Main Cast and Character Roles
The 1999 romantic comedy 20 Things I Hate About You stars Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford and Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona. The film adapts Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and was produced by Touchstone Pictures, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Stiles and Ledger were relatively unknown before this project, which became a defining role for both actors Forbes.
Larisa Oleynik plays Bianca Stratford, Kat's younger sister, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Cameron, a freshman who pays Patrick to date Bianca. Larisa Oleynik later appeared in series such as The Secret World of Alex Mack, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt went on to star in films like Inception and Don Jon. Larry Miller portrays Walter Stratford, the overprotective father who enforces the no-dating rule for Kat.
Box Office and Production Details
20 Things I Hate About You was released in the United States on March 31, 1999, and grossed approximately $53.5 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $10 million. The film was directed by Gil Junger and written by Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith, who adapted the screenplay from Shakespeare's original play. The production was handled by Touchstone Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures, a division of The Walt Disney Company Box Office Mojo.
The soundtrack features songs by artists including Letters to Cleo and Cheap Trick, with the cover of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" becoming a notable track. The film was shot primarily in Seattle, Washington, with location filming at Stadium High School in Tacoma, which served as the fictional Padua High School. The movie's success helped establish a template for modern teen Shakespeare adaptations in Hollywood.
Post-Film Careers and Legacy
Heath Ledger became one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, earning a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight in 2009. Julia Stiles continued acting in films such as Save the Last Dance and Mona Lisa Smile, and later starred in the television series Homeland IMDb. Joseph Gordon-Levitt built a career in both film and television, including his directorial debut with Don Jon in 2013.
The film has maintained cultural relevance through streaming platforms and social media, with clips and quotes frequently shared online. In 2024, the movie remains a reference point for teen rom-coms and Shakespeare adaptations. A stage musical adaptation has been discussed in industry reports, and the original film is frequently cited in analyses of 1990s teen cinema The Hollywood Reporter.