‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Helped Eliza Dushku Land Missy in ‘Bring It On’

Bring It On became a fan-favorite film among many people after its release. The movie is more than 20 years old, and it helped bring fame to some rising stars. One of the actors was Eliza Dushku, who starred as the new girl Missy Pantone. She’s also known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Dushku’s career has earned her an impressive net worth. Her part in the film helped her land other high-profile roles. The main reason Dushku got the opportunity to play Missy is because of Buffy.

What has Eliza Dushku starred in (other than ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’)?

Dushku was born in Massachusetts, and she got into acting at a young age. Her first job was the lead role of Alice in the 1992 film That Night. She starred in This Boy’s Life alongside Leonardo DiCaprio the following year. She also appeared in True Lies in 1993. 

Many people recognize Dushku for her performance as Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She made her debut on the show in the third season. Her character was the focus of the season’s overall plot. She would return in later episodes and the spinoff Angel. 

Dushku later played Echo in Dollhouse. She also produced the show through her company Boston Diva Productions. Since then, Dushku has made appearances in other hit shows. She also lent her voice for a few video games. 

Faith helped Dushku become Missy

In Bring It On, Missy is a transfer student who applies to join the cheerleading team. She is the one to point out to Torrance that the squad stole moves from another group. Missy comes across as sarcastic and has a “too cool for school” vibe. She even wears a temporary tattoo that she wipes off. 

Her tattoo and attitude may feel similar to another one of Dushku’s characters. Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer tends to be impulsive and likes to party and let loose. She appears laid-back in contrast to Buffy. 

Viewers also have seen Faith sport tattoos. She uses unique phrases like “five by five.” According to BuzzFeed, Dushku’s portrayal of Faith helped her land the role of Missy. Director Peyton Reed felt that Dushku was the perfect fit for the sassy gymnast. 

“We knew we wanted Eliza because she’d been so great on Buffy,” Reed explained during an interview. “Eliza just was Missy.” 

What has Dushku been up to lately?

The last film Dushku was in was Eloise back in 2016, and she was Pia Carter. One of the actor’s most recent TV credits was for the show Bull in 2017. She appeared in the series for three episodes. As it turned out, the writers suddenly wrote her out during production. 

Dushku made sexual harassment allegations toward her male co-star. The accusations left her without a job, and her IMDb page does not list any upcoming projects. Dushku could be struggling to find gigs, or she might be taking a break from acting. 

According to Time, Dushku still wants to act but only on her terms. In 2019, the star revealed she went back to school at Lesley University. She had to hold off on her education when her career took off with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

Dushku has been focusing on other areas of her life, including growing her family. But she’ll always be Faith and Missy to her fans.