In 1999, Universal Pictures released a Zide/Perry production called American Pie, a riotous and raunchy exploration of the most humiliating rite of adulthood, known as losing one's virginity. In this hilarious lesson in life, love and libido, a group of friends, fed up with their well-deserved reputations as sexual no-hitters, decide to take action. Hopelessly inexperienced but fueled by hormones raging full-tilt, the guys each try a different but equally outrageous approach to scoring with the female sex. The girls are just as anxious, but are also confused, trying to act cool as they romanticize and idealize what is basically just pure physical attraction. The end result is an honest and affectionate look at a time in all of our lives when we try our hardest to hold on to our dignity.. .and end up failing miserably. The film was a sleeper hit for Universal, earning tens of millions of dollars more than Universal had expected. The film spawned 2 theatrical sequels, made-for-video sequels, and now a new theatrical sequel, American Reunion. Here we will cover the first two films in the series and when American Reunion is released on Blu-ray we will cover American Wedding and American Reunion.
Jim (Jason Biggs) is just like any other healthy, red-blooded guy who is also a virgin, he's desperate. Since his parents walked in on him while he was watching porno films on a scrambled cable channel, things are now even more desperate. At home, his well-meaning dad (Eugene Levy) participates with a mortifying zeal in his son's sexual education, and things at school aren't any better, his experience with a beautiful foreign exchange student, Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth), proves an online disaster, so his last resort is Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), a chatty band member who is handy with a flute. One thing is for sure...after exhausting every conceivable way to inaugurate himself in the ways of sex, Jim will never look at an apple pie the same way again! Jim's buddy Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) wants nothing more than to please his steady girlfriend. Vicky (Tara Reid). And now that he has found the "bible," a secret handwritten manual of sexual do's and do-nots passed down from generation to generation, he's bound to succeed. Oz (Chris Klein), or Casanova as he prefers to be called, is a studly lacrosse player. His sights are set on Heather (Mena Suvari), the beautiful co-ed who unfortunately happens to be in the choir, but winning her heart may take more than he's bargained for.
Nobody knows what to believe about Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), but his legendary prowess definitely precedes him. Only Jessica (Natasha Lyonne), the voice and sometimes fabricator of reality, knows the real truth. But since Stifler slipped him a laxative outside the girls' restroom, he may never be able to show his face in public again. The cocky Stifler (Seann W. Scott), who has actually had sexual experience, simply needs an audience...and a keg. And he'll probably think twice before he drinks another beer!
Cast publicity still
American Pie, which marked the feature film debuts of filmmakers Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz as well as screenwriter Adam Herz, and was produced by Warren Zide, Craig Perry, Chris Moore and Chris Weitz. The film features an ensemble cast of then-fresh faces, including (in alphabetical order): Jason Biggs (TV's As the World Turns), Jennifer Coolidge (A Night at the Roxbury), Shannon Elizabeth {Arli$$), Alyson Hannigan (the WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Chris Klein {Election), Eugene Levy {Waiting for Guff man), Natasha Lyonne {Slums of Beverly Hills), Thomas Ian Nicholas {Rookie of the Year), Chris Owen {October Sky), Tara Reid {Urban Legend), Seann W. Scott, Mena Suvari {The Rage: Carrie 2) and Eddie Kaye Thomas {Mr. Jealousy).
The crew behind the scenes include: director of photography Richard Crudo {American Buffalo, Federal Hill), production designer Paul Peters (One True Thing), costume designer Leesa Evans (The Last Supper) and film editor Priscilla Nedd-Friendly (The Evening Star, Pretty Woman). American Pie began as a project that producers Warren Zide and Craig Perry had long envisioned for screenwriter Adam Herz. Via the duo's production company, Zide-Perry Films, filmmakers Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz and producer Chris Moore soon came on board when they heard about the project. One thing everyone agreed on from the start is that the film needed lo have an R rating. "We all felt that there hadn't been a really good teen comedy since we were kids and we'd talked for a long time about how we'd love to make one, and we wanted to shoot it R-rated," explained Warren Zide in an on-set interview. "We wanted to show how teenagers really talk." Adam Herz felt strongly that it was time a film was made which would satisfy the needs of the ever-growing teen audience. "Let's face it, high school kids are raunchy, and the funniest stories that come out of high school are the most appalling ones," Herz said. "To write a movie about sex and not have it be R-rated, you're not giving your audience enough credit."
The filmmakers had all been fans of the popular sex comedies of the '70s and '80s, and together they wanted to create a new vehicle which would push the envelope for the times. Films like Porky s, Stripes, East Times at Ridgemont High and Revenge of the Nerds, films which balanced irreverent humor within a realistic context.
Japanese poster
According to Craig Perry, the reason these movies appealed to audiences and continue to do so is not only because they were funny, but because of the universality of the issues they dealt with. "We wanted to successfully capture the nostalgic feeling in high school, while still being able to speak to a whole lot more on many different levels," said Perry. Moore added , "American Pie is a stylized reality, and we went for the humor because sex for the first time, no matter how old you are, is funny and scary and endearing." Telling the story honestly was something the producers fought tirelessly to accomplish, distancing themselves from those "other teen films." They obviously wanted situations that would make people laugh, but they strove to create characters that the audience would care about. Another key difference between American Pie and its predecessors was the increased depth with which the female characters are provided. "I didn't want the girls to be your typical sex objects, the cliched teen comedy stereotypes," Herz said. "So, I made sure that in whatever I wrote, I gave them as much credit, if not more, than the guys." Adds Moore, "The thing that I loved about Adam's script is that the girls ultimately decide who has sex in the movie. We consciously tried to make the characters more realistic, which, by definition, means the women have to be more authentic."
French poster
The film's humor and veracity are what first attracted the filmmaking brothers, Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz, to sign on as director and producer, respectively. The brothers had previously collaborated on the screenplay for DreamWorks' hit computer-animated feature Antz. Antz made a significant impact on the brothers, as they literally were forced to write dialogue to fit the existing animation. "I think Antz helped us to think more visually, to write beyond words on a page, with moving images and scenes in mind," Paul Weitz said. "It was very valuable, in terms of moving from screenwriting to directing." To underscore and complement American Pie's generational veracity, the filmmakers cast an ensemble of actors whose ages ranged from 17 to 25. Most of them relative newcomers to the film business, these actors ensured that the picture would reflect a realistic portrait of teens in the late 1990's. Many of the laughs in the film come from the incredibly embarrassing situations that Jim (Jason Biggs) must endure.
The comedic heart of American Pie, Jim undergoes a seemingly endless array of sexual mishaps, which include the traditional coming-of-age humiliations as well as some new and unique ones. For Biggs, it was important that the audience be able to sympathize with him. He said, "Despite all the things that happen to him, I thought the character could be charming and likable in his own way. He's just very horny and happens to be grossly inexperienced, but he's still a person." Paul Weitz said, "Jason's naturally funny, with great comic timing and nuance. He was the perfect choice for Jim." Jim's various predicaments required Biggs to perform numerous outlandish scenes, which proved a big stretch for him as an actor. About these scenes, Biggs said, "I loved doing all those scenes. I just figured the stupider I looked and felt and the more embarrassed I was, the funnier it would be." Many of Jim's embarrassments are caused by the well-intentioned interference of his father, played by Eugene Levy.
"Working with Eugene was probably my biggest acting challenge on the movie, because it was very hard to keep a straight face during takes," said Biggs. "He's a comedic genius and it was a lot of fun feeding off of him and seeing what he would come up with next."
Original poster from Argentina
For Seann W. Scott, who plays the obnoxious high school rogue Stifler, he didn't have to conduct too much research. "We all know guys like Stifler," he said in an interview with Variety Weekly in 1999. "He's the guy that people hang around with because he's cool. Chicks dig him, he has great parties, but he just pisses you off. He was a great character to play because he says the things that most people might think but wouldn't have the guts to say." Scott was the filmmakers' first choice to play Stifler, largely because of his canny ability to lend some charm and appeal to a character that would have otherwise been blatantly offensive. "Because of Seann's performance, you sort of enjoy being with the character and he isn't quite so reprehensible," says Paul Weitz.
Stifler's polar opposite, played by Chris Klein, is Chris "Oz" Ostreicher, the popular high school jock. Genial and cocky, Oz is an athlete who views the world in terms of winning and losing, but soon realizes he must revise his game plan. In order to score with the opposite sex, he must adopt a more sensitive alter ego. Casting the role of Oz was tricky, since the producers had to find a character who the audience would believe is popular, but still a virgin. This made the role most appealing to Klein, but he was also drawn for other reasons. Klein said, "While the movie does have a lot of sex in it, it also brings to light the importance of relationships, the relationship between the four best friends and their bond, as well as the relationship between couples. In the beginning of the movie, it seems like it's only about sex, but in the end, it gives a very specific message."
Rounding out the group of friends is the eccentric Finch, a droll, mochachino-drinking philosopher with some serious issues, played by Eddie Kaye Thomas. Thomas explained, "He's one of those kids who is beyond his years in many ways. He sees the world completely different from everyone else, and he's got a lot more going on in his mind than people know." "Eddie Kaye Thomas really understood Finch's idiosyncratic humor. Eddie is also an incredible physical comedian, which he used to great effect," Paul Weitz added. According to Thomas, "I'd never seen a character like him in any other teenage movie. I really think he could become an archetype for this genre. You know, he's unusual but he's not a nerd at all, not an outcast. He's likable but hard to get to know, which is why he is so interesting."
The character who catalyzes the pact between the four friends is Sherman (Chris Owen), or "The Sherminator" as he prefers to be called. "We had a lot of fun with Sherman," Paul Weitz recalls. "We had Chris do more and more vile things on every take of the scene where he is crowing over the girl he
supposedly had sex with. Chris is really funny, a terrific character actor and he always cracked us up."
In terms of the opposite sex, the cast was equally as impressive. Vicky (Tara Reid) and Jessica (Natasha Lyonne) play best friends. Vicky is in love with her boyfriend Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), but her idealistic expectations place a kink in the relationship. It was this dilemma which first attracted Reid to the role. She says, "The film deals with some of the issues that come up as you grow older and have to deal with boyfriends or girlfriends and peer pressure and sex. She wants everything to be perfect for their 'first time,' but eventually she realizes that in life, sometimes, you don't have to plan everything out, that you should go with how you feel and just live your life." Paul Weitz remarked, "Tara was smart and confident but also able to be vulnerable at the same time. Vicky has decided to draw the line at a certain point, in terms of sex, so we needed someone who was not so wimpy that you wouldn't think she was capable of making decisions for herself but didn't appear so worldly that you wouldn't believe she hadn't lost her virginity yet."
Vicky does have some help in making up her mind, through the character of Jessica (Natasha Lyonne), the worldly voice of sexual wisdom. Ironically, as Lyonne pointed out, for someone who is readily dispensing advice, Jessica is single herself. "She always offers Vicky advice on what to do with Kevin and sex, and she seems to have experience, but you never really know. All she does is talk about it. She's the omniscient voice of sexual matters but possibly inexperienced herself," Lyonne says. Lyonne, who starred in Slums of Beverly Hills as a teenager who was more mature than the adults around her, found this contradiction in her character's persona most attractive. For Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), who plays the nerdy band member, American Pie was a chance for her to play a role far removed from that of her character Willow on WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. "I guess you would say that she's a band geek. She plays the flute and all she can talk about is band camp, but you find out she has this secret wild side," said Hannigan. She adds, "One of her quirks was to phrase every sentence in the cadence of a question ('This one time, at band camp...'), and it became this sort of sing-song thing on the set. Occasionally, I'd continue to talk like that off-camera and I'd want to shoot myself, it was so annoying."
Mena Suvari plays Heather, the angelic co-ed who sings in the school choir. Heather becomes the object of Oz's affections, but she is able to introduce him to the realm of romance. Suvari sees the movie as her character would, less about sex and more about love. "It's about the importance of true love, at least that's what Heather believes and that's what she ends up teaching Oz," Suvari said. "She helps him find himself, in a way. American Pie was shot on locations across Los Angeles. From Long Beach to downtown, from a lakeside cottage in Westlake Village to soundstages in Sun Valley. Because the film takes place in Michigan, each location had to be devoid of palm trees and the Spanish, mission-style architecture- so prevalent in southern California. Fortunately, the produeers were able to find a variety of Midwestern looking homes for this purpose. Two high schools in Long Beach, California, served as the sets for the fictional East Great Falls High.
American Pie 2 U.S. one sheet poster
Universal Pictures reunited the entire ensemble cast of the original comedy for American Pie 2 taking "the next step" into the fringes of adulthood. After their first year apart at college, the guys (Kevin, Jim, Oz, Finch and Stifler) rent a beach house, vowing to celebrate their friendship and make this the best summer ever. But, as always, whether their dreams come true or not is ultimately up to the girls (Vicky, Michelle, Nadia, Heather and Jessica). Through one boisterous summer of ear-splitting parties, side-splitting mishaps and a trip to band camp, the gang discovers that times change and people change, but friendship lasts a lifetime. American Pie 2 also reunited the original creative team of American Pie with Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz and Adam Herz returning as executive producers and Warren Zide, Craig Perry and Chris Moore producing the film. J.B. Rogers directed American Pie 2 from a screenplay by Herz, with a story by David H. Steinberg and Herz.
The behind-the-camera team this time included director of photography Mark Irwin, production designer Richard Toyon, editors Larry Madaras and Stuart Pappe, composer David Lawrence and costume designer Alexandra Welker. Jane Barteleme and Chris Bender co-produced the film. Gary Jones and Dave Jordan were the music supervisors. American Pie 2 was filmed in Southern California for 10 weeks. To the many fans of American Pie, a sequel might have seemed a no-brainer. Yet it was a decision the filmmakers approached with care and thoughtful planning. "We were all very proud of what we were able to do with American Pie, and we didn't want to make a sequel if we couldn't do justice to the original," said producer Chris Moore. "So we made a pact of our own, that if we were going to do American Pie 2, we needed to get it right." For the filmmakers, the biggest challenge in "getting it right" was bringing the original cast back together. "People have so much affection for that ensemble, and their chemistry is what gives the characters so much humanity," Moore continued. "Without this group of actors, it'd be just 'American Pie: The New Batch.'"
The cast on break
That ensemble features Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth, Alyson Hannigan, Chris
Klein, Natasha Lyonne, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Chris Owen, Tara Reid, Seann William Scott, Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Eugene Levy. "Having the original cast gave us the freedom to do more than just tread water with the storyline," said producer Craig Perry. "It would have been easy, but ultimately dull, to rehash the same gags in a different setting - 'American Pie Goes Hawaiian.' Adam wrote a script that not only captures the innocence and humanity of the original, but actually shows you how our characters have evolved since the last time we saw them." Biggs agreed."It did feel daunting to come back and try to do it again," he said, "but Adam Herz did an amazing job with this script. We're all put in situations that are believable for our characters, so from the first day of rehearsal, we literally picked up right where we left off." Hannigan savored the reunion. "As soon as we were together, it felt as if no time had passed," she said. "I love working with Jason. He's a lot of fun and doesn't care how foolish he looks. I don't think either one of us does really. It's wonderful to have that freedom." Herz and the filmmakers chose to keep American Pie 2 close to its roots. "Friendship is the essential ingredient of American Pie," said Herz. "The humor comes from the friendships we all make growing up, the people you first fall in love with, the friends who've seen you make a complete fool of yourself, the ones you hope you'll stay friends with forever."
"The characters in American Pie 2 are the same people we knew in the original," he continued, "except they're a little older, and they're starting to learn just how hard it can be to maintain friendships. Relationships take work. Love can be difficult. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it hurts, but ultimately it's the most rewarding thing there is." As with any comic confection, creating a successful American Pie 2 required a capable chef. The clear consensus for director was Rogers, who developed close
relationships with cast and crew as first assistant director on American Pie and made his directing debut on the Farrelly brothers' Say It Isn't So earlier this year. "J.B. was absolutely the most logical choice for director," declared Perry. "Not only because he is very talented, and not only because he's so close to the heart of American Pie, but because he has such a wonderful rapport with the actors. Plus, he knows the characters, he knows how to build the right timing, and he has a real sense of comedy." "I love J.B.," said Chris Klein (Oz and was one of the stars of Say It Isn't So). "He knows how to create a fun environment on his set, which really makes a difference with comedy."
Rogers envisioned American Pie 2 as an evolution of the first movie: "There's a rhythm and energy in the banter among the characters that we wanted to preserve the way they riff and play off each other. There are a lot of signature camera moves from the first movie. They're designed to help audiences feel like they're still in the same comic territory, even if people aren't consciously aware of them. At the same time, we wanted to use this as a taking-off point, to do entirely new things with the characters.
"Above all we did not want to get caught in a game of one-upsmanship with ourselves," Rogers emphasized. "You know, 'How can we top Jim on the pie? Maybe we could have four guys on a pie. So it always came back to bringing humor out of the characters, not just a string of gags. We wanted to capture as much of the spirit of the original as we could, and then let this movie its own magic."
American Pie 2 finds our heroes back in their Michigan hometown, rounded up for the first time since leaving for college. It's been a year since their famous prom night of sexual misadventure, and they still haven't fully recovered. On the heels of his latest
disastrous hook-up attempt, Jim (Biggs) makes the horrifying discovery that you can lose your virginity and still be a long way from suave. Good-natured Oz (Klein) must find ways to cope while his beloved Heather (Suvari) spends the summer abroad. Kevin (Nicholas) is trying to figure out whether he can be
friends with his former girlfriend Vicky (Reid), who has returned from college more bodacious than ever. Budding connoisseur Finch (Thomas) is still reeling from his previous infamous billiard-table rendezvous with the woman of his fantasies, Stifler's Mom.
American Pie 2 brings the guys and girls to a familiar setting, a summer beach house. "We wanted to build the comedy around situations everyone can relate to," said Herz. "Everyone knows what it's like trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. And everybody's been through that break-up where you don't know how to deal with your ex. So now Oz is learning just what commitment means while Kevin is realizing how difficult it can be to be friends with someone you used to be in love with. The humor is all about making these guys squirm." As in the original American Pie, while the guys keep score in the
Game of Love, it's the girls who make the rules. "Girls tend to get sidelined in a lot of movies about young people, observed Natasha Lyonne, who played Jessica, Vicky's level-headed friend and adviser. "Either they're naked, they're getting chased by a maniac with a knife or both! The women in this movie want exactly what the guys want. They want to have fun and they want adventure. They're ready for shenanigans with the guys, but they're not about to be taken for granted." The sexual politics of American Pie 2 are summed up in the "Rule of Three," which both the guys and girls cite in comparing notes on their love lives. "Adam Herz does a great job of playing with the games guys and girls play to protect their reputations," said Thomas Ian Nicholas. "For women, the Rule of Three is that guys always exaggerate, so if he says he's slept with three girls, it's really only one -at best. Meanwhile, the guys have their own version. If a girl says she's slept with one guy, you know it's really three. In the end, both sexes realize all the game-playing is just that. You forget about keeping score and just learn to be who you are."
American Pie 2 takes the female characters through some changes, too. Romantic Vicky (Reid) is more experienced now and less idealistic than before. Without losing her spacey charm or her take-charge manner, Michelle (Hannigan) shows a more down-to-earth compassion for Jim. Heather (Suvari) is eager to see what the wide world has to offer her. Jessica (Lyonne) remains the most grounded member of the group. "The women in American Pie and its sequel are in charge of their sexual energies," proclaimed Perry. "They have goals of their own, and they set the terms of their relationships. When we meet them this lime around, they have become very demonstrative and confident, and the guys are struggling to catch up - just like real life! "Comedy in American Pie 2 is never mean-spirited," Perry continued. "You laugh out of embarrassment for these guys because, lord knows, you've been there. So we give you the hijinks, along with the sweetness and the innocence behind the laughs."
Still, it wouldn't be American Pie 2 if the summer fun didn't get a little down and dirty. "The beach house is an accident waiting to happen, and it does," said Moore. "You will find out what
really goes on at band camp. And there will be Super Glue. The rest I leave to your imagination."
At the heart of American Pie 2 are four archetypal young men who remain close friends in spite of their differences. "Kevin is the ringleader," said Herz, "Jim's the guy you always know is going to screw things up, Oz is the romantic, and Finch is basically a mystery." The summer reunion of Kevin and Vicky begins with a "near-miss-kiss." "She goes for the cheek, he goes for the lip, and they land in this very awkward, off-center kiss," said Perry. "You can tell that for her, it's friendly, no big deal. For him, it's something more - or he wants it to be. It's the kind of moment that actors make or break. In this case, they nailed it." For Nicholas, friendship, onscreen and off, is the reason it all works. "When you see the characters having fun, playing off each other, that's us," he explained. "We come back to American Pie 2 the same way our characters do, we're already friends, and we're seeing where life has taken us in the last year or so."
American Pie 2 lobby cards
Jim, the endearing but sexually hopeless comic protagonist finds that female friendship can be incredibly helpful. "Jim's greatest nightmare in the first movie was that he would die a virgin," said Biggs. "Now he's no longer a virgin, but he still doesn't have any sexual experience." Meanwhile, the girl of his internet fantasies, Czech exchange student Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) is coming back determined to finish what she started the year before. "Jim's life is one unbroken string of embarrassing moments," Biggs acknowledged. "Mortification. Utter mortification. Somehow, against what would seem impossible odds, he manages to play out every sexually humiliating experience of his life in full view of an audience." Desperate to confirm whether he's really as bad in bed as he fears, Jim returns to his one and only sexual partner - Michelle, the surprisingly assertive band geek. "Michelle is going to work long and hard to whip Jim into shape," promised Alyson Hannigan. "She will teach him what he needs to know to please a woman, and she will have fun doing it." Oz - a.k.a. "Nova," as in "Casanova" - fell in love with a girl outside his clique in American Pie and now has to do without her. "Heather is spending the summer abroad and Oz is suffering," said Klein. "The longer she's gone, the more inventive they're forced to become to keep that connection alive."
Finch, on the other hand, thrives on discipline. The self-described sophisticate and self-promoting ladies' man played by Eddie Kaye Thomas is studying the principles of Tantric sex. "His dream is to be reunited with Stifler's Mom as a master of sexual discipline, so he's studying eastern philosophy - saving his energies, as it were," said Thomas. "He's what you might call an extremely focused human being." The summer wouldn't be complete without Stifler, played by Seann William Scott. "In the first movie, Stifler was just a fun-loving jerk, and you were just waiting to see him get what was coming to him," Scott laughed. Will he get what he deserves this summer? Hmmm. That depends on your perspective. Besides Stifler's mom, the most important parental figure in American Pie and its sequel is Jim's loyal dad, played by Eugene Levy. "I had originally envisioned him as a stereotypical gruff, 1950's dad," said Herz. "But Eugene came in and gave him this bewildered, goofball quality. And the first time you see him and Jason together as father and son, you think -my God, that's the kind of father Jim would have to have to turn out the way he did." Rogers, the director, loved every minute of it. "You'd have to be crazy not to let Eugene play with his character," he said. "He's a genius of improv and brings something new and funny to every single take. Together, he and Jason were dynamic." For Levy, the key to understanding Jim's
dad is very simple. "The secret to this is that he loves his son, and will do right by him at any cost," said the actor. "Whenever he sees his son do something shocking, he thinks 'Well, this is my fault. I didn't explain the birds and the bees properly.'
Music has always been one of the kev measures of place, time and generation, and it defines the energy and emotion of American Pie 2 as surely as it did in American Pie. The soundtrack for American Pie 2, which included 15 tracks from some of the hottest young artists of the period and represented a microcosm of the music that would play from shopping mall parking lots, beachfont boomboxes and school parties. A newly recorded version of 3 Dcors Down's "Be Like That" was the first single (the original version appears on the band's "'five-times platinum CD, "The Better Life"). Also included were songs that were recorded for the soundtrack by Uncle Kracker, American Hi-Fi and Alien Ant Farm. Green Day's "Scumbag," was previously unavailabe in the U.S., along with cut5 by Blink 182, Sum 41 and Oleander. The music tracks also features songs by emerging artists Angela Ammons and MDFMK member Lucia, as we" as newcomers Flying Blind, Jettingham, Left Front Tire and The Exit.
Cast
Cast publicity still
Jason Biggs (Jim)
Jason Matthew Biggs became one of Hollywood's most talked-about young actors after American Pie was released in 1999. For his work in that film, he was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards: Best Comedic Performance and Best Breakthrough Male Performance. He was also nominated for a Blockbuster Award and a Movieline Magazine Award. His film credits also include Saving Silverman, the Amy Heckerling-directed Loser and the romantic comedy Boys and Girls. Biggs can next be seen opposite Christina Ricci in the film adaptation of Elizabeth Wurtzel's best-selling biography, Prozac Nation. His past television credits include starring roles in DrexeTs Class and Total Security. His portrayal of Pete Wendall on the soap-opera As The World Turns brought him several nominations, including the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series.
Jason Biggs publicity still
The Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey native began acting at the age of five, with national commercials and modeling. At age 13, he made his Broadway debut opposite Judd Hirsch in the critically acclaimed Broadway play Conversations with My Father. Since the American Pie series, Biggs gained fame on the Great White Way when he starred in the Broadway revival of The Graduate, playing the role that Dustin Hoffman made famous. The show played sold-out status for many months. On television, he starred in Drexell's Class, a 1991 series. He also starred in the television series "Mad Love" in 2011, playing 13 episodes. His later film roles included Eight Below, My Best Friend's Girl and the upcoming American Reunion.
Jason Biggs
Shannon Elizabeth (Nadia)
Sweet and sexy Czech exchange student Nadia enjoyed being the object of Jim's (and every other heterosexual male's) burning fantasies. Even though her last romantic rendezvous with Jim ended with unexpected exposure on the Internet and her getting deported, she's still willing to give Jim another shot at storming the Czech Republic. Elizabeth, a native of Texas, has worked in film and television and on stage. Her breakthrough film role was Nadia in American Pie. Her screen credits also include Scary Movie, Dish Dogs and Tomcats. She can be seen in the remake of William Castle's 1960 thriller 13 Ghosts opposite F. Murray Abraham and Tony Shalhoub and in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. She is in pre-production on four films including "Cunning Little Vixen" and "A Green Story" which co-stars Malcolm McDowell and Billy Zane. The actress was named Female Star of Tomorrow at the ShoWest convention. The Hollywood Film Festival will also honored her with the Hollywood Break-Through Performance Award. Elizabeth co-founded with actor Joseph D. Reitman Animal Avengers, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and care of animals in need.
Alyson Hannigan (Michelle)
Hannigan is best-known from her role on the cult television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Hannigan portrayed Willow Rosenberg, Buffy's best friend and confidant. Her character has developed throughout the seasons, from high school computer geek to young college student exploring her sexuality, as well as her witchcraft. Born in Washington, D.C., Hannigan moved to Atlanta at age two. She began her career there appearing in national commercials. At age 11, she moved to Los
Angeles. Her breakthrough came two years later when she was cast as Dan Ackroyd's misunderstood daughter in My Stepmother Is an Alien.She later had roles in "Date Movie" and "Love Wedding Marriage."
Chris Klein (Oz)
Klein made his professional acting debut opposite Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon in "Election," Alexander Payne's satirical comedy set in an Omaha high school. Born in the Chicago suburbs, Klein had moved to Omaha at age 13. During his senior year, Klein literally bumped into Payne as he was scouting Klein's high school as a possible location for Election. After an audition, Payne cast him as Paul Metzler, an easy-going football star with a broken leg who runs for student council president. Klein received a Chicago Film Critics nomination as Most Promising Newcomer for his performance. Election won Independent Spirit Awards for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, and was nominated for the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay. Klein next starred in the 1999 box-office hit American Pie, then starred opposite Leelee Sobieski and Josh Hartnett in the romantic drama "Here on Earth" and with Heather Graham in the comedy "Say It Isn't So." He was then seen in the Vietnam War picture "We Were Soldiers," opposite Mel Gibson, Dylan Walsh, Barry Pepper and Madeleine Stowe, and in director John McTiernan's update of the 1975 film "Rollerball."
The cast then and now
Natasha Lyonne (Jessica)
Lyonne received praise from critics and audiences as Vivian, the precocious young heroine of "Slums of Beverly Hills." Her next role was Jessica in American Pie. She has also starred in Scary Movie 2, Detroit Rock City, Confessions of a Trick Baby and But I'm a Cheerleader.
She had roles in "Kate & Leopold" and the independent films "Night at the Golden Eagle," "Zig-Zag," "Fast Sofa," "The Grey Zone," "Comic Book Villains" and "Plan B." She began her professional career at age six starring as Opal in the original Pee-Wee's Playhouse. After a stint on As The World Turns, she made her feature film debut as Meryl Streep's niece in the Mike Nichols film "Heartburn." Other film credits include Woody Allen's musical "Everyone Says I Love You" and the vampire thriller "Revenant." Following the first three American Pie movies, Natasha played the voice of Loretta in "Robots" and played in "Jelly," "Hetrosexuals," and 2011's "4:44 Last Day on Earth." She is currently in pre-production on "Clutter," A Table Ten Films production and "Imogene" set for release this year from Maven Pictures.
Thomas Ian Nicholas (Kevin)
Thomas Ian Nicholas began his career when he was seven years old portraying a young Tony Danza on the series "Who's the Boss?" Since his debut, he has gone on to star in feature films including "Rookie of the Year," "A Kid in King Arthur's Court" and its sequel, "A Kid in Aladdin's Palace." He starred in Halloween: The Homecoming opposite Busta-Rhymes, Tyra Banks, Sean Patrick Thomas and Jamie Lee Curtis, and "Falling Off the Verge." His television credits include a guest-starring story arc on the last season of Party of Five and recurring roles on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and Santa Barbara.
Nicolas also writes, sings and plays guitar for the band The T.I.N.men. The band released its
first album, "Something More," in 1998. He also released a solo project. He will star in "The Stone Pony" for Raging Bull Productions in 2013 which is currently in production.
The cast then and now
Tara Reid (Vicky)
Stylish and assertive Vicky is reunited with her former love Kevin after her first liberating year at college. Having outgrown fairy-tale fantasies about love and sex, she's now looking forward to building a real friendship with Kevin - until both of them realize they've got unfinished business to resolve from their high school romance. Reid, who started acting in television commercials, got her first big break in 1995 with a recurring role on the daytime drama, "Days of Our Lives." Her first important film role came three years later, in Joel and Ethan Coen's "The Big Lebowski," opposite Jeff Bridges and John Goodman. But it was her portrayal of level-headed Vicky in American Pie that brought her true stardom. Reid's film credits also include Robert Altman's "Dr. T and the Women," "Around the Fire," "Body Shots," "Girl," "Cruel Intentions" and "Urban Legend." She starred as Melody, the latter-day flower child in "Josie and the Pussycats," and in "Just Visiting," opposite Jean Reno and Christina Applegate. She played in "Van Wilder: Party Liaison" and "The Fields" in 2011. She played in eleven episodes of the television series "Scrubs" from 2003-2005 and in 2011 played herself in eleven episodes of "Big Brother's Bit on the Side."
Seann William Scott (Stifler)
Stifler is still the bad boy you love to hate -but trust him at your own peril. Annoying as he is, the guy comes through when it counts - with cash on rent day for one thing, and with more party DNA in his veins than anybody has a right to. Scott, whose first major film role was in American Pie, starred in such box office hits as "Evolution," "Road Trip," "Dude Where's My Car?" and "Final Destination." He made a cameo appearance in Kevin Smith's "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." Scott made his dramatic debut starring in the independent feature "Stark Raving Mad" for producers John Baldecchi and Lawrence Bender. A native of Minnesota, he has appeared in several television movies and shows including "Born Into Exile," "Cribs" and "Something So Right." He has voiced Crash in "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and also voiced Skiff in "Planet 51." He will reprise his role from the Ice Age film in "Ice Age Continental Drift."
Publicity still for Sean William Scott
Mena Suvari (Heather)
Suvari made her feature film debut in Gregg Araki's film "Nowhere." She went on to appear in films such as "Kiss the Girls," "Slums of Beverly Hills" and "The Rage: Carrie 2" before portraying Heather in American Pie. She followed that role with a critically acclaimed performance in the Academy AwardŽ winning American Beauty. Suvari teamed up with Jason Biggs in "Loser," and went on to star in the high school cheerleading bank-heist movie Sugar & Spice. She was seen in the period adventure "The Musketeer" starring opposite Catherine Deneuve, Stephen Rea, Tim Roth and Justin Chambers. She co-starred in the independent feature "Spun" in which she plays a young woman addicted to crystal meth. She has had roles in "Rumor Has it" and "The Day of the Dead." She will be seen in "The Knot" this year from Unstoppable Entertainment.
Eddie Kaye Thomas (Finch)
Thomas, who is most widely recognized from his memorable performance as Finch in American Pie, next had a role in "Taboo," directed by Max Makowski and co-starring Nick Stahl and January Jones; the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck-produced "Stolen Summer," opposite Brian Dennehy, Aidan Quinn and Bonnie Hunt; and the coming-of-age comedy "Sheer Bliss." He co-starred in Tom Green's gross-out comedy "Freddy Got Fingered" and has also been featured in James Toback's "Black and White," "Carrie 2: The Rage," "More Dogs Than Bones," "Harvest," "Illtown," and "Mr. Jealousy." Thomas had a starring role in the NBC comedy Brutally Normal and has guest-starred on "Law & Order," "Felicity" and "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" Thomas began acting at the age of seven in his hometown of New York City and made his Broadway debut working with John Guare and Sir Peter Hall in the Lincoln Center production of "Four Baboons Adoring the Sun." His many stage credits include roles in "The Diary of Anne Frank," "Talking Pictures," "LaMiseria," and "Richard III." He has played roles in the Harold and Kumar movies as Rosenberg.
die K. Thomas and Tara Reid publicity still
Eugene Levy (Jim's Dad)
Levy began his career on the acclaimed comedy series "SCTV," starring for eight seasons and portraying a gallery of memorable characters, including Earl Camembert, Bobby Bittman, Alex Trebel and Stan Schmenge. Other television credits include "Hitler and Diller," "Mad About You," "The Drew Carey Show," Billy Crystal's "Don't Get Me Started," "Bride of Boogedy," "The Last Polka," "The Enigma of Bobby Bittman" (which he also wrote and directed), "Maniac Mansion" (which he produced), and Showtime's "Sodbusters" (which he co-wrote and directed). He starred in the series "Greg the Bunny." On screen, Levy has co-starred in Christopher Guest's "Best of Show" and "Waiting for Guffman," sharing writing credits on both films. His film credits also include "Almost Heroes," "Father of the Bride 2," "Multiplicity," "Once Upon A Crime" (which he also directed), "Stay Tuned," "Armed and Dangerous," "Club Paradise," "Splash," and "Running." He also played in all of the American Pie made-for-video sequels, voiced Lou in "Over the Hedge," the voice of Orrin in "Astro Boy" and is filming "Madea's Witness Protection" for release this year from Lionsgate.
The Filmmakers
J.B. Rogers (Director) made his directorial debut on "Say It Isn't So" after working with the Farrelly brothers as assistant director on "Dumb and Dumber," "Kingpin," "There's Something About Mary" and "Me, Myself & Irene." He also served as co-producer on the latter three projects. Rogers grew up in Indianapolis and attended Emory University in Atlanta. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a film career, first landing intern work with New World Pictures. He served as director Joe Dante's assistant on two features, "Innerspace" and The Burbs," before beginning an association with legendary filmmaker Roger Corman at Concorde/New Horizons, where Rogers worked in various capacities on several movies. He graduated to assistant director and, in addition to his work with the Farrellys, counts among his credits "Poison Ivy," "3 Ninjas," "Feeling Minnesota," "Beverly Hills Ninja" and 1999's blockbuster coming-of-age comedy American Pie, on which he also served as associate producer. For television, Rogers has worked as first assistant director on "The Sketch Artist," "Midnight Runaround" and "A Stranger in Town." He is co-producer of this year's "The Three Stooges" for 20th Century Fox and has five film productions in the works.
Director J>B>Rogers
Adam Herz (Screenwriter, Story, Executive Producer) made his feature film debut with American Pie, a project inspired by his Michigan upbringing. Herz moved to Los Angeles in 1996 after graduating from the University of Michigan and began working a string of production assistant jobs. In his spare time, he wrote the spec script that would ultimately become American Pie.
He wrote and executive produced Universal Studios' "Eastbound and Down," a project that reinvented the action-comedies of the 70's and 80's typified by films like "Smokey and the Bandit." In addition, with the wrapping of American Pie 2, Herz began scripting a new original comedy for Universal which marked his directorial debut. He is a writer on American Reunion.
Adam Herz
David H. Steinberg (Story) grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, entered Yale at age 16, and earned his law degree from Duke University, where he served as editor-in-chief of the law review. After four years of entertainment law in Atlanta and New York, he abandoned his legal career to attend USC's Peter Stark Producing Program. Steinberg's teen comedy script "Slackers" was released after American Pie 2. He was a writer on Dreamwork's "Puss in Boots" and is working on the screenplay of "Furry Friday."
David Steinberg
Warren Zide (Producer) partnered with Craig Perry in 1997 to form Zide/Perry Entertainment. He produced American Pie and several of the Final Destination films. Other produced films include "The Big Hit" and Repli-Kate." Zide/Perry Films' projects included the romantic drama "Henry's List Of Wrongs," as well as the urban comedy "Ain't No Body Like The One I Got." The company has numerous projects in development. Zide Management is one of the leading literary management firms in the business, having sold more than 60 spec scripts in less than 60 months. Zide represents many rising young screenwriters and directors, including Ben Ramsey , writer/director Mark Swift and Damian Shannon. Zide was named "One of the Top 100 People in Hollywood You Need to Know" by Fade-in Magazine and featured in The Hollywood Reporter's "Next Generation" issue. He was the youngest manager to appear in Weekly Variety's "Top 10 Spec Salesman" list.
Producer Warren Zide
Craig Perry (Producer) served as Vice President of Development for Scott Rudin Productions and Director of Development for Silver Pictures, where he worked closely with many of the industry's top filmmakers. He was an associate producer on the box office smash "The First Wives Club," and worked in developing many blockbusters over the past twenty years.
Producer Craig Perry
Chris Moore (Producer) was the founder and principal of Fusion Studios. At Fusion, he produced numerous successful feature films. Moore co-founded LivePlanet in June 2000 with Ben Affleck, Sean Bailey and Matt Damon with a desire to make great entertainment experiences that capitalized on an integration of technology and creativity. In his role as LivePlanet's Chief Executive Officer, Moore would oversee all of LivePlanet's business activities and lead the strategy and vision of the company. Moore also co-founded Launch Media, Inc.in 1994, where he developed a multimedia entertainment magazine entitled Launch. Launch Media, Inc. was sold in 2001 to Yahoo!. He began his career in entertainment in 1989 as a literary agent at International Creative Management. He represented numerous writers and directors in motion pictures, television, and new media.
Producer Chris Moore
Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz (Executive Producers) made their feature film debuts as directors on the hit teenage comedy American Pie. They were the creators and executive producers of the television series "Off-Center," a sitcom. The brothers previously wrote the screenplay for the computer-animated feature "Antz," and acted in "Chuck & Buck," director Miguel Arteta's follow-up to the critically-acclaimed "Star Maps." Born in New York, Paul and Chris come from a long line of Hollywood veterans. Their parents are fashion designer/writer John Weitz and former actress Susan Kohner who received an Academy AwardŽ nomination for "Imitation of Life." Their grandfather was the legendary agent and producer Paul Kohner, who represented directors such as John Huston, Billy Wilder, Ingmar Bergman and William Wyler.
Paul and Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a degree in film. During his last year, his play "Mango Tea" with Marisa Tomei and Rob Morrow was produced by New York's Ensemble Studio Theater and performed off-Broadway. The Ensemble Studio Theatre also produced his next works "Captive and All for One," starring Calista Flockhart and Liev Schrieber. Chris Weitz earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in English literature from Cambridge University. He went on to work as a freelance journalist for various newspapers, including The Independent and The Sunday Times. Chris then decided to join the state department after passing the entrance examinations, but during the year he awaited the start of his tenure he wrote a screenplay with his brother with whom he had always collaborated creatively as a youth.
Mark Irwin, CSC/ASC (Director of Photography) was the cinematographer for J.B. Rogers's directorial debut, "Say It Isn't So," and also worked with Rogers on the Farrelly brothers films. Irwin began his career working with director David Cronenberg and was his cinematographer on many films. He won Best Cinematography Awards from the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. He won a fourth honor from the C.S.C. for the sports drama, "Youngblood." Irwin had more than 50 feature film and television projects in two decades behind the camera. He earned a Cable ACE Award nomination for his work on the TNT production, "Heat Wave."
Release/Sequels
Apart from the two theatrical sequels for American Pie (which included the third theatrical film, American Wedding) and the current American Reinion, Universal released four made-for-video sequels. These included American Pie Presents Band Camp, American Pie Presents Beta House , American Pie presents The Book of Love and American Pie Presents The Naked Mile . Although these sequels had different casts as the theatrical series, each one became a best-seller on home video and are in the top list of best-sellers for made-for-video releases. The budgets were smaller and most of the crew were different from the theatrical parallels.
The first American Pie was a dream come true for Universal, taking in $235 million in gross, $132 of which was from international screens. The home video release would earn almost as much as the theatrical gross taking in, so far, $178 million. The films continue to be popular and sell well on home video, and Universal is expecting the Blu-ray versions to add substantially to the home video revenue of the series. The reviews were mixed for all of the films, but that didn't stop the public's love affair with the series, which continues today. The final installment (according to Universal), American Reunion, opens April 6.
To discuss this and other Silver Screen columns, join us in The Silver Screen forum thread Here
All materials in this and other Silver Screen columns are copyright their respective studios, Blu-ray.com and the collection of Robert Siegel. Special thanks to Universal Pictures publicity for providing hard copy on rare interviews incorporated into this essay and for background information on the films. This edition all artwork, publicity and production photos/drawings original copyright Universal Pictures.
