her far from Texas, the state can still call her one of its own. 

Beyoncé

If the stars are brighter and everything is bigger in Texas, then it only makes sense that one of the biggest stars would come from Houston. There is no bigger star on the planet than Beyoncé, who was born and raised in Texas along with her sister Solange and her Destiny's Child bandmate, LaTavia Roberson. 

Selena Gomez

Like many other native Texas, Selena Gomez is proud of her Mexican heritage. The Only Murders In The Building star was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, and although her many acting roles and career took her to California early in life, her family's roots are firmly in the Lone Star State. Gomez is named for another Texas native as well, the late Tejano superstar Selena, who was murdered in Corpus Christi in 1995. 

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson first got famous playing a farm boy-turned-bartender from Indiana on Cheers, and while he moved to Ohio as a teenager, Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. He's also tight with his occasional co-star and fellow Texan, Matthew McConaughey, and, according to McConaughey, the two could even be brothers! 

Tommy Lee Jones

Sure, he was roommates at Harvard with Al Gore, but Tommy Lee Jones is all Texan. The No Country For Old Men star was born in the small town of San Saba, Texas, and raised in Midland. He's never really strayed far either, as he has resided in Terrell Hills, TX, near San Antonio, for years. He's also a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Film Hall of Fame. There really isn't another actor who screams "Texas" like Jones, is there?

Steve Martin

Waco-born Steve Martin is one of the funniest people in film history. While he grew up mostly in Southern California, his roots are originally in central Texas, where he was born in Waco, on August 14th, 1945, the same day that the Japanese surrendered in World War II. 

Jamie Foxx

The multi-talented Jamie Foxx started acquiring his many skills as a kid in Terrell, TX, outside Dallas, where he was born and raised. As a kid, he played piano and excelled at sports at Terrell High School. He moved to Southern California after school and in 1991, scored a role on In Living Color, and the rest is history. 

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner moved to West Virginia when she was just three, so she probably doesn't remember much of anything from her early life in Texas, but the Daredevil star was born in Houston. 

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson exploded into show business by winning the first-ever season of American Idol and she's been a star ever since. It's a journey that started when she was born in Forth Worth, TX, and raised in the suburb of Burleson, just outside the city. While her career may have taken her to LA and New York, her heart (and sports allegiance) has stayed in Texas.

Wes Anderson

People love to debate what the best Wes Anderson movie is, but if you are wondering what is his most personal, it's probably Bottle Rocket, which was filmed almost entirely in Anderson's home state of Texas. It stars a couple of fellow Texans as well, Owen and Luke Wilson. While the Wilsons are from Dallas originally, Anderson hails from Houston. 

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion is a triple threat. She proved herself on the mic, and on the dance floor, first, then she started taking over TV and movies by starring in her first film in 2023. Before all that happened, though, she grew up in and around Houston. The “H-town Hottie” even got her nickname, Stallion, in the city. 

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez has been in some huge film franchises, like Fast & Furious and Avatar. She kind of grew up all over, including in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but she was born and lived for a few years of her life in San Antonio, TX. 

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke's parents were high school sweethearts who had Ethan shortly after they were married. Born in 1970 in Austin, TX, Hawke moved to the Northeast with his mother but spent his summers in Fort Worth with his dad. His grandfather even served in the Texas House of Representatives for 10 years. He has deep Texas roots that he is proud of. 

Hilary Duff

Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff is another Texas girl. Born in Houston, her family also spent time in San Antonio before moving to California when Duff was still young to pursue her acting career. Boy did that pay off quickly! 

Jennifer Love Hewitt

From a young age, Jennifer Love Hewitt was showing off her talents, singing and dancing across Texas, where she was born in 1979. Eventually, even the Lone Star State could not contain her and she moved to LA with her family, where she soon landed her first starring role on the legendary Party Of Five, after having roles on the Disney Channel and elsewhere as a kid. 

Eva Longoria

Born in Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, Eva Longoria has always been proud of her Tejano roots. In fact, her ancestry and culture are so important to her that she returned to college to earn a Master's degree in Chicano studies from Cal State-Northridge.

Forest Whitaker

Though he went to high school in Los Angeles, Forest Whitaker's life began in Longview, Texas. Every summer of his youth, he spent time with his grandparents in Longview and still has family all over Texas. 

Taylor Sheridan

It's no surprise that Taylor Sheridan is from Texas. While he was actually born in North Carolina, the Yellowstone creator is the definition of a true Texan. Not only did he grow up in Fort Worth, but he owns a working ranch in the Lone Star state called 6666 Ranch. He and his family live in Weatherford, Texas.

Farrah Fawcett

She might have had the reputation of being the all-American blonde from California, but Farrah Fawcett was born and raised in Texas. After high school in Corpus Christi, she attended the University of Texas before heading to Hollywood where she immediately started landing acting and modeling jobs. Once she scored her role on Charlie's Angels, the rest is history. 

Isaiah Washington

Controversial actor Isaiah Washington's most prominent role was in the first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Since then, he's worked on numerous films and TV shows, before announcing his retirement in 2023. He was born and raised in Houston. 

William Jackson Harper

Star of The Good Place William Jackson Harper is a native Texan, born in Dallas and raised in Garland, TX, where he first started acting in high school. His Texas-sized determination kept him going when he struggled early in his career, before finding a starring role on the Kristen Bell-led sitcom. 

Dakota Johnson

It might be surprising to learn that despite being the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Dakota Johnson was born in Texas. She was born to Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson in Austin while her father shot a movie in the Lone Star State. The star was then raised in Los Angeles, of course, but Austin will always be where she came into this world. Since then, she's built a great career. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Steven James Anderson loves his home state so much, that he took a name based on its capital, Austin. Better known as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the WWE superstar was, in fact, born in Austin, though he was raised mostly in Edna, TX. The wrestler still owns property in the state, Broken Skull Ranch, near Tilden, TX. It's not like he hides his love for the state either, as one of his many nicknames is "The Texas Rattlesnake."

Gary Busey

People sometimes forget that Gary Busey was once nominated for an Oscar for playing Texan Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, and the actor also hails from Holly's home state. Busey was born in the Houston area; Baytown, Texas, to be exact. He moved to Oklahoma in elementary school and it was in Tulsa that the enigmatic actor began his show biz career. One of his first big breaks in Hollywood was a TV show that was set in Texas called, appropriately, The Texas Wheelers.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano was controversially dismissed from The Mandalorian and whether you agree with the decision or not, it's hard to argue that the MMA star brought a little bit of that strong individualism Texas is known for to the role and her career. Something that might be inherent in her, as she was born in Dallas County Texas.

Shaquille O'Neal

Texas is a huge state, with a lot of personality, so it only makes sense that a celebrity who's physically large and has a personality to match would hail from the state. Shaquille O’Neal is an Army brat, so he moved around a lot as a kid, including being born in New Jersey. It's in Texas, however, where the world started to pay attention to O'Neal as he became a standout basketball star, eventually becoming a top college recruit and going to LSU for school. He was drafted into the NBA as the #1 overall pick in 1992, and the rest is history.  

Robin Wright

Robin Wright might be best known for playing a Washington insider on House Of Cards and a Buttercup in The Princess Bride, but before all that, she was born in Dallas in 1966. Her parents divorced when she was young and her family moved to Southern California, but for those two years, she was a Texan. 

Michael Strahan

He first made a name for himself playing football in New York, and now he's known for hosting Good Morning America in New York, but Michael Strahan is a born and bred Texan. He was born in Houston, and went to high school there, though for a little while he lived with his family in Germany where his father was stationed in the Army. 

There you have it, a list that proves everything is, indeed, bigger in Texas. The toast, the steer, the plains, and the stars. Not just the stars in the sky, but the stars in Hollywood and beyond. Few states can compete with the Lone Star state when it comes to star power. 

Have you ever caught a rerun of an older TV show and during the opening credits sequence, you spotted someone who made you say, “Hey, I know that person!”? This is actually a more common occurrence than you may realize, as there many A-list celebrities whose first IMDb credit (or one of the first) was a supporting role on a series long before they earned the honor of being a leading presence on the big (or small) screen. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous actors who appeared a bit further down the the line on the call sheet on a TV show when they were starting out.

Chris Pratt (Everwood)

Before Guardians of the Galaxy made him a leading man, Chris Pratt really began to gain traction from starring in the Parks and Recreation cast as Andy Dwyer. However, even earlier than that, he starred on a WB family drama called Everwood as high school joke Bright Abbott alongside fellow future MCU star Emily VanCamp, who played his sister, Amy.

Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show)

Before her Academy Award-nominated performance in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, her star-making role as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Oscar-winning turn in Silver Lining’s Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence was a sitcom star — specifically a cable network sitcom star. On The Bill Engvall Show, which lasted three seasons on TBS, she starred opposite the eponymous stand-up comedian as his on-screen alter ego’s teenage daughter, Lauren Pearson,

Austin Butler (Zoey 101)

The musical talents that earned Austin Butler the title role of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis can be traced back to his part on Ruby & the Rockits, which lasted 10 episodes on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2009. However, the Oscar nominee’s first major TV role was on the final season of Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 as James Garrett — a character missing from Paramount+’s feature-length follow-up, Zoey 102.

Margot Robbie (Pan Am)

While her earliest role was actually the long-running soap opera, Neighbours — much like many other Aussie A-listers — we thought we would highlight American audiences’ first true introduction to Margot Robbie on Pan Am. An interesting fact about Robbie is that the future Oscar nominee and DC movies star was actually roommates with co-star Christina Ricci while playing 1960s-era flight attendant Laura Cameron on the short-lived ABC drama from 2011 to 2012.

Seth Rogen (Freaks And Geeks)

While still part of the main ensemble, Seth Rogen’s role as the initially arrogant Ken Miller pretty much got the short end of the stick amongst the Freaks and Geeks cast, for the most part. Ironically, Rogen, arguably, went on to become the painfully short-lived coming-of-age dramedy’s biggest star, which is really saying something, given his co-stars include Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and John Francis Daley.

Brie Larson (Raising Dad)

A notable moment in Academy Award winner Brie Larson’s evolution from child star to modern A-list actor was her role as the late Bob Saget’s youngest on-screen daughter on Raising Dad — a sitcom that ran for one season on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s. Following her success as the MCU’s Captain Marvel, Larson returned to TV in 2023 — reprising her Scott Pilgrim vs. the World role for Netflix’s animated series reboot, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and leading the Lessons in Chemistry cast for Apple TV+.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains)

While doing press for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt recalled how they both appeared on the hit ABC sitcom Growing Pains much earlier in their career. Of course, Pitt had a one-episode guest appearance while the Oscar-winning The Revenant star and Titanic cast member had a prominent role as Luke Brewer — a homeless teen taken in by the Seavers in Season 7. 

Ana De Armas (The Boarding School)

One of the films that earned Academy Award nominee Ana de Armas a spot on the A-list was Rian Johnson’s hit whodunit, Knives Out, from 2019. More than a decade earlier, the Cuban-born actor landed a role on a coming-of-age mystery TV show called El Internado (or The Boarding School), which originally aired in Spain from 2007 to 2010.

Michael B. Jordan (The Wire)

After getting his start as a Toys ‘R Us kid, the fascinating Michael B. Jordan made his official acting debut on an episode of The Sopranos, but later landed a more prominent role on another acclaimed, gritty HBO series in 2002. He appeared amongst The Wire cast as Wallace — an orphan whose tragic story had a profound impact on the Emmy-nominated series beyond his 13-episode stint.

Anne Hathaway (Get Real)

Anne Hathaway fans should know that before she broke into the mainstream by leading Disney’s The Princess Diaries cast, the Academy Award winner made her acting debut on a 1999 Fox TV show called Get Real as a high school senior who shocks her family with the decision to refuse college. Coincidentally, the short-lived dramedy was also the debut of Hathaway’s Rio co-star, Jesse Eisenberg, and was an early gig for NCIS' Eric Christian Olsen as well.

Denzel Washington (St. Elsewhere)

With two Oscars to his name, it’s hard to imagine a TV screen big enough to contain the talent of one Denzel Washington, yet it was a TV show that helped launched the young actor’s career in the early 1980s. Following his official debut in the 1977 TV movie Wilma, the future Training Day lead played Dr. Philip Chandler on NBC’s hit medical drama, St. Elsewhere.

Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek)

For years, Michelle Williams was known best from the Dawson’s Creek cast as Jen Lindley. Now — after receiving multiple Academy Award nominations for acclaimed dramas like Manchester by the Sea and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans — that role on the hit teen drama is, typically, among the last things mentioned in regards to her career.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock From The Sun)

As a child actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in some good movies and made a few notable TV guest appearances before landing his first successful series regular gig with 3rd Rock from the Sun. He played the eldest member of a group of extra-terrestrial visitors, and the character resembles a teenager in human form on the Emmy-winning sci-fi sitcom.

George Clooney (The Facts Of Life)

As a TV star, George Clooney is best known from his main role on the popular ‘90s show, ER, on which he played Doug Ross. Much earlier, however, the future two-time Oscar winner had a memorable recurring role on Diff’rent Strokes' (very different) spin-off, The Facts of Life, as George Burnett — a carpenter who would become close to the girls living under Mrs. Garrett’s roof.

Woody Harrelson (Cheers)

With multiple Academy Award nominations to his name, Woody Harrelson is known today as one of Hollywood’s most versatile movie stars, but his first big break came when he joined the Cheers cast in the mid-1980s. In fact, he won his first Emmy Award for playing the naive, but lovable, Woody Byrd, whom Sam (Ted Danson) hires on as a new barkeep following he death of Coach (Nicholas Colasanto).

Jason Bateman (Little House On The Prairie)

At least before he led Netflix’s Ozark cast, Jason Bateman has always best known on the small screen as a sitcom star, with his roles as David Hogan on Valerie (later changed to The Hogan Family) and Michael Bluth on Arrested Development being the famous examples. However, his very first gig was playing James Cooper Ingalls for 21 episodes of Little House on the Prairie during the early 1980s.

Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace)

An early Don Cheadle role you may have forgotten about was featured on a TV show spin-off you may not have heard of, either. The future Academy Award nominee and MCU actor starred alongside most of the Golden Girls cast on The Golden Palace as Roland Wilson — the young manager of the titular hotel where the short-lived sitcom took place. 

Jason Momoa (Baywatch)

Even long before he landed the role of Aquaman in the DC movies, Jason Momoa was no stranger to saving lives in the water. The Hawaiian-born actor made his debut in his home state when he joined the Baywatch cast as a character also named Jason from 1999 to 2001.

Marisa Tomei (A Different World)

We know her from her Academy Award-winning role in My Cousin Vinny as Mona Lisa Vito (who she'd love to revisit) or as Peter Parker’s (reinvented) Aunt May in the MCU, to name a few examples. Yet before many people knew who Marisa Tomei was, she was on the first season of The Cosby Show spin-off, A Different World, as Hillman student Maggie Lauten.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down)

One interesting fact about Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: before he was an Emmy-winning DC TV show star (for playing Cal Abar on HBO’s Watchmen) and a scene-stealing DC movie villain (Black Manta in Aquaman), he worked as a San Francisco city planner until he was laid off in 2010. The role that first helped him make a name for himself as an actor was night club owner Clarene “Cadillac” Caldwell in Netflix’s musical period drama series, The Get Down, from co-creator Baz Luhrmann.

Alexandra Daddario (All My Children)

Speaking to Women’s Health in 2022, Alexandra Daddario recalls that she was fired from the long-running daytime soap opera, All My Children, which she actually found to be a liberating, educational experience. It led to seek improvement in her acting skills and pave the way for her to breakthrough in the Percy Jackson movies, give an Emmy-nominated performance as part of the HBO’s The White Lotus cast, and star in many other notable works.

Adam Driver (Girls)

Without Lena Dunham, there might not be a Kylo Ren — or at least, the memorable version of the Sith Lord we got in the hands Adam Driver. The former Marine’s scene-stealing role on HBO’s Girls as Adam Sackler is what got Hollywood to take notice of his talent, leading to his casting in the Star Wars movies and his Oscar-nominated performances in BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story.

Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls proved to be a launch pad for many A-listers — few of which would blow up quite like Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie St. James on the hit dramedy.  She later won an Emmy for her leading role on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly and received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role as a member of the Bridesmaids cast. And that film skyrocketed her to the A-list as a trusted name in comedy and more.

Drake (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

One of the most memorable and important characters from Degrassi: The Next Generation is Jimmy Brooks, who served as an inspirational representation for wheelchair users on the long-running Canadian coming-of-age drama. The role was played by an actor named Aubrey Graham, who still acts on occasion — an Anchorman 2 cameo, for instance — but primarily performs as a rapper under the moniker Drake.

Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men)

At just eight years old, Kiernan Shipka proved to be a stand-out alongside AMC’s Mad Men cast with her performance as Sally Draper. She later went on to lead her own TV show (Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and headline movies like Amazon Prime’s horror-comedy, Totally Killer and The Silence.

Ryan Reynolds (Fifteen)

Despite his many earnest roles over the years, it may be hard to picture Ryan Reynolds as anything other than the smarmy goof he plays in the likes of the Deadpool movies and National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, for instance. Perhaps watching him make his debut in the Canadian coming-of-age drama Fifteen will help audiences see another side of him.

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

It is amazing to think about how many acclaimed and even legendary actors started out on soap operas, such as Tommy Lee Jones. One of the earliest roles for the Academy Award-winning star of The Fugitive and the Men in Black movies was the ill-fated Mark Toland on One Life to Live from 1971 to 1975.

John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Before his Academy Award-nominated role in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever — and its fantastic movie soundtrack — made him one of the biggest stars of all time, John Travolta was better known by another name: Vinnie Barbarino. That was the future Pulp Fiction cast member’s character on Welcome Back, Kotter — a hit sitcom that never made it to 100 episodes. He practically stole the show from star and co-creator Gabe Kaplan with his famous catchphrase, “Up your nose with a rubber hose!”

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Kids Incorporated)

Her role as Sarah Reeves on the original Party of Five may have made Jennifer Love Hewitt a teen idol, but it was not her first major TV gig. The Ghost Whisperer star was 10 when she demonstrated her multiple talents on Disney Channel’s Kids Incorporated, which focuses on the lives of a group of young artists who perform live music at a club for children.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Fortysomething)

It was his eponymous role on the modern crime drama Sherlock that made Benedict Cumberbatch a nigh-unpronounceable household name, but his first starring role on a TV series was Fortysomething. The MCU’s Doctor Strange actor played the on-screen son of none other than House’s Hugh Laurie on the English dramedy that lasted six episodes.

Jared Leto (My So-Called Life)

In one of the best ‘90s shows that ended too soon, My So-Called Life, Jared Leto portrayed what would become his first iconic role: high school heartthrob Jordan Catalano. The much celebrated coming-of-age drama also marked one for the first times the future Academy Award winner acted alongside his sibling and Thirty Seconds to Mars bandmate, Shannon.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Passions)

Movie star Mary Elizabeth Winstead has more than a few very notable small-screen roles — such as a leading stint in Fargo Season 3 and Hera Syndulla alongside the Ahsoka cast for Disney+. The Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast member’s earliest major TV gig, however, was on the supernatural soap opera Passions.

For any TV actors out there hoping one day to make it onto the big screen, let these stories serve as proof that your dreams may not be far away from becoming a reality.

Entertainers are entertainers. There are singers who can act, and there are actors who can sing. While the world is full of the former crossing over successfully, the latter is less successful, but that doesn't mean they aren't great singers, so here's our list of actors that have tried singing, whether they were hits or not. 

Bruce Willis

In 1987 Bruce Willis was at the top of his game. A year before everyone's favorite Christmas movie, Die Hard, came out, Willis did a made-for-HBO movie called The Return of Bruno where he played a blues singer. Willis spun that into an album of the same name and his singing career was off. While it's actually a decent album, the two follow-ups were bombs and that was where things pretty much ended for his singing career. 

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt has been singing as long as she's been performing on screen. As a ten-year-old, Hewitt sang backup on the hit song "Toy Soldiers" by Martika, and at 12 she recorded her first album. She has a great voice, but she's never seen real crossover success. 

Don Johnson

Miami Vice was a monster hit in the mid-'80s and Don Johnson spun that into a record deal. He recorded his first album, Heartbeat, in 1986 and it was actually a moderate success, especially in Germany. His follow-up, Let It Roll also sold well in Europe, but didn't chart in the US, so his brief-though-somewhat-successful career as a singer was over. 

Jada Pinkett Smith

Did you know that Jada Pinkett Smith sang in a Nu Metal band in the early aughts? Yep, a band she formed called Wicked Wisdom even toured with Ozzfest and opened for Britney Spears. Pinkett is a solid singer and the band is very good, but it was short-lived, releasing just two albums, the last in 2006. 

Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe has been playing guitar and singing rock and roll for decades. He continues to occasionally play concerts, usually for charity and every once in a while he'll show up on stage with a big star. Like when he joined fellow Aussie Keith Urban in 2012 to play some Johnny Cash. 

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx is the rare example of an actor having a very successful music career as well. He's got platinum albums, he's won a Grammy, and he'll forever be known for his guest spot in Kanye West's "Gold Digger." 

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds sang in the musical At Long Last Love, and he once did a duet in a movie with the legend herself, Dolly Parton. Before all that though, he attempted to find a hit in the music business when he released a country album called Ask Me What I Am in 1973. I'm the biggest Burt Reynolds fan you'll ever meet and even I can admit it's a pretty rough album. 

Zooey Deschanel

When M. Ward first heard Zooey Deschanel sing in Elf, he was amazed. Later he learned she also wrote and played music. That was enough to start the duo She & Him, and Ward and Deschanel have been working on the project off and one for 15 years now. Together they've released seven successful albums, the latest a tribute to Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson that is very, very good. Deschanel even met her boyfriend Jonathon Scott while singing on Car Pool Karaoke. 

Jeremy Renner

As if Jeremy Renner's inspiring recovery from a snow plow accident isn't enough, the multitalented star has also released his first couple of EPs over the last few years. The Avengers star is a multi-instrumentalist and can sing too. There's almost nothing he can't do, it seems. 

William Shatner

It's always been a little hard to tell if William Shatner's music career is serious, or a joke. At times it seems like it could be either. One thing I can say about it is that if you've never heard Shatner's version of Pulp's "Common People", seek it out, it is truly excellent. 

Eddie Murphy

Very early in this career, Eddie Murphy started singing comedy songs on his albums. That inspired him to take a shot a serious music and his first single "Party All The Time" was a hit. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sadly, that would be the high point for the actor's music career.  

Corey Feldman

You have to appreciate how hard Corey Feldman is trying to make a music career take off. He tours a lot, playing live, and giving it his all in every performance. For it, he takes an endless amount of grief, but that just makes us root a little harder for him. The music isn't for me, but I applaud the effort. 

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts is Hollywood royalty who got her first really big break (though not her first gig, that was in Blow) on the Nickelodeon show Unfabulous. For the show, where she played a middle school singer/songwriter, she recorded quite a bit of music and even released an album. In the end, it was her acting that took off and music took a backseat. At least so far. 

Jared Leto

Obviously, Jared Leto has to be on this list. His band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, which he formed with his brother in 1998, is wildly successful. They've sold more than 15 million albums and played sold-out shows around the world. He's by far the most successful musician on this list. 

Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano's music career never made much of a wave in the U.S., but in Japan, she was actually really popular. She released four albums on a Japanese record label and one even went platinum. It's a small tidbit of her career that doesn't get talked about much. 

Tom Hardy

Before Tom Hardy landed the first role of his career in Black Hawk Down in 2001, the British actor took a swing at a rap career. He recorded a mixtape called Tommy No 1 and Eddie Too Tall in 1999, though it didn't see the light of day until well after Hardy became famous, in 2018. It's actually pretty good too. 

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan has had a lot of ups and downs in her career, and one thing that could fall under both was her brief foray into music. Lohan was at the height of her Disney career, on the verge of the release of her most beloved movie, Mean Girls, when she was signed to Tommy Mottola's Casablanca Records. The two albums she recorded sold okay, but after the second, her career as a singer was over. 

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson's first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, released in 1998, features members of TV on the Radio, and even David Bowie sings on two tracks. Most of the songs were written or co-written by the great Tom Waits. Unfortunately, it just didn't sell all that well. Her follow-up, Break Up, recorded with Pete Yorn sold a little better, but not enough to sustain more of a career in music. She also released a song in 2015 called "Candy" with a short-lived band, The Singles, with Este Haim.

Hayden Panettiere

On Nashville, Hayden Panettiere played a country singer/songwriter living in Nashville, so naturally, she sang a lot on the show. She even recorded and released a few songs from the show. Panettiere was also nominated for a Grammy early in her career for her singing parts in A Bug's Life. In 2008, she branched out with a more pop-oriented sound and while she undoubtedly has some serious singing chops, the song "Wake Up Call" is more famous today for the video starring herself and Sebastian Stan. 

Joe Pesci

When you think of performers with silky smooth voices, Joe Pesci probably isn't the first name that comes to mind. Still, the Goodfellas star has been singing publicly since the 1960s when he released an album called Little Joe Sure Can Sing! After the huge success of My Cousin Vinny, Pesci released another album sort of in character, called Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You which is part comedy, part serious. It's not all that great, but he's not a bad singer. 

Kevin Bacon

The Bacon Brothers, Micheal and Kevin Bacon have been recording and touring for almost 30 years now. It's always been a passion for the Footloose star and it's clear he takes the band as seriously as he takes his acting. 

Robert Downey, Jr.

The whole world for Robert Downey, Jr. changed in 2008 when the first Iron Man was released. Downey had been a star for years, but the role took him to world superstardom. Right before that, he recorded his first album, 2006's The Futurist. The album had disappointing sales, and Downey dedicated his working life to the MCU and never seemed to find time for a follow-up.  

Steven Seagal

Like most things Steven Seagal does these days, his music career is pretty odd. He's a guitar player and blues singer who has released two albums and still plays live occasionally. While the music is not terrible by any means, it's also not all that interesting. 

Brie Larson

Brie Larson started in the music business when she was just 16. She was signed by Casablanca Records and recorded an album called Finally Out of P.E. However, the Marvels star eventually moved her focus to her acting career. She still occasionally plays guitar and sings little ditties on her YouTube page. 

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow's singing has mostly been attached to her acting career, with her most famous song, "Country Strong" coming from the soundtrack of the movie of the same name. Paltrow does all the singing herself, and it's actually pretty great. She also flirted with more music-related stuff earlier in her career, including recording a duet with Huey Lewis. She should consider doing more! 

Milla Jovovich

The 1990s were full of ethereal singers like Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star and Milla Jovovich's brief foray into music fit very well in that style. Her breathy style was very much of the time. One song that I can certainly recommend is her version of Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" from the soundtrack to Million Dollar Hotel.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh started her career as singer called Flossie Rose on a YouTube channel in the early 2010s. Once her acting career took off, her music took a backseat, but many of the videos are still available. There is some interesting stuff there, even if it's pretty simple, as she was just a teenager at the time. 

Juliette Lewis

Juliette Lewis has had a huge career revival with her powerhouse performance in Yellowjackets, but all in her professional life, she's also been a singer. Her band, Julliette and the Licks, has been recording and playing live for almost 30 years now and as you'd expect, it's raw and in your face. 

Lucy Hale

Lucy Hale acts, hosts big TV specials, and sings. In fact, her debut album (and to date only album), Road Between, reached as high as #4 on the Billboard Country charts in 2014. It's certainly good enough for a follow-up, so maybe someday we'll get one. 

Joey Lawrence

No one else quite defines the 1990s the way Joey Lawrence does. The star of Blossom was a teen heartthrob and adorned the walls of high school girls across the country. It only makes sense he would try out a music career to capitalize on his fame. Sadly, his ambition wasn't matched by album sales. 

Scott Baio

Scott Baio starred in two huge shows in the '70s and '80s. First as Chachi on Happy Days then as the title character on Charles in Charge. Somewhere he found time to record two albums for RCA Records, but neither sold well and his music career fizzled out. 

David Duchovny

The truth is out there, and so is David Duchovny's budding musical career. He's only been at it for a few years, but he's released three albums and while the critics haven't loved his music, they haven't hated it either. He's clearly passionate about it, and it's refreshing that his albums are mostly original tunes. 

Breaking into music is hard, and while celebrities have a few built-in advantages, they don't guarantee success. For every Jared Leto, there is a Robert Downey, Jr. Still, it's always fun to hear what some of these stars have to offer, usually it's better than you expect, even when it's not great. 

It's a good time to be a horror fan. The genre has been experiencing a thrilling renaissance for years, to the joy of moviegoers. Some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters in new sequels and reboots, including Halloween, Scream, and Child's Play. Now it seems that the trend will continue, as I Know What You Did Last Summer is getting a sequel. What's more, two of the original stars are already lined up. Bring on the bloody fun!

This thrilling news comes to us from Deadline, and is sure to turn the heads of horror fans out there. With horror continuing to be super profitable, it seems like any franchise could return again. That includes I Know What You Did Last Summer, which is reportedly getting a new movie from director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge). To make things all the more exciting, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. are in talks to reprise their roles as franchise heroes Julie James and Ray Bronson. 

Not much is known about this upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, as it's still very much in its development process. But according to the first report by Deadline, producer Neal H. Mortiz is in talks to return to produce this installment. Writer Leah McKendrick will be writing this next slasher movie. And it should be fascinating to see how the narrative continues so long after the original two movies. 

The original I Know What You Did Last Summer was based on the Lois Duncan novel of the same name and was released back in 1997. It centers on four friends who dump a man's body after a hit-and-run, and after being hunted by a hooked killer a year later. In addition to Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., the all-star cast included Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Johny Galecki, and late actress Anne Heche. A TV adaptation was released on Prime Video in 2021, but it was cancelled after one season. 

That first movie a ton of money at the box office, and a sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer was quickly produced. Unfortunately, the 1998 follow-up didn't end up making quite as much at the box office, although it notably featured Brandy and Julie's college roommate Karla opposite Mekhi Phifer. Could Brandy also be brought back for the new sequel? Fingers crossed.

A new sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer has the potential to be a major boost to the careers of both Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.. While the pair have always worked, they haven't been on the big screen in some time. Hewitt proved herself as a captivating Scream Queen, and fans would no doubt be thrilled to see her leaning into those roots again.

It's currently unclear when the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie might be hitting theaters, as it's still developing. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Lacey Chabert may be the new Queen of Christmas on Hallmark after signing an overall deal to produce and star in new content for the cabler (and after other mainstay Candace Cameron Bure left for GAF). As it turns out, though, the love for Christmas movies is shared by some other early aughts icons. In fact, I Know What You Did Last Summer cast alum and fellow Party of Five star Jennifer Love Hewitt had a sweet exchange with Chabert over Hallmark movies and the latter's sweet new line of pajamas. 

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Lacey Chabert seemingly forged a bond decades ago when the two both starred on the popular family drama Party of Five. Both have had very different career trajectories in the time since, with Hewitt landing roles in projects like The Client List and Criminal Minds after a successful early aughts movies career. Chabert also was successful on the big screen in the early aughts, but has shifted to family friendly fare on Hallmark in recent years. And yet, they’re still seemingly close enough that when Chabert dropped a new line, she sent some of the cutest looks to her former co-star, who responded with enthusiasm–both about the pajamas, but also Chabert’s Hallmark career. 

After Hewitt shared her kind words on social media, Lacey Chabert responded back, noting she’d sent enough product that her former co-star could match with her little girl in Mommy & Me looks, before they throw together some hot chocolate and kick off a Hallmark Movie Marathon complete with great title puns, of course. 

Hewitt has three kids, a daughter and two boys, Autumn, Atticus and Aidan. Meanwhile, Lacey Chabert has a daughter in her own right, so when she created a line of clothing for HSN, she created products for other moms like herself. Amongst that were pajamas embroidered with “Big as the sky,” which the Mean Girls star previously said comes from a phrase her parents used to say to her, ‘I love you as big as the sky.” She now uses the phrase with her own daughter, Julia.

Chabert previously told Southern Living that items like the PJs and other loungewear, as well as cute dresses, were created with comfort in mind for all kinds of circumstances, including, I assume, movie marathons.

I wanted to create a line that felt super cozy and comfortable but also still cute and felt like it was something you could lounge around the house in, or go get coffee in, or I could drop my daughter off at school and feel like I was presentable but comfortable.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Love Hewitt isn’t the only celebrity pal of Chabert’s to try out the new clothing line. Just a few days ago former Hallmark co-star Danica McKellar tried on a look from the line, and other big names have reached out on Instagram. Candace Cameron Bure said of the line, “YAAASSSS!!!!!!! Been waiting for this!!!!” And Jennifer Garner wrote, “Lacey!!! This is so cool, congratulations!!” Lacey Chabert’s Wedding Veil co-star Allison Sweeney simply wrote, “Amazing.” 

Not a bad way to get word of your new line out there. Meanwhile, jury’s out on whether Jennifer Love Hewitt and her Party of Five co-star will collaborate once more, but it’s nice to see them keeping tabs. You can catch Lacey Chabert in Hallmark’s Christmas movie schedule this season with her new 2022 flick Haul Out The Holly. As for Hewitt, you can currently catch her on the Fox series 9-1-1.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the 9-1-1 episode “Boston.” Read at your own risk!

9-1-1 delivered a shocker last year when Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Maddie left Chimney and their daughter Jee behind, with a video message explaining that her postpartum depression made her a danger to Jee's safety. The following weeks delivered clues about where she went, but it wasn’t until the latest episode that we learned exactly what happened to Maddie during that time. We also saw what came after and what will come next in terms of her relationship with her husband and daughter, now that they’re finally reunited. 

The scene opened with Maddie at the ocean, with a flashback to the past 9-1-1 episode when Jee slipped underwater during her bath. We also saw past events in Maddie’s life and all of the sad memories (this show is a lot of sad scenes and tragic backstories) that sent the character into a bad place. She began to walk into the water fully clothed, with the intention to drown. She managed to survive at the last minute and decided to try and get help.

Maddie Checked Herself Into A Hospital And Got Help

Maddie found her way to a Boston (as teased by the episode title) hospital and explained that she’d had suicidal thoughts and needed help. Maddie checked in as a patient and, after a battery of tests, discovered she had a thyroid problem. The doctor believed that with treatment, she’d slowly recover from some of her feelings of sadness and greenlit her for outpatient therapy. 

Chimney Picked Up Her Trail In Boston

As Maddie began outpatient treatment, Chimney managed to track down that she set up somewhere in Boston. Chimney stayed in a friend’s basement with Jee and worked as a volunteer EMT while searching for leads on Maddie in his spare time. Meanwhile, Maddie continued treatment and eventually linked back up with him. Maddie was in a much better place, but it only took one meeting for her to realize there was still plenty of work to do. 

Maddie and Chimney Reconciled, But There’s A Long Road To Go

Maddie apologized to Chimney for missing so much time with Jee, but Chimney did most of the apologizing on 9-1-1. He realized he ignored the signs of her depression and simply believed things were fine because he wanted them to be. Maddie’s reconnecting with Jee was a bit awkward, but eventually, the tension eased when Jee called her “mama.” Maddie informed Chimney she wanted to come home, and while it seemed like the two weren’t exactly on perfect terms, both seemed willing to take this next step in order to move forward. It’s about as good of a reunion as 9-1-1 fans could realistically hope for at the moment, and hopefully, better days are ahead for Maddie and her family. 

9-1-1 airs over on Fox on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. It’s one of many returning shows worth checking out in primetime, so warm up those DVRs and be ready to record a lot of good television in the coming months. 

9-1-1 finally returned to Fox for its spring premiere, and it was filled with plenty of action and raw emotion. What the episode was missing, however, was two key characters who've been absent for a little while: fan-favorite couple Maddie and Chimney. Maddie Jennifer Love Hewitt's Maddie, in a heartbreaking twist, stepped out of the picture earlier in the season after harming her and Chimney’s daughter. (In reality, Love Hewitt was on maternity leave.) Kenneth Choi's Chimney left just episodes later, embarking on a quest to find her. With the series now set to catch up with the two of them in next week’s episode, the series’ co-showrunner is previewing what to expect -- and it's not all good news.

9-1-1 co-showrunner Kristen Reidel discussed the upcoming episode, “Boston,” with TV Insider. The episode will follow Chimney to Beantown as he tries to find Maddie in the midst of St. Patrick’s Day chaos. Some have probably imagined that a reunion between the two will be emotionally heavy and, based on Reidel's comments, that will indeed be the case:

This reunion between the couple has been a long time coming, and it seems like it'll be worth the wait. The producer also hinted at flashbacks, which cover the period of time between Maddie leaving the message for Chimney to her dropping off Jee at the firehouse. The two lovers will apparently meet up “an unexpected way,” which could be both entertaining and tragic. The promo for the upcoming episode even toted it as “the most heart-wrenching episode” of the series, so get those tissues ready.

Of course, there's also the question of what happens to the pair moving forward. On that note, Kristen Reidel also explained what the two will be up to in the latter half of Season 5 and, spoiler alert, they're going to attempt to salvage the relationship:

While it’s nice that we're finally getting Maddie and Chimney back after the time away from them, it’s going to be heartbreaking to see them go through so much. This is especially true for the latter, as she’s already gone through a lot, thanks to developments like the Buckley family secret that nearly ruined her relationship with Buck. And now, Maddie's postpartum depression certainly isn't going to make things any easier.

The memories of the character's departure earlier in the season are likely still fresh for viewers. Sure, it made for good storytelling, but many were probably crushed when Chimney returned to the firehouse and found baby Jee and a video message. All in all, I'm pleased to have these two back on 9-1-1, but I'm not quite sure if my heart can handle much more sorrow for them. Fingers crossed that things turn out fine for the two and their baby -- and that we won't get too many dangerous episodes right away.

You can see how it all goes down when 9-1-1 airs this Monday, March 28, at 8 p.m. EST on Fox!  Also, do you yourself a favor and check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for info on other shows.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is the kind of movie that you really needed to experience as a teenager to truly appreciate. It wasn’t smart like Scream or scary like Final Destination, but it was fun. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and many others, most of the I Know What You Did Last Summer cast went on to do some major other projects following this popular film about four friends who are haunted by a hook-handed killer after their role in a fatal car accident.

The film was ultimately very successful and would spawn the sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, which brought in Brandy and Mekhi Phifer, and I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, which went straight to DVD. Neither film captured the magic of the first movie, but as I said up top, I guess you just had to be there to really experience why it was so popular. So, what’s the cast of the ‘90s slasher flick doing today? Well, quite a lot, actually, and you’re about to find out.

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie James)

The Ghost Whisperer herself and official face of the first two movies (“What are you waiting for!?”), Jennifer Love Hewitt mostly stopped acting in films back in 2012, with her last film role being Alison Marks in the independent comedy film, Jewtopia, but she’s managed to stay relevant in the realm of television. Her first big break in the TV realm was on the hit Fox TV show Party of Five, which she starred in before and after her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer.

She would then go on to do Ghost Whisperer from 2005-2010, and a spate of other shows, with main roles on The Client List and Criminal Minds where she played the undercover agent, Kate Callahan. Her most recent role is in the Ryan Murphy procedural, 9-1-1, where she was introduced in Season 2 as 911 operator, Maddie Buckley Kendall and still has a role on the show. But that’s not all, as she also did a bit of writing since her role in the popular slasher film. Jennifer Love-Hewitt had a five issue comic book series called Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Music Box back in 2009-2010, which she helped come up with the ideas for, and she also wrote the book, The Day I Shot Cupid. Not only that, but she coined the term, “vajazzling,” which is pubic decoration with gems and stones. Movie star, TV star, author, and coiner of words. What can’t this woman do?

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Helen Shivers)

Sarah Michelle Gellar will probably always most be known for her starring role in  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she’s been acting since 1983 in the TV film, An Invasion of Privacy. Since then, she’s done everything from movies, TV shows, and even music videos, such as Stone Temple Pilot’s “Sour Girl”, appearing as an authentic-looking goth girl.

Film-wise, Sarah Michelle Gellar jumped from I Know What You Did Last Summer to Scream 2 (in the same year!), went on to do Cruel Intentions, Scooby-Doo 1 and 2 as Daphne, and also terrified the living daylights out of me in The Grudge 1 and 2. Her last film was 2013’s The Illusionauts. TV-wise, besides Buffy, and appearances in its spin-off, Angel, she has since had a main role on 2013’s The Crazy Ones, which co-starred Robin Williams, and has also lent her voice talents to animation, like her 5-episode run as Seventh Sister on 2015’s Star Wars Rebels. She will next be heard in the upcoming animated series, Masters of the Universe Revelation as Teela.

Ryan Phillippe (Barry Cox)

Like a lot of actors, Ryan Phillippe got his first big break on a soap opera, his being One Life to Live for a 13-episode run back in 1992-1993. He would go on to do a number of TV shows and movies (most notably, the excellent Crimson Tide) before he would land his role as Barry Cox in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Since 1997, he’s done a number of TV shows and movies. And like Sarah Michelle Gellar, he also did some music videos, most notably as a blink and you’ll miss it cameo as the TV host in Outkast’s phenomenal video, “Hey Ya!”

On television, Ryan Phillippe kept himself busy in the aughts in shows like 2015’s Secrets and Lies, 2016’s Shooter, and most recently, in 2020’s Big Sky as Cody Hoyt. Film-wise, Phillippe played roles in Gosford Park, Crash, Flags of Our Fathers, and most recently 2020’s Brothers by Blood. His next films will be the true-crime drama film, American Murderer, and the comedy, Lady of the Manor, both of which are still upcoming.

Freddie Prinze Jr. (Ray Bronson)

Freddie Prinze Jr., who married his I Know What You Did Last Summer co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has kept super busy in TV and film, and even in pro-wrestling. On the film end, he was one of the only survivors who made it to I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, but he was also in Wing Commander, both Scooby Doo movies, again with his wife, as Fred Jones, and most recently as a voice cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as Kanan Jarrus.

On the TV end, he’s been on everything from Frasier to Friends, from Boston Legal to WWE Raw. My favorite Freddie Prinze Jr. role was as Cole Ortiz on 24 in Season 8, but he’s also had roles in Psyche, Bones, and Punky Brewster as well. Also, the force is strong with this one, since he not only had a voice cameo in the The Rise of Skywalker, but also the Star Wars shows, Rebels, and most recently, in 2021’s Star Wars: The Bad Batch as the character Caleb Dume on the episode “Aftermath”. Cool!

Bridgette Wilson (Elsa Shivers)

Yes, Bridgette Wilson played Elsa Shivers in I Know What You Did Last Summer, but to me, she will always be Sonya Blade from 1995’s Mortal Kombat. But since those two films, she did a few TV episodes, most notably on the shows Frasier, CSI: Miami, and 2008’s Carpoolers.

On the film end, she went on to have roles in Love Stinks, House on Haunted Hill, and Shopgirl. Her last film was 2008’s Phantom Punch, though she's credited for voicing the role of Sonya Blade in the video game Mortal Kombat 11.

Anne Heche (Melissa “Missy” Egan)

Anne Heche has had a long and rich career as an actor, but she’s also done some directing and even wrote the book Call Me Crazy: A Memoir, back in 2001. Like Ryan Phillippe, she got her start on a soap opera, hers being Another World. She would then go on to do several shows following her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer, such as Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Hung, and Dancing With the Stars as a dancer back in Season 29. But my personal favorite role of hers is her voice acting on The Legend of Korra as Toph’s daughter, Suyin Beifong.

On the movie end, she did a number of films, like John Q, The Other Guys, and Catfight. Her most recent role in a film was 2020’s The Vanished, and her most recent in a TV show was 2021’s legal drama, All Rise. She had a two-episode run on the show. We’ll keep you posted on whatever film or TV project she does next.

Johnny Galecki (Max Neurick)

For some, Johnny Galecki will always just be Dr. Leonard Hofstadter from the immensely popular The Big Bang Theory, which will likely live on in syndication forever. But for me, he will always be Darlene’s boyfriend, David Healy, from Roseanne. Well, outside of those two shows, he’s done a number of projects in both TV and film. On the film side of things, he was in Vanilla Sky, Hancock, Rings, and 2019’s A Dog’s Journey, which was currently his last film role.

On the TV end, he was of course on The Big Bang Theory, but also My Name Is Earl, Hope & Faith, and most recently again reprising his role as David Healy on The Conners. He looks to have taken a break from acting for the time being, so we’ll have to wait and see what's ahead for the actor.

Stuart Greer (Officer)

Stuart Greer began his acting career in off-Broadway plays, but would eventually land his first film gig in I Know What You Did Last Summer. From there, some of his most notable film performances were Runaway Jury, The Mechanic, and his last film role being 2015’s American Ultra.

On the TV side, he was on the Sundance original series RETIFY, the AMC show, TURN: Washington’s Spies, and also as the character, Roman, on a couple of episodes of The Walking Dead. He had a stroke in 2016 and has retired from acting.

Muse Watson (Ben Willis/The Fisherman)

And lastly, the dude who actually knows what you did last summer, it’s Muse Watson! He played the fisherman in the movie. Muse Watson has had a prolific career in both films and television. On the TV end, he’s been in everything from JAG, to Prison Break, to The Mentalist, to even Ghost Whisperer for one episode. His most recent TV role was 2014’s Justified, and he can next be found in the TV miniseries, Diary of a Lunatic, as The Creator.

On the film side, he is also one of the few characters to return in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, but his role as The Fisherman was probably the biggest role in his filmography, as he mostly did much smaller films like American Outlaws. His most recent film was 2014’s Suburban Gothic, where he played a character named Ambrose.

So, in the end, was I Know What You Did Last Summer one of the greatest horror movies of all time? No, not really. But it didn't have to be, because as I said up top. It was fun. But if you do want to know about some of the best horror movies, or upcoming horror movies, then you can find that here as we love our horror flicks at this website. And if you're not into horror flicks and just want to know about 2021 movies or even 2022 movies, you can find that here, too! So, what are you waiting for? Make sure to stop by often!

SPOILERS ahead for the 9-1-1 Season 4 finale, “Survivors.”

While the first half of Season 4 of Fox’s 9-1-1 had Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) anxiously awaiting for the arrival of their baby girl, the second half featured the new parents getting used to having a little one around. Though it wasn’t all great for Maddie, as the 911 dispatcher started experiencing postpartum depression, something common for new mothers after giving birth. Co-creator and showrunner Tim Minear previews how the upcoming fifth season will further explore Maddie’s story.

The last few episodes of 9-1-1 Season 4 had Maddie gradually struggle with her newborn, Jee-Yung, constantly crying and always keeping her up, Maddie’s always worried about her. The struggles came to a head in last week’s season finale, when Maddie decided to quit the Call Center after being there since the start of Season 2. Towards the end of the finale, Maddie opened up to Chimney about her needing help, and Chim lended his full support. Tim Minear told TV Line how Season 5 will explore Maddie’s postpartum depression and what Jennifer Love Hewitt brings to a character who has already gone through so much:

Maddie has been through a lot over the years, and in just the few seasons we’ve known her. Between an abusive husband and literally fighting for her life when he came back into the picture, and hiding a secret from her brother, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s emotional storylines for Maddie prove that she is in for a rough time this next season. Maddie’s postpartum depression and her job at the Call Center will make for an emotional time for her. Postpartum depression is not something to be ashamed of, and 9-1-1 exploring Maddie’s further will be something to look forward to in Season 5.

Meanwhile, following the near deaths of both Eddie (Ryan Guzman) and Bobby (Peter Krause), the 118 will surely be in for another wild ride next season. Even though it’s unknown what else Season 5 will include, fans can look forward to another crossover with spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star sometime next year.

The first four seasons of 9-1-1 are streaming on Hulu. Season 5 is set to premiere this fall on Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the spring premiere of 9-1-1 Season 4 on Fox, called "Blindsided."

9-1-1 returned with a new episode for the first time in over a month to quite literally deliver the very long-awaited birth of Maddie and Chimney's baby, but "Blindsided" also served up a tragedy that guaranteed the happy event was tinged with some dread. The good news is that Maddie gave birth safely despite the baby coming two weeks late and very nearly while Maddie was still at work; the bad news is that Chimney could have lost his brother in the same episode that he gained a daughter. What happened with Albert resulted in my biggest surprise of 9-1-1 Season 4 so far.

I've watched enough television that as soon as it became clear that Maddie was going to safely deliver but Chimney had left the baby bag in his brother's car, I was convinced that Albert had been a victim in the massive drunk driving pile-up and he wouldn't survive. Then, when the reveal came that Albert was badly hurt, his car flipped upside down, and blood everywhere, I was all but positive that Albert was doomed to die to juxtapose the birth of Maddie and Chimney's healthy baby girl. I was just about ready to head for the tissues during the next commercial break. This is a show that delivers deadly disasters on a weekly basis!

So, it came as the best kind of surprise when Chimney's emotional plea to his unconscious brother to wake up actually worked, and Albert is on the mend. Maddie and Chimney's daughter was safely born and healthy enough to come home even faster than Chimney expected, and Albert survived what seemed like certain death. 9-1-1's big tragedy that came along with the big birth was ultimately only tragically suspenseful for one episode! It was a wonderful surprise that 9-1-1 wasn't getting the second half of Season 4 off to an incredibly heavy start and overshadowing the day that Maddie and Chimney really deserved to be happy after everything they've gone through. Thanks, 9-1-1!

That's not to say that 9-1-1 is going to just magically heal Albert between "Blindsided" and the next episode. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays Maddie, confirmed to TV Insider that a time jump is on the way after the spring premiere, but not so much that Albert will be all the way recovered, saying:

Taking care of a grown man coming off of serious injuries and a newborn baby will apparently be too much even for Maddie and Chimney, and they'll find another solution for Albert. I'm guessing that those "other arrangements" will take Albert back to live with Buck (who also hasn't had an easy season) again. Buck was clearly upset that Albert was injured, and they seemed to be doing well enough as roommates. I'm just relieved that the arrangements that need to be made aren't of a more permanent sort, since Albert survived.

See how 9-1-1 continues the story of Albert's recovery with the next new episode on Fox, on Monday, April 26 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a new episode of spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.

It wasn’t long ago that it seemed like every woman in Hollywood was considered a sex symbol and not much else. But times are changing for these actress, and one major sex symbol of the late '90s and into the 2000s, Jennifer Love Hewitt, has recently spoken out about her acting work during that time. In fact, she starred in plenty of notable films during that time, but it’s hard not to look back at the beginning of the adult portion of her career and think it may have been a little different if it had taken place in today’s social climate. Now, Hewitt has spoken out about inappropriate questions she was asked about her boobs around the time she was promoting I Know What You Did Last Summer.

It’s hard to imagine someone asking an 18-year-old about their boobs today, but that’s exactly what happened to Jennifer Love Hewitt back in the late ‘90s. In an interview with Vulture, Love Hewitt opens up about inappropriate questions she used to receive after being scripted to appear in low coverage outfits in films. Here it is in the Ghost Whisperer actress’ own words:

Honestly, there are a couple things here we need to unpack. For those of you who have seen Framing Britney Spears that content in combination with this story really highlights how common these questions were at the time. Secondly, it's worth remembering that Jennifer Love Hewitt was only 18 when I Know What You Did Last Summer was released, which (in the eyes of the law) made her a legal adult, but that's still pretty young to be considered a sex symbol. In fact, most older adults would be considered pretty icky if they were to drool over an 18-year-old and I'm sure that was a weird climate to become famous in.

Now that Jennifer Love Hewitt is older and has become a mother, she can definitely look back at how things were back then and cringe. In the same interview, she explains how disappointed she was to have worked so hard on projects, just for the focus to be on her body. This is how she tells it:

While Jennifer Love Hewitt does give kudos to Party of Five for not going all in on the sexual appeal element, if had hit it big these days, it's more likely she would have been surrounded by women speaking out over questions and inappropriate jokes and may have felt supported enough to speak out about any uncomfortable situations that may have cropped up. Meanwhile, I Know What You Did Last Summer is still a good performance if you haven't watched it in a while.

Kelly Clarkson has had an incredibly successful career since she first hit the scene in the early 2000s. Aside from being a Grammy-winning singer, she’s also become an actress and popular talk show host. Of course, her journey all began with her stint on American Idol’s debut season, which saw her emerge as the series’ first-ever winner. The road wasn’t always easy for Clarkson though, as she recently revealed that some celebrities were “really mean” to her and her fellow Idol alums while they were filming that first season. But Clarkson actually got a bit of encouragement from a surprise source -- Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Jennifer Love Hewitt recently appeared on an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show and, when kicking off the conversation, Clarkson recalled meeting Hewitt for the first time at an awards ceremony years ago. According to the host, she and the other American Idol stars who attended were treated poorly:

But Kelly Clarkson recalls that things that evening took a positive turn when she was approached by Jennifer Love Hewitt. The actress showed Clarkson some kindness and gave her some keen advice for her rising career:

The fact that Jennifer Love Hewitt went out of her way to express love and support for a young Kelly Clarkson is really sweet. And based on Clarkson’s sentiments on the show, the advice really stuck with her in the years that followed.

Speaking of years, it’s honestly hard to believe that it’s been over 18 years since Kelly Clarkson was crowned the first American Idol. Last year, Clarkson marked the anniversary with a sweet social media post that likely made plenty of people nostalgic.

Clarkson seems to hold generally positive feelings about her time on the reality competition show, and she even returned to give a powerful performance a few years ago. Still, she has expressed her hopes that her kids don’t find their way into the music industry and compete on a show like American Idol. This mostly stems from the difficulties that come with the industry.

Luckily, Kelly Clarkson has made it through just fine with her skills and the encouragement of people like Jennifer Love Hewitt. One can never underestimate the power of kind words and, in times like these, they’re definitely needed.

TV shows are winding down in the 2019-2020 season, but Fox has some good news for two of its most intense primetime series. 9-1-1 has been renewed for a fourth season, and spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star will be back for a second season as well. Fans aren't the only ones who will rejoice at the news of the renewals, as 9-1-1 star Jennifer Love Hewitt has already shared her excited reaction.

First, take a look at what Jennifer Love Hewitt shared in response to the renewal news via Instagram:

Well, Jennifer Love Hewitt's reaction to the renewal news presumably means her character will be back despite the high-stakes episode set for April 13! Fortunately, 9-1-1 already finished production on its current third season before shows had to begin stopping production, and 9-1-1: Lone Star's first season finished airing back in March. Fans of the shows will get full seasons heading into hiatus, and the new seasons in the 2020-2021 TV season will presumably be able to pick up as intended.

The renewals are great news for viewers, but not altogether shocking. 9-1-1 currently ranks as Fox's most-watched series of the 2019-2020 TV season, with an average audience of a whopping 16 million, which is a massive 139% bump from its live+same day average.

It also ranks among the 2019-2020 season's top three entertainment series in the key 18-49 age demographic, and is the season's #2 drama in the same demo. 9-1-1 started Season 3 strong with a tsunami of quite literally Titanic proportions and kept viewers hooked as the weeks passed. With an exciting Buck/Eddie scene on the way and the return of Connie Britton, the action of Season 3 isn't over yet.

As for 9-1-1: Lone Star, its launch in January as a midseason series didn't mean it couldn't score some impressive numbers as well. It's the top new series in the 18-49 demographic, although tied with another Fox series. With an average audience of 12.3 million, it wasn't quite as much of a hit in the 2019-2020 TV season as its parent series, but it does also enjoy a nice bump in post-live viewing. 9-1-1: Lone Star rises a significant 97% from live+same day to hit that 12.3 million.

While 9-1-1: Lone Star wrapped its first season earlier in midseason, 9-1-1 is still going strong, which is good news for me at least now that I've finally started to love Maddie. There's still a month of new 9-1-1 episodes on the way, and you can find them on Fox Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Find out when 9-1-1 and other series that haven't yet run out of new episodes end their current seasons on our rundown of all the big TV finales coming in spring and summer 2020.

If you're still in the market for some current and upcoming TV options, be sure to swing by our midseason TV premiere guide and our picks for TV shows that won't be delayed this year.

The Masked Singer Season 3 has just concluded Group B, and we now know which singers will (and won't) be advancing to the final 9. Among them is one "catty" competitor who looks like she'll be in the late rounds of the competition (though nothing is guaranteed): The Kitty. Kitty has impressed in her first three weeks on the Fox series, but who is that under the mask?

The Kitty is talented, and truthfully, one of the more mysterious competitors we've seen in the competition so far. Guessing her identity will not be easy, though I think there are some clues that definitely whittle things down and allow viewers to feel a bit more certain about her identity. First, let's go over the clues, and see if that can't remove some popular suggestions from the equation.

The Clues

The first clue video for The Kitty was decked out in old Hollywood imagery. Her wish was to "wipe the slate clean as pure as snow," and Kitty mentioned people think about the person she used to be rather than the person she is now. It was a pretty vague clue package by The Masked Singer's typical standards, but hey, I can appreciate a little obscurity in the early rounds.

More specific clues rolled out in the second video package, in which The Kitty said sewing was one of her favorite things to do. There were lots of fabrics and dresses around, and The Kitty noted that watching transformations is something she can relate to. Finally, The Kitty revealed she can be a bit nerdy, and that she sold sci-fi stories she wrote for a quarter.

The third clue package for The Kitty spoke to her "BFF," who she's known since she was a little kitten. She revealed The Kitty has always had a flair for drama, and once got detention for saying she could see ghosts and scaring a classmate. There was a little more talk about a "dark side," which the BFF said Kitty will use to slay the competition.

So far, The Kitty is one of the harder people to nail down in this competition. Even fans on the internet, who are typically unified in a response, are all over the place and can't reach a consensus on this one. With that said, here are some of the popular guesses I'm keeping an eye on, followed by my ultimate guess on who this person may be.

Sarah Hyland

If you're someone who has kept up with Modern Family over the years, you almost certainly know Sarah Hyland. The Haley Dunphy actress has also had a good deal of other television and film roles in her career. With Modern Family coming to an end, she likely had some down time in her typically busy schedule, so why wouldn't she have some fun with The Masked Singer in the meantime? Especially with her singing voice, which she's showcased a few times on YouTube.

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Long-time actress Jennifer Love Hewitt is notorious for her work in film and television, and is even on the Fox series 9-1-1. The Masked Singer has a clear track record of tapping Fox employees for the program, so I can certainly see how there are people jumping on the bandwagon. Hewitt also had a musical career in her younger years, so she's got the pipes to justify her being The Kitty. Hewitt hasn't been in the music industry since 2013, though, so it would be quite the comeback to see her belting songs now.

Lucy Hale

Yet another actress is in discussion for The Masked Singer's Kitty, and it's not hard to see why people are eyeing Lucy Hale. She's got the horror bit down via her roles in Truth Or Dare and the recent remake of Fantasy Island. She's also a pretty damn good singer, and had a studio album out in 2014 called Road Between. She's got a career very similar to the two other actresses in this lineup, so it's easy to see how she wound up in this conversation.

Who We Think It Is

I can appreciate The Masked Singer fandom for not going all hive-mind and keeping other options in the mix, but I think everyone had it right the first time. The Kitty is Sarah Hyland, and there's very little evidence to the contrary that will change my mind.

In regards to the first clue package, Sarah Hyland comes from a family of actors. This may be why there was so much imagery of old Hollywood, though Hyland's parents are definitely not old enough to justify footage from that far back. The Kitty mentioned issues with people thinking of her as the person she was, as opposed to the person she is now. This certainly feels like a reference to Hyland's time on Modern Family, in which audiences saw her grow up on screen. Finally, there's the shattered rose, which I think is a reference to Hyland's current fiance and former contestant on The Bachelorette, Wells Adams.

Then there's the second clue video, in which she talks about the "modern dress for a family member's ball." Jenny McCarthy was quick to point out that was a potential connection to Modern Family, as she should, because it feels like an obvious nod to the series.

I also think you can make an argument in the third clue package that the BFF of The Kitty looks very similar to Ariel Winter in terms of body type. The two grew up together, so it makes sense she'd know a lot about Sarah Hyland's life. The two also made a tribute to The Shining on Instagram a while back, which I technically think counts as Hyland directing a horror movie. The evidence is all here for Hyland, so The Masked Singer viewers just need to stick with their gut on this one.

Do you think The Masked Singer's Kitty is Sarah Hyland, or do you think it's someone else? Put all thoughts in the comments, and continue to stick with CinemaBlend as The Masked Singer airs on Fox, Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET.

CBS’ Criminal Minds had an incredible run. A little over 320 episodes have aired since it debuted in 2005 and it has even been given a couple of spinoffs, though neither were particularly popular or lasted super long. The original show wrapped after fifteen seasons, and soon, a new spinoff series will premiere on Paramount+ called Criminal Minds: Evolution, continuing the story. But until that comes out, let’s talk about how the cast has changed over the years. 

As would be expected for a long-running drama, over the show’s run a lot of the Criminal Minds cast members have come and gone and come again, some under some pretty sketchy circumstances. So which actors have left Criminal Minds (and which have returned) and why did they do it? And, just who might be coming back to the spinoff?  

Why Mandy Patinkin Left Criminal Minds

Mandy Patinkin was the original star of the show. Patinkin played Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, the head of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Mandy Patinkin left the show after two seasons over “creative differences.” It would be years before he finally explained his departure. In an interview with Deadline, Patinkin explained that he didn’t feel comfortable with a lot of the subject matter covered on the show and decided it wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of.

His character Jason Gideon’s departure was equally perplexing, as Mandy Patinkin seemed to have caught the producers by surprise. Ultimately, Gideon was written out quickly, resigning after a particularly difficult case. Eight seasons later, the character was killed (off screen) by a serial killer being pursued by the BAU team.

Why Shemar Moore Left Criminal Minds

Shemar Moore’s character Derek Morgan is among the most popular characters over the show’s run. A star for over 10 seasons on the show, he's returned to Criminal Minds in a guest-starring capacity. However, when he left for good, according to what the character said at the time, it was to spend more time with his wife and baby, though it was announced soon after that Moore would be starring in a new CBS show, S.W.A.T.

Shemar Moore's sendoff was more emotional than many of the other actors, as he was one of the few who left the show on very good terms with both the show’s producers and CBS. On the procedural, Derek Morgan left the BAU for the same reason Moore left the show, to care for his family.

Why Thomas Gibson Left Criminal Minds

Thomas Gibson’s exit from Criminal Minds was by far the most controversial. Gibson, who played Unit Chief Senior Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, was fired from the show after an on-set fight with a producer that allegedly got physical during the filming of Season 12 in 2016. The show was only two episodes into the season when the confrontation occurred and Gibson was fired the day after the reported fight.

Gibson's character was written out quickly, as Hotch was placed in Witness Protection to protect his son from a serial killer. 

Why A.J. Cook Left Criminal Minds

A.J. Cook is one of the original stars of Criminal Minds cast, with her character, JJ, going all the way back to the beginning. However, her run as a cast member has not been without its ups and downs. After Season 5, it was announced that Cook did not have her contract renewed in what was reported to be a cost-cutting move by the show’s producer. She did appear in a handful of episodes in Season 6 to wrap up their storylines and was then gone. Just not for long.

The passionate fans of the show were outraged and eventually the show relented and brought her back before the start of Season 7. A.J. Cook was a cast member on Criminal Minds until the show’s end, and will be reprising her role on Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Why Paget Brewster Left Criminal Minds

Like A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster’s run on the show has been filled with ups and downs. Brewster’s character, Emily Prentiss, first appeared in the middle of Season 2 after Elle Greenaway, played by Lola Glaudini, left the BAU when Glaudini left the show.

Brewster would go on to star as a full-time Criminal Minds cast member through part of Season 7, when she left the show to pursue other opportunities. She continued to appear as a guest star a few times after that, though. Then, at the end of Season 11, she returned for Shemar Moore’s final episode, returning for good for Season 12. Paget Brewster was a regular on the show since her return, and will be continuing her role in Criminal Minds: Evolution. 

Why Jeanne Tripplehorn Left Criminal Minds

Jeanne Tripplehorn burst onto the Hollywood scene in the early nineties when she starred in a number of box office hits (and one infamous bomb). She played Michael Douglas’ wife in Basic Instinct, then went on to play Tom Cruise’s wife in The Firm. The only flick to mess that run up was when she starred as Kevin Costner’s love interest, of sorts, in the notorious Waterworld.

She joined the cast of Criminal Minds in Season 8 as Dr. Alex Blake. Her run with the show was fairly short, leaving after just two seasons when contract negotiations fell apart. Her character's exit came after she decided working in BAU reminded her too much of her deceased son and she left.

Why Jennifer Love Hewitt Left Criminal Minds

It’s easy to forget that Jennifer Love Hewitt starred on Criminal Minds for two seasons as Kate Callahan. Her character’s arc ended dramatically when a pregnant Callahan faced every mother’s nightmare. Her niece, whom she had adopted after the death of her sister and brother-in-law in the September 11th attacks, was kidnapped and then rescued. Kate Callahan decided she needed to take some time away to care for her adopted daughter and soon-to-be-born baby.

Like her character, Jennifer Love Hewitt left the show at the same time for maternity reasons. Like the character, Hewitt was pregnant with her second child and it was announced before Season 11 that she would be leaving the show to care for her growing family.

Why Rachel Nichols Left Criminal Minds

Rachel Nichols joined the show first as a guest star in a three-episode arc that eventually morphed into her getting signed on as a full cast member. She joined as Ashley Seaver, an up-and-coming FBI trainee, but that gig was controversial at first, with fans angry that she was seemingly replacing the two popular characters played by Cook and Brewster. Ultimately, she didn’t last very long. She was let go after just one season when the other actors returned.

Why Damon Gupton Left Criminal Minds

Blink and you might have missed Damon Gupton’s very brief run on the show during Season 12 as Special Agent Stephen Walker. Gupton departed the show as fast as he joined when the network decided not to renew his contract in the wake of a number of cast maneuvers before Season 13.

Why Lola Glaudini Left Criminal Minds

Lola Glaudini starred as Elle Greenaway in the first season of Criminal Minds. This was not Glaudini's first time playing an FBI agent, as she also starred on The Sopranos as Deborah Ciccerone-Waldrup, a Federal Agent going after Tony Soprano.

Elle Greenaway had a violent end to her run with the BAU, both being shot and shooting suspects in her final episode. Lola Glaudini's personal reason for leaving the Criminal Minds cast was not nearly as dramatic. She reportedly wasn't happy living in L.A., where the show was shot, and wanted to return to her home on the East Coast.

Who Is Going To Be Back For Criminal Minds: Evolution?

Unsurprisingly, many of the actors from this list who left the show already are not going to be back for Criminal Minds: Evolution, but we have already confirmed two above – A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster. Of the main cast members who were still on the show when Criminal Minds came to an end in Season 15, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Tara Lewis, and Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez are all set to come back for the reboot on Paramount+, according to Deadline. 

However, two important characters from the line-up haven’t been confirmed to come back, and those are Spencer Reid and Matthew Simmons, played by Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney. 

Neither have given confirmation as to why they aren’t returning, but one theory for Henney is that it’s most likely because of a schedule conflict, since he has to also devote his time to the Amazon Prime original series, The Wheel of Time, and its demanding filming schedule. 

Even so, the showrunner of Criminal Minds: Evolution, Erica Messer spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the possibility that some people might return that haven’t been confirmed yet, where she specifically mentioned their desks and how they will still have stuff: 

Whether that means they’ll be back or not is up in the air, but it’s something to keep in mind as we wait for Criminal Minds: Evolution to premiere.

So there it is. The topsy-turvy world that is the Criminal Minds cast. It's been a wild ride for the fans of the show and for the actors that have helped make the drama the huge success it is, and now, it’s going to be even crazier once Criminal Minds: Evolution debuts.

Spoilers ahead for the April 1 episode of 9-1-1 on Fox.

9-1-1 never fails to deliver the intensity as the major characters tackle all kinds of disasters in their roles as first responders in Los Angeles, but the last few episodes didn't just have the characters in danger because of their jobs. Maddie's ex-husband turned up to attack Chimney and abduct her a couple of weeks ago, and the subsequent episode didn't do anything to resolve the cliffhanger. Finally, fans have some answers, and the events of the episode will change the series moving forward.

The very good news is that Chimney did not bite the dust, despite the odds not looking in his favor for a while. The trailer for the episode didn't give the strongest impression that he had a long life ahead of him. Fortunately, he recovered. How awful would it have been to lose Chimney right after we got that touching origin story episode for him?

Maddie also survived the dangerous events of the episode, but she had to fight her hardest in the process. Although abusive ex Doug seemingly had all the power, Maddie was able to strike back at him, and the confrontation ended with Doug dead in the snow. Now, on the one hand, his death means that Maddie is free from fearing he'll come after her ever again, and that's probably for the best for Chimney as well.

On the other hand, killing Doug is something that Maddie won't be able to just shrug off. Jennifer Love Hewitt weighed in on how 9-1-1 will change after Doug's death, saying this:

This episode may have been Maddie-centric, but 9-1-1 is fundamentally an ensemble series. Maddie has an important job to do for the city of Los Angeles, and she'll get back into that work despite her traumatizing experiences. So, although the show will largely proceed as it did from a plot perspective, it sounds like some character beats will be different than what they were before Doug's death at Maddie's hands. There will be changes; there just probably won't be entire episodes devoted to them.

Jennifer Love Hewitt's mention of Maddie moving forward in romance "if that's even possible" indicates that whatever happens between Maddie and Chimney might be a lot more complicated than it would have been before Doug's attack. The relationship with Doug was the biggest romantic relationship of her life, and his life ended at her hands.

Moving on would be complicated for her, and I have to wonder if a relationship with Maddie could work for Chimney as well. He knows that it's not Maddie's fault that he was nearly killed by her abusive ex; hopefully he can spend time with her without dwelling on what happened the last time they tried to socialize.

Jennifer Love Hewitt went on in her chat with TVLine to explain the importance of continuing to show Maddie's reactions to the ordeal and subsequent changes:

If handled well, this arc could be both realistic and respectful with regard to situations of real-life abuse. We'll have to wait and see how it continues to play out. For Maddie's sake, I hope that she realizes there are people she can talk to and who will be there for her. First responders aren't always the greatest at taking care of themselves, whether they're fighting fires, riding in an ambulance, or answering calls!

Given the show's recent renewal for Season 3, there's the potential for the arc to continue beyond the end of Season 2, assuming Jennifer Love Hewitt remains on board as Maddie. Connie Britton only stayed on for one season, but that was never intended to be a long-term role for her. Perhaps Hewitt is on board for however long the show stays on the air, and she'll stick around longer than on Criminal Minds!

The next new episode of 9-1-1 airs Monday, April 15 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.

After what will have been a decade and a half on television, Criminal Minds will come to an end. As fans count down the days until the series' conclusion, let's take a look back at the past cast members who helped make it as successful as it's been over the years, and what they've been up to since leaving the program.

Mandy Patinkin - Jason Gideon

Mandy Patinkin's Jason Gideon was the one to kick it all off, as Jason Gideon served as Criminal Minds' Senior Supervisory Special Agent for 3 seasons. Unfortunately, Gideon eventually became disillusioned by the consequences of his and the team's failures, and Dr. Reid arrived at his cabin to find his badge and a note that he was off to find happy endings again. Gideon was later killed off in a Season 10 storyline off-camera.

In real life, Mandy Patinkin's exit wasn't fully explained until years later when the actor referred to Criminal Minds as the "biggest public mistake he ever made." Patinkin was disgusted with the amount of rape and murder showcased on the program and told New York Magazine (via Deadline) it was "destructive to his soul and personality." Patinkin offered no judgment towards those who enjoy the show but did question if it was something folks should be watching before bed.

Mandy Patinkin kept busy after his exit from Criminal Minds in many roles, and his longest television stint by far has been as Saul Berenson on Homeland. That ride is coming to an end after Season 8 and is scheduled to air Summer 2019. Patinkin doesn't have a ton on the horizon following that, but a new film he's in called Before You Know It is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27.

Lola Glaudini - Elle Greenaway

Elle Greenway had a rougher run than some members of the B.A.U. as she was attacked by a criminal the team was investigating. The emotionally scarring incident was the start of what evolved into a mental breakdown in which Greenaway shot and killed a serial rapist unprovoked. She escaped the incident without charges but resigned from the B.A.U. in Season 2 just as Hotch was planning to fire her.

Lola Glaudini's short run on Criminal Minds turned into quite a run on film and television, with her playing a part in quite a few high profile shows. Audiences can spot her as Anita Novak on Showtime's Ray Donovan, or possibly as Polly Hinton in a future episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Glaudini is also in the Minka Kelly film She's In Portland, which is due out in 2019.

Thomas Gibson - Aaron Hotchner

Supervisory Special Agent and B.A.U. Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner was with the show from the start and experienced some crazy things. This included the collapse of his marriage and murder of his ex-wife, but Hotchner persevered and kept his cool to bring down bad guys. Hotchner's ride came to an abrupt end as the character went into witness protection in Season 12 to protect his son. Hotchner ultimately left the B.A.U. to become a full-time father.

While it was an incredibly rushed exit for such a beloved Criminal Minds character, it was also inevitable as actor Thomas Gibson was fired following a physical altercation with a writer on the show's set. Fans have asked for a "Hotch" return since then, but responses from showrunner Erica Messer on whether or not that will happen even in light of the show's cancellation have been non-committal.

Thomas Gibson's once-thriving Hollywood career has somewhat stalled since his Criminal Minds removal, with one on-screen performance happening in Aisha Tyler's film Axis. Gibson's also involved in a television project called Shadow Wolves, which has a two-part pilot that's been circulating Hollywood for some time now. It hasn't been picked up yet, so fans of Gibson will need to wait and see if another project comes, or Criminal Minds decides to bring him back for the final season.

Shemar Moore - Derek Morgan

Derek Morgan was the low-key superstar of Criminal Minds, as the Northwestern Quarterback-turned-Supervisory Special Agent was the strength of the B.A.U. when the situation called for it. He would eventually step into the role of Unit Chief, albeit that run came to an end once the Boston Reaper was captured. Morgan eventually resigned from his position to care for his family, and brought his 13-season run to an end.

Criminal Minds viewers probably already know where to find Shemar Moore, as the actor's exit led to his run in CBS' S.W.A.T. Fans can catch him there, or if they're the type who appreciates animated superhero adventures, can hear Moore's voice in the animated feature Reign of the Supermen, which is out Tuesday, January 29.

Rachel Nichols - Ashley Seaver

FBI cadet Ashley Seaver was one of Criminal Minds' more interesting additions to the team as she grew up with a father later discovered to be a horrific serial killer. It was an interesting plot, but one that didn't run that long. Seaver was in and out of the CBS procedural in Season 6. Seaver was permanently out of the team in Season 7 and was said to have transferred to a domestic trafficking task force.

Rachel Nichols' run on Criminal Minds was short, but her career since then has been long. More recently, Nichols was seen on the DC Universe series Titans as Angela Roth, and has had recurring and guest spot roles on shows like The Librarians and Taken. Nichols is currently involved in a film called The Adventures of Buddy Thunder that's in pre-production, and audiences should expect to see her appear in more shows if 2019 is like past years.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - Dr. Alex Blake

Although Dr. Alex Blake was a Linguistics expert and new addition to Criminal Minds in Season 8, she had some past history with the B.A.U. long before her rejoining. Blake ultimately sought redemption for the events that led to her early retirement, and found them but at a terrible price. Two seasons later Blake became especially rattled when Reid almost died protecting her and handed in her badge not long after.

Jeanne Tripplehorn took a break from acting after Criminal Minds, then resurfaced in 2017 with a couple roles in 2018 as well. She hasn't had much to do with television but appeared in the films We Only Know So Much and Gloria Bell in the past year. The fact Tripplehorn hasn't done television since 2014 may mean she's a question mark for a potential return, although who knows what she may or may not be up for.

Jennifer Love Hewitt - Kate Callahan

Jennifer Love Hewitt's Kate Callahan was another one-and-done addition to the B.A.U., as the true blue FBI agent was added in Season 10. Kate and her husband were the guardians of her niece, whose parents died as a result of the attacks on September 11. Kate was pregnant throughout the season, and almost got taken away by human traffickers. She was saved and decided to take time away to be with her family.

Jennifer Love Hewitt's break from acting lasted much longer than a year, and audiences haven't seen her until recently on Fox's Ryan Murphy drama 9-1-1. Hewitt's Maddie Kendall was added in Season 2 and used to fill the void left by Connie Britton, who did not return as a series regular. Of course, Hewitt's run in Hollywood was well established before her guest spot on Criminal Minds, so viewers can always check out her work from that era too.

Damon Gupton - Stephen Walker

Stephen Walker joined the B.A.U. in Season 12, and was meant to help out with the team's ongoing battle against Mr. Scratch. Despite his extensive experience in the field, Walker ended up falling prey to Mr. Scratch and died as a result of his injuries following an accident with a semi-truck.

Actor Damon Gupton has kept busy since exiting Criminal Minds and can be seen in projects such as Dirty John, or The CW superhero series Black Lightning. Audiences will see a fair bit of him on the latter series, as his character Bill Henderson has become one of the hero's closest confidants. Fans will have to settle for those shows, because it doesn't seem likely Criminal Minds will be bringing him back to life for the final season.

Criminal Minds airs on CBS Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET. To see what else is on television around that time or to see what's premiering in the days to come, visit our midseason premiere guide.

It was Barry Manilow's birthday, seventeen years ago, when a group of high school seniors spent their remaining hours as a class at a loud graduation party, where one guy vowed to tell the girl of his dreams how he really felt, a geeky underdog plotted revenge against the school jock, and everyone else showed up determined for a good time. The cast of the film was a bevy of young talent, many bound for stardom if they hadn't achieved some of it already.

Looking through the lengthy list of memorable and notable cast-members, we break down where they were then, and where they are now...

Jennifer Love Hewitt

AKA: Amanda Beckett

Senior Quote: "So, he's sort of tall... with hair, and he wears t-shirts, sometimes?"

Known for back then: Jennifer Love Hewitt got her start early credits that include Kids Incorporated. Can't Hardly Wait came along as she was starring in Party of Five. Later, she went on to play the lead in I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Now: Post-90s, Jennifer Love Hewitt continued to make a name for herself on both the big and small screen. In the last decade, that includes starring in Ghost Whisperer and The Client List, and most recently, playing the part of Kate Callahan in Criminal Minds.

Ethan Embry

AKA: Preston Meyers

Senior Quote: "Shut up about the dog, OK?"

Known for back then: Leading into his starring role in Can't Hardly Wait, Ethan Embry starred in Dutch, Empire Records, That Thing You Do! and played Rusty "Nick Papagiorgio from Yuma" Griswold in Vegas Vacation.

Now: These days, Ethan Embry's been all over the small screen, with roles in Once Upon a Time, CSI and Netflix's fantastic comedy Grace and Frankie. He's also set to play a role in Season 6 of The Walking Dead.

Charlie Korsmo

AKA: William Lichter

Senior Quote: "I can't feel my legs. I have no legs!"

Known for back then: He played the awesome kid in What About Bob?, Dick Tracy and Hook.

Now: Can't Hardly Wait was Charlie Korsmo's last credited role. He went on to earn degrees from MIT and Yale. In 2011, President Obama nominated him for membership of the Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. So it sounds like he's had as promising a future as his CHW character.

Lauren Ambrose

AKA: Denise Fleming

Senior Quote: "I kind of believe in fate. It just works in really fucked up ways sometimes."

Known for back then: Roles in In & Out, Party of Five and Law & Order are among the few credits Ambrose had before taking on the sarcastic and down-to-earth Denise Fleming in Can't Hardly Wait. She went on to make a name for herself as Claire Fisher in HBO's Six Feet Under (a TV destination for a few other CHW stars, in fact).

Now: Since Six Feet Under, Ambrose's starred in the short-lived The Return of Jezebel James, played the role of Jilly Kitzinger in Torchwood, and played Debbie in USA's Dig.

Peter Facinelli

AKA: Mike Dexter

Senior Quote: "I'll kick everyone's ass in this room!"

Known for back then: Peter Facinelli had a few roles under his belt before Can't Hardly Wait, including an appearance on Law & Order, but many of us likely associate him best in his early years with the jock-ish Mike Dexter in Can't Hardly Wait.

Now: Peter Facinelli's another actor who counts Six Feet Under among his post-CHW credits. More recently, he headed up the Cullen family in the Twilight movies, and played Dr. Fitch Cooper in Showtime's Nurse Jackie.

Jaime Pressly

AKA: Girlfriend #1

Senior Quote: "Ok, I don't think she's prettier than Gwyneth."

Known for back then: An episode of Silk Stalkings, a role in the TV show Push and the part of Violet in Poison Ivy: The New Seduction are among the handful of credits Jaime Pressly had under her belt going into Can't Hardly Wait.

Now: Since then, Pressly went on to bring (or broughten) it on in Not Another Teen Movie, and bring the Joy to My Name is Earl. She also starred in I Hate My Teenage Daughter, and more recently plays the recurring role of Jill in CBS's Mom.

Seth Green

AKA: Kenny Fisher (known to himself as Special K)

Senior Quote: "92%!"

Known for back then: Idle Hands, Stephen King's It and Can't Buy Me Love were among his pre-CHW roles, and that was just a slice of the beginning for Green...

Now: If being awesome is Seth Green's lifelong goal, he's clearly winning. From his early acting credits, to his appearance as the determined, goggle-wearing Kenny Fisher in Can't Hardly Wait, to his eventual creation of Robot Chicken. Let's not forget his portrayal of Oz in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chris in Family Guy and more recently, voicing the role of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' third season.

Sean Patrick Thomas

AKA: Jock #2

Senior Quote: "Mike Dexter's a god!"

Known for back then: In addition to playing another one of Mike Dexter's jock friends, Sean Patrick Thomas' 90s credits include Cruel Intentions (and the sequel), Picture Perfect and Courage Under Fire.

Now: Among his recent credits, Thomas played the role of Solomon in the short-lived TV series Ringer, and had appearances in Reaper, Lie to Me and Army Wives. He's also reportedly expected to return to the Barbershop for its third installment.

Channon Roe

AKA: Jock #1

Senior Quote: "Mike Dexter's a role model!"

Known for back then: Channon Roe got his start in an episode of My So-Called Life, after which he appeared in The X-Files, NYPD Blue and Boogie Nights before he landed the role of Mike Dexter's jock pal in Can't Hardly Wait.

Now: After Can't Hardly Wait, Channon Roe stirred up trouble in one of the best episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ever ("The Zeppo"). He went on to make a career out of TV roles, with Deadwood, 24, Windfall, Dirt, Head Case, Terriers, Castle and House among his credits. Most recently, he played Riley Maker in TNT's Murder in the First.

Clea DuVall

AKA: Jana

Senior Quote: "I'm allergic."

Known for back then: DuVall's pre-Can't Hardly Wait credits include playing invisible-Marcie in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a couple of appearances in ER, among some other roles. But CHW was one of a few teen/young-adult-focused features DuVall landed in the late 90s. We also saw her in The Faculty, She's All That and Girl, Interrupted.

Now: DuVall shifted to TV with roles in Carnivale and Heroes. Much more recently, she was in the second season of American Horror Story, and she played Emma Borden in The Lizzie Borden Chronicles. On the feature side, DuVall played a role in the Oscar-winning film Argo.

Freddy Rodriguez

AKA: Jock #3

Senior Quote: "They have mirrors... above the bed, dude."

Known for back then: Can't Hardly Wait was among Freddy Rodriguez's first big credits. He went on to reunite with CHW stars in Party of Five, Scrubs and Six Feet Under.

Now: More recently, Rodriguez has appeared in Ugly Betty, Perception and NBC's The Night Shift.

Donald Faison

AKA: Drummer

Senior Quote: "If they get to wear the shirts, maybe I should wear the hat!"

Known for back then: Donald Faison began making a name for himself with memorable roles in Clueless, Waiting To Exhale, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Felicity, not to mention the enthusiast hat-wearing drummer in Can't Hardly Wait.

Now: For all of his credits, Faison's most iconic role may be that of Dr. Christopher Turk in Scrubs. Since then, we've seen him in Kick-Ass 2, Wish I Were Here and more recently, The Exes. He also loaned his voice to Robot Chicken on more than one occasion.

Chris Owen

AKA: Klepto Kid

Senior Quote: We put a quote here, but it's gone now.

Known for back then: Angus, The Faculty and Major Payne are among Chris Owen's pre-CHW roles, but in the era, we probably all know him best as The Shermanator in American Pie, which was one of the films he did not long after CHW, along with She's All That.

Now: Among his more recent, memorable credits, Chris Owen played the ill-fated Norm in The Mist. And it looks like he's slated to appear in Kenny Young's upcoming comedy The Night Before.

Jason Segel

AKA: Watermelon Guy

Senior Quote: (((Scooby Doo noise)))

Known for back then: Can't Hardly Wait was Jason Segel's first credited role, and let's face it, he was barely in the movie. The same year, he appeared in Dead Man on Campus, and then found his footing in 2000 with the career-launcher that was Freaks and Geeks.

Now: Who would've thought the watermelon guy would turn out to be among the most likely to succeed in this cast. To throw a few recent credits out there, This is 40, The Muppets, Sex Tape, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and -- speaking of Marshall -- more than 200 episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Enough said.

Eric Balfour

AKA: Hippie Guy

Senior Quote: "I don't wanna waste this!"

Known for back then: Eric Balfour shares a Kids Incorporated credit with Can't Hardly Wait star Jennifer Love Hewitt, and a Buffy credit with a few of the CHW cast-members. He followed up Can't Hardly Wait with appearances in The West Wing and Chicago Hope, and a role in the Mel Gibson rom-com What Women Want. He went on to recur as the tech-savvy Milo Pressman in 24.

Now: These days, Eric Balfour's likely best known for playing Duke Crocker in Syfy's Haven. He also reunited with CHW's Breckin Meyer in an episode of Franklin and Bash. On the feature side, we saw him face mayhem in the thriller Skyline.

Selma Blair

AKA: Girl Mike Hits On #1

Senior Quote: "Really? What's that?" (She barely talks in this movie, sorry.)

Known for back then: Prior to Can't Hardly Wait, Selma Blair's credits included In & Out, Scream 2 and an episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She was barely in CHW, as indicated by the lackluster senior quote above, but she found her place on the map when she played the virginal Cecile Caldwell in Cruel Intentions.

Now: Blair's more recent credits include Kath & Kim, appearances on Web Therapy, and the role of Kate Wales in FX's take on Anger Management. More recently, she's set to play Kris Jenner/Kardashian in the American Crime Story event series.

Sara Rue

AKA: Earth Girl

Senior Quote: "You. Are All. Sheep. Baaaah."

Known for back then: Sara Rue had racked up quite a list of TV credits before taking on the cranky, earthy role of Earth Girl in Can't Hardly Wait. That includes appearances in dueling medical dramas ER and Chicago Hope, as well as roles in Minor Adjustments, Phenom and Grand. Post-CHW, she took on the memorable role of Carmen Ferrara in Popular.

Now: Rue's recent credits include the part of Penny in Eastwick, and the part of Brenda in Rules of Engagement. These days you can see her as Dora in TV Land's Impastor.

Jerry O'Connell

AKA: Trip McNeely

Senior Quote: "I got warts all over my feet."

Known for back then: He was the comb-toting Vern in Stand By Me, the secret-identity-having Andrew Clements in My Secret Identity and the sliding Quinn Mallory in Sliders before Jerry O’Connell crashed the Can’t Hardly Wait graduation party and dropped some reality at Mike Dexter’s un-flip-flopped feet.

Now: In addition to theater work, O’Connell’s recent credits include a handful of TV appearances, not to mention the voice role of Pip the Pirate Genie in Jake and the Never Land Pirates. He also dropped in on the Veronica Mars movie, playing the role of Sheriff Dan Lamb. Going back a bit further, he played the sleazy (and ridiculously ill-fated) Derrick Jones in Piranha 3D).

Tamala Jones

AKA: Girlfriend #1

Senior Quote: "Totally Gwyneth, but prettier!"

Known for back then: Before she was playing Girlfriend #2 in Can’t Hardly Wait, Tamala Jones appeared in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Jag and the Dangerous Minds TV show. She followed CHW with a recurring role in Veronica’s Closet, and the part of D’wana in Next Friday.

Now: Lately, Tamala Jones can be found on ABC, playing the role of medical examiner Lanie Parish in ABC’s Castle.

Breckin Meyer

AKA: Lead Singer

Senior Quote: "Anyone order a LoveBurger? Well done!"

Known for back then: Before he was the gothy lead singer of Loveburger, Breckin Meyer was building his resume with appearances in 90s movies including The Craft and Clueless. He followed CHW with Road Trip and an uncredited role in Josie and the Pussycats.

Now: In addition to credits that include Titan Maximum, King of the HIill and Robot Chicken, Breckin Meyer had a good run starring as the titular Jared Franklin in TNT’s Franklin & Bash.

Jennifer Lyons

AKA: Girlfriend #2

Senior Quote: "He's not even Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys when he had that weird eye, and he was all dirty..."

Known for back then: Before she was Girlfriend #2 in Can’t Hardly Wait, Jennifer Lyons had appearances in Step By Step and Brotherly Love, not to mention playing the rarity that was an actual love interest for Bud Bundy in Married with Children.

Now: In recent years, Jennifer Lyons has appeared on General Hospital, Workaholics and The Starter Wife. You may have also spotted her witnessing Peter Parker adjust to his spidey abilities during the subway scene in The Amazing Spider-Man.

Melissa Joan Hart

AKA: Yearbook Girl

Senior Quote: "You don't throw away a yearbook! You're supposed to cherish it forever!"

Known for back then: Melissa Joan Hart was already likely well known to Can’t Hardly Wait’s targeted age demographic, having starred in the clever Nickelodeon series Clarissa Explains it All, and then Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, the latter of which was mid-series when Hart took on the pigtail-wearing yearbook-obsessed yearbook girl in CHW. After CHW, she starred in Drive Me Crazy.

Now: Melissa Joan Hart’s appearances in film and TV thinned a bit after Sabrina, but she did lend her voice to Robot Chicken, and made a big TV comeback with a starring role in ABC Family’s Melissa & Joey.

Jenna Elfman

AKA: The Angel

Senior Quote: "There is fate, but it only takes you so far, because once you're there, it's up to you to make it happen."

Known for back then: Jenna Elfman was on the brink of stardom when she strapped on her angel wings for Can’t Hardly Wait, having appeared in Gross Pointe Blank and landing the lead in Dharma & Greg the year before CHW hit theaters. She followed the teen-comedy with EDtv, Keeping the Faith and Town & Country, while also continuing on with Dharma & Greg.

Now: In recent years, Elfman’s taken on a number of small screen roles, including the under appreciated comedies 1600 Penn and Growing up Fisher. She also played the role of Naomi in FX’s drama Damages.

Much like Wet Hot American Summer, Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan's Can't Hardly Wait is a film that has weirdly improved with age, as many of the members of its very young cast went on to do much bigger things with their Hollywood careers. Also much like Wet Hot American Summer, this makes it the kind of material that is also just asking to be revisited with the entire original cast... and it turns out that's an idea for which Jennifer Love Hewitt is totally on-board.

Following a special screening of the movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the actress took to her personal Twitter account this weekend and made a pitch to fans about a reunion for Can't Hardly Wait. She didn't exactly provide a possible plotline for the movie, but you can see her request below:

Hitting theaters back in June of 1998, Can't Hardly Wait was an ensemble comedy that followed a number of different stories all involving a high school party taking place on graduation night. Jennifer Love Hewitt was arguably the female lead of the movie, but the impressive cast also includes actors like Ethan Embree, Seth Green, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Donald Faison, Breckin Meyer, Selma Blair, Melissa Joan Hart, Clea DuVall, Freddy Rodriguez, Sara Rue, Jaime Pressly, Jason Segel, Jerry O'Connell, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Jenna Elfman.

All of these actors are currently working in the industry, and would presumably be game to return for some kind of Can't Hardly Wait reunion, but there is one potential hitch with this idea:

As fans of the film know, Charles Korsmo played one of the most significant roles in the movie - William Lichter: the nerd who finally gets his day with the popular kids - but Korsmo has not worked as an actor since the 1998 movie. He began working in Hollywood as a child actor, starring in movies like Dick Tracy, What About Bob? and Hook, but he wound up leaving the profession and went on to become a law professor. It's a little hard to imagine him suddenly deciding to get back into acting after all these years, and a reunion really wouldn't be the same without him.

Would you want to see a Can't Hardly Wait reunion movie? If so, what do you think it should be about? Hit the comments below with your thoughts!

Jennifer Love Hewitt was kind of nervous before her impassioned kissing swansong with Ethan Embry at the end of Can’t Hardly Wait. It wasn’t because she was slightly concerned about making out with an actor she hardly knew in front of a hefty amount of cast and crew. Instead it was because Ethan Embry was a huge stoner and she didn’t want to come away from the smooch with a Cheech and Chong flavored after taste.

Ethan Embry himself opened up about the extreme lengths that Jennifer Love Hewitt went to avoid this during the filming of this sequence while taking part in a Reddit Q&A. In fact, I’ll leave it to Embry himself to fully divulge how the entire incident unfolded.

I can only imagine that Jennifer Love Hewitt was rather relieved to immediately learn that Embry’s mouth was a minty haven rather than a debauched nest of marijuana. Let’s relive the sequence from the 1998 romantic comedy again to see if we can notice JLH’s relief.

But it turns out that Ethan Embry had his own issues going into the kiss too. The entire aura between himself and Jennifer Love Hewitt was riddled with tension because, as he explained in the same Reddit Q&A:

Despite this issue, I’m going to put it out there and guess that it was hardly the worst scenario for an actor to be in.

For the uninitiated, 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait was one of a raft of high school, teenage comedies that hit cinemas at the end of the 1990s. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, and Seth Green, it revolves around the debauched antics at a high-school graduation party. This includes the usual scenario of a kid trying to lose his virginity and a nerd being in love with a jock.

What makes Can’t Hardly Wait linger a tad longer in the memory is that it also featured appearances from a number of young actors who would blossom into bona-fide TV and movie stars. This included Jason Segel, Jaime Pressly, Selma Blair, Donald Faison, Jenna Elfman, Jerry O’Connell, Melissa Joan Hart, Breckin Meyer. It’s also just about funny enough, sweet, and a nice little precursor to the following year’s American Pie. Just, you know, without a guy having sex with a freshly baked good.

Typecasting can become the bane of an actor's existence. When a star proves that they can do something very well, Hollywood has a habit of exploiting this particular talent until audiences are entirely sick of it and move on to something else. It's this exact trap that Norman Reedus fell into back in the early '00s, when he found himself constantly playing murderers and criminals. It got so bad, in fact, that he eventually started thinking that it was all the industry had to offer him. As a result, when offered the the male lead in the 2001 romantic con-artist comedy Heartbreakers he was actually convinced that the part would require him to rape and kill Jennifer Love Hewitt.

This strange little tidbit comes to us from an interview that the Walking Dead star recently did with GQ, part of which was dedicated to discussing the early years of Reedus' career. Discussing the fact that he's never been seen as a guy who could star alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt in a romantic comedy, the actor revealed that he actually once almost had the chance, but would up completely confused about the part due that all of the violent roles that he had been playing around that time (in movies like The Boondock Saints and Six Ways To Sunday). Said Reedus,

Reedus was then asked if he now looks back at that situation and realizes how crazy it was, and while he does now understand it on that level now, he added that he was truly convinced of it back in 2000/2001:

Those of you who have seen Heartbreakers have probably already figured out that the role Reedus was offered was the one that eventually went to Jason Lee - and in retrospect it's probably a part that he doesn't have too much regret. Upon release, the film got a rather middling response from critics, and it never really took off at the box office either. Made for a reasonable reported $35 million, it only managed to bring in $57.7 million worldwide.

While Reedus hasn't really moved on from playing violent characters, now he has found some extreme success while doing it, most notably starring as the fan-beloved Daryl on The Walking Dead. Still, what if that one role could have changed everything for his career and put him on a completely different path. Perhaps today he would be healing people on Grey's Anatomy instead of slaughtering zombies.

I know what you like to do each summer, Hollywood. You like to reboot successful formulas, repackaging them for a new generation that might vaguely recognize your title but don’t know enough about the details to realize they are being sold the same movie, again and again. Which explains why Sony is dusting off Jim Gillespie and Kevin Williamson’s I Know What You Did Last Summer for a planned franchise reboot.

Deadline reports that Oculus writer-director Mike Flanagan will write and produce this update, with the hope that he can keep the new I Know on a micro-budget (like Oculus) but produce big box-office wins. The original I Know What You Did Last Summer followed a group of high schoolers who kill a stranger with their car, then agree to dump his body in the water and forget the tragedy has occurred. The guilt of the accident eats away at the foursome, though, and things get gradually worse when they start getting notes that someone knows what they did.

In 1997, everyone involved with I Know What You Did Last Summer was red hot. Beautiful girl-next-door Jennifer Love Hewitt was making a name for herself on television’s Party of Five, while Sarah Michelle Gellar had just started to break through as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Male co-stars Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. were catching on in movies like The House of Yes and Crimson Tide.

The secret ingredient to the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, though, was screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who had penned the self-referential horror comedy Scream for Wes Craven the year before, and brought a lot of the same genre knowledge and winking humor that helped Summer separate itself from the pack. This wasn’t just a grisly slasher thriller, as a killer with a fisherman’s hook stalked the pretty coeds of a quaint seaside town. It was the start of a franchise… or, a movie that inspired at least one sequel. Yes, it was actually titled I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

Casting will be key for this reboot. If Sony is smart, they’ll mine the talent of the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon TV series, looking for pretty, young actors who don’t mind working on the cheap and aren’t afraid to test their scream quotient in a possibly memorable horror reboot. We’ll keep you posted on the movie as it moves along.

With nine seasons under its belt, CBS’ crime procedural Criminal Minds has seen plenty of casting changes over the years. Recently, the long-running series added veteran actress Jennifer Love Hewitt to its ranks. The former Client List star has signed on to join the Behavioral Analysis Unit in a regular role during Season 10.

Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character won’t have her signature three names, however. Instead, she’ll play Kate Callahan, an FBI agent with plenty of experience in the field. According to THR, that experience will land her a slot at the BAU, where she will join Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), J.J. Jareau (A.J. Cook), David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). If you noticed Jeanne Tripplehorn’s Dr. Alex Blake is no longer on the list, that’s because Tripplehorn’s character left at the very end of Season 9, guilt-ridden about Reid taking a bullet for her, as well as the earlier death of her son before the events on the show. At the end of the finale, Blake left her credentials with Reid, effectively ending her time on Criminal Minds. The show is pretty militant about its male to female ratio, so it's no real surprise they filled Tripplehorn's slot with Hewitt.

The actress has popped up on a lot of TV networks over the years, and unsurprisingly, this won’t be her first stint on a CBS show. Just a few years ago, the actress headlined The Ghost Whisperer, a supernatural drama that lasted for a solid five seasons on the network. More recently, Hewitt headlined The Client List, a Lifetime original drama that was cancelled after two seasons. At the time, the show’s ratings and an on-set disagreement were cited as the cause of the cancellation. The show was only cancelled in November, and it didn’t take Jennifer Love Hewitt long to sign on for a new role.

While it might seem like a step down to go from headlining a series to taking a gig in part of an ensemble cast, Criminal Minds should actually be a good fit. The long-running CBS series has made a name for itself by hiring prominent names in the business in the past, including Mandy Patinkin, Gibson and Tripplehorn. Hewitt’s name should fit right in with the other cast members. Additionally, even though she will be part of an ensemble cast, the move to Criminal Minds will take her from cable back to network TV, where far more eyeballs will get to see her each week. That may not be as cool as headlining your own show, but I certainly don’t knock her for it. Now, we’ll just have to wait and see if she’s as convincing of a behavioral analyst as she was as a small business owner.

Season 10 is expected to premiere in CBS’ fall lineup on October 1, 2014 at 9 p.m. ET.