Julia Stiles: ‘Slimy’ Pool Table Dance in ‘Down to You
Julia Stiles on “Down too You”: A rom-Com Regret?
Table of Contents
- Julia Stiles on “Down too You”: A rom-Com Regret?
- Julia Stiles on “down to You”: A Rom-Com Retrospective
- “Down to You”: Why Does julia Stiles Regret This rom-Com?
- What Exactly Did Julia Stiles Say About Down to You?
- What is Down to you About?
- What Was Harvey Weinstein’s Role in Down to You?
- What Was the “Slimy” Scene Julia Stiles Disliked in Down to You?
- How Does Julia Stiles’ 2019 Reflection Add Context?
- What Other Actors Starred in Down to You?
- What is Julia Stiles’ Opinion of Harvey Weinstein?
- What Were Some Key Milestones in Julia Stiles’ Early Career?
- Down to You:* film Details
Julia Stiles, known for her roles in iconic films, has expressed reservations about one particular movie in her filmography. She considers it a contender for the “worst movie ever made,” and surprisingly,it’s one of her own.
Stiles Voices Disappointment on Podcast
During an appearance on Brett Goldstein’s Films to be Buried With podcast, the Ted lasso star asked Stiles for her pick for the worst film. Stiles didn’t hesitate, volunteering, “one of my own movies actually, that I think was executed very poorly.”
The Movie in Question: “Down to You”
The film Stiles identified was the 2000 romantic comedy Down to You, which also starred Freddie Prinze Jr. The movie centers on college students Al and Imogen,played by Prinze Jr. and Stiles, respectively, who fall in love but struggle with commitment, leading them down separate paths. according to IMDb, the film was directed by Kris Isacsson and also featured Selma Blair and Shawn Hatosy.
Stiles explained the context of the film’s creation: “It was a time when teen romcoms were really popular,and the director wrote the script. he was a first-time director and he was a very, very intelligent, capable guy.The script was very good.” Though, she added a crucial turning point: “And then Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it.”
Weinstein’s Influence and a “Slimy” Scene
Down to You, released in January 2000, fits the mold of a Y2K-era rom-com, complete with a notable soundtrack and a supporting cast including Rosario Dawson, selma Blair, and Henry Winkler. One scene involves Stiles’ character dancing on a pool table to Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”
Stiles believes this scene was a forced addition. She stated that “because of the success of Save the Last Dance, or the success of 10 Things I Hate About You, with me dancing on the pool table, he needed to have me dancing in the film.” She saw it as a “dumb” attempt to “capitalize on this trend.”
The actress didn’t enjoy filming the scene. “I felt so slimy doing it the whole time,” she admitted. “It was annoying. Because I was like, ‘Well, this is so cheap, and it’s not adding to the story.'”

Reflecting on “Down to You” in 2019
In 2019, Stiles reflected on Down to You, noting Weinstein’s meddling. “The movie changed a lot from the development process to the finished product,” she said. She recalled that writer-director “Kris Isacsson had a vision for it that was a lot darker, so I remember thinking it was really mature. Then Harvey Weinstein and Miramax ended up producing it and turned it into a movie that was much more of a commercial, upbeat romantic comedy, for better or worse.”
Weinstein’s Downfall
Stiles starred in several Miramax films early in her career. Disney sold the Weinstein brothers’ company in 2010, and allegations against harvey Weinstein surfaced in 2017.
Numerous actresses,including Ashley Judd,Annabella Sciorra,and Ellen Barkin,came forward with accusations. In 2020, Weinstein was found guilty
of rape in the third degree and a criminal sex act in the first degree. As of 2025, he is being held at the Rikers Island jail complex.
Julia stiles’ Early Career
- Began acting at age 11
- Film debut at age 15 in I Love You, I Love You Not (1996)
- Lead role in Wicked (1998), winning Best Actress at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival
Julia Stiles on “down to You”: A Rom-Com Retrospective
Julia Stiles, a celebrated actress known for her diverse roles, has openly discussed her mixed feelings about the 2000 romantic comedy, Down to You. This Q&A explores her reflections on the film,the influence of Harvey Weinstein,and its place in her career.
“Down to You”: Why Does julia Stiles Regret This rom-Com?
Stiles views Down to You as a film that was poorly executed, making it a contender for her personal “worst movie ever made.” Her disappointment stems from the changes made to the original script and the forced inclusion of scenes that felt out of place.
What Exactly Did Julia Stiles Say About Down to You?
during an interview on Brett Goldstein’s Films to be Buried With podcast,when asked about her worst movie,Stiles immediately mentioned “one of my own movies actually,that I think was executed very poorly,” referring to down to You.
What is Down to you About?
Down to You is a 2000 romantic comedy starring Julia Stiles and Freddie Prinze Jr. It follows Al (Prinze Jr.) and Imogen (Stiles), two college students in New York City who fall in love. The film explores thier relationship as they navigate the challenges of commitment and ultimately go their separate ways. According to IMDb, the film was directed by Kris Isacsson and also featured Selma Blair and Shawn Hatosy.
What Was Harvey Weinstein’s Role in Down to You?
Julia Stiles has indicated that Harvey Weinstein’s involvement substantially altered the direction of Down to You.She explained the script was originally good, but “then Harvey Weinstein got his hands on it.” She believes Weinstein transformed what could have been a darker, more mature film into a more commercial, upbeat romantic comedy.
What Was the “Slimy” Scene Julia Stiles Disliked in Down to You?
Stiles specifically disliked a scene where her character dances on a pool table to Al Green’s “let’s Stay Together.” She felt this scene was a forced addition to capitalize on the success of her previous films, Save the Last Dance and 10 Things I Hate About You, where she also had dancing scenes. She felt the scene was “cheap” and “not adding to the story.”
How Does Julia Stiles’ 2019 Reflection Add Context?
In 2019, Stiles elaborated on Weinstein’s influence, stating that the writer-director Kris Isacsson ”had a vision for it that was a lot darker, so I remember thinking it was really mature.” This confirms that the final product significantly deviated from the original intent.
What Other Actors Starred in Down to You?
Besides Julia Stiles and Freddie Prinze Jr., Down to You featured:
Rosario Dawson
Selma Blair
Henry winkler
Shawn Hatosy
What is Julia Stiles’ Opinion of Harvey Weinstein?
Julia Stiles has not made any public statements regarding Harvey Weinstein’s conviction. The article does,however,highlight that she starred in several Miramax films early in her career,and that Miramax was the film production company formerly owned by Harvey Weinstein. The article also provides factual details regarding the numerous allegations against Harvey Weinstein that surfaced in 2017 and his conviction in 2020.
What Were Some Key Milestones in Julia Stiles’ Early Career?
Julia Stiles began acting at a young age, with some early career highlights:
Age 11: Began her acting career.
1996: Made her film debut at age 15 in I love You, I Love you not.
1998: Played the lead role in Wicked, winning Best Actress at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Down to You:* film Details
| Attribute | Detail |
| —————- | ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– |
| release Year | 2000 |
| Genre | Romantic Comedy |
| Main stars | Julia Stiles, Freddie Prinze Jr.|
| Supporting Cast | rosario Dawson, Selma Blair, Henry Winkler, Shawn Hatosy |
| Director | Kris Isacsson |
| Production Co. | Miramax (under Harvey Weinstein’s influence) |
| Plot Summary | Two college students, Al and Imogen, fall in love but struggle with commitment. |
| Stiles’ Critique | Felt the film was poorly executed due to studio interference, particularly Harvey Weinstein, and forced comedic elements that detracted from the original, more mature vision. She considered it ”slimy”. |
