Julia Stiles opened up about why she wanted to be in 10 Things I Hate About You, and we feel the exact same way

Twenty years after its release, 10 Things I Hate About You remains one of our favorite teen movies of the ’90s. That’s in no small part thanks to Kat Stratford, Julia Stiles’ fiercely feminist character who simply didn’t care about impressing boys, dressing in the coolest clothes, or finding a date for prom. We always admired Kat for her no-nonsense approach to life, and it turns out that Stiles felt the same way.
In a new interview with InStyle, Stiles explained exactly why she wanted to take on the role of Kat in the iconic teen comedy, and we fully relate.
"The reason that I wanted that part so badly was because I thought it was so refreshing, seeing a teenage girl be feisty and opinionated and be a fish out of water, but proudly, she told the magazine. “I think that I probably wasn't alone, and that's what other girls and women responded to, and the movie had a real bite to it."
Of course, there were no shortage of teen heroines on the big screen in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, but Kat (and 10 Things I Hate About You) will always hold a place in our feminist-loving hearts. Stiles, herself, totally gets it.
“I am really grateful for that experience, and I don’t take it for granted that people still care about a movie that came out 20 years ago. I see it as a positive thing,” she said.
Stiles has since starred in a slew of movies and TV shows, but we’re comforted to know she also thinks so fondly of her time as Kat Stratford. We think this calls for a re-watch, pronto—what do you say?