Tatyana Ali is marking the 26th anniversary of the cult classic “Jawbreaker” by opening up about her less-than-ideal experience on set.
On May 23, the 46-year-old actress posted a few throwback photos on Instagram from her time starring in the 1999 dark teen comedy, noting that she dealt with a bully while making the movie.
“I was the only one actually in high school when we shot this,” wrote Ali who was 16 at the time she was in the movie, adding how one actress in particular, whom she didn’t name, would bully her.
“But one day, she tried it in front of everybody… and [Rose McGowan]told her to stfu in front of everybody! I will always love her for that,” she continued with a saluting emoji.
In the comments McGowan said, “I’d do it again,” and Ali called the star “a real one!” McGowan added in another comment, “you are that forever combo – dignity, brains and beauty.”
Ali played Brenda in the cult classic film directed by Darren Stein that starred McGowan alongside Julie Benz and Rebecca Gayheart as teens navigating the pressures of high school amid the accidental death of their friend during a prank gone awry. The film also memorably stars Pam Grier as a detective hot on their trail.
In the years since the film was released, members of the cast and the director have discussed the competitive vibe that was fostered on the set.
Stein told Vice in 2016, “Whenever you have three girls and they’re playing the three b—-s of the school and they’re shooting a film in a compressed four weeks to shoot a movie — that tone affects the dynamic of the girls.”
Nearly ten years later, Gayheart and Benz gave their perspectives while in discussion with Evan Ross Katz for Interview magazine.
Benz recalled how the characters’ dynamics had a way of playing out on set during “such an intense shoot.”
Gayheart said, “Listen, I think if we were to do this now, it would be a very different vibe because, you’re right, women are supporting women. There’s not so much of that fierce, competitive, whatever. And I think if we had to do it over now, it would be similar in many ways, and it would be different in a few ways.”
