‘Clueless’: The Sexist Reason the Movie Almost Didn’t Happen
Clueless is a 90s classic. This is not up for debate. Cher Horowitz single-handedly changed fashion, causing people around the world to own at least one yellow plaid outfit in their closet at all times. Because of this movie, phrases such as “Total betty” and “As If!” are a part of our everyday vocabulary. The film is as popular now as it was when it came out in 1995, and the fact that it is currently on Netflix makes us feel complete. Yet Alicia Silverstone has recently revealed that the movie wasn’t going to happen at all. (The reason behind it is pretty sexist.) Keep reading to find out why.
‘Clueless’ is a cultural reset
We’re not exaggerating when we say Clueless is a cultural recent. Think about it. In the early 1990s, grunge was the biggest trend. Because pop culture legends such as Kurt Cobain, Gwen Stefani, and Winona Ryder were at the top of the world at this point, their grunge aesthetic became all the rage. Everyone wore boyish clothing, baggy pants, and black chokers. As cool as this look was, (and remains,) Cher Horowitz and her best friend Dionne low-key changed fashion in the 90s and onwards. Seemingly overnight, clothes went from solid black to pink and fluffy.
In a segment with Vogue, Silverstone comments on how much fashion and style dramatically changed after Clueless. She says the 90s look transformed overnight from “grunge” to “girly.” Sometimes a movie alone can determine what is trendy. Clueless, of course, managed to do this with the incredible outfits throughout the film.
The sexist reason Alicia Silverstone’s movie almost didn’t happen
We would be totally buggin’ without a movie as awesome as Clueless in our lives. How would we get by without Cher’s hilarious slang or Dionne’s killer outfits? What would we do without 90s-era Paul Rudd looking all starry-eyed and baby-faced? A world without Clueless would be a full-on Monet. “From far away, it’s OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess.”
Well, as it turns out, the studio that planned to produce Clueless decided to turn it down. Why? Because the producers (wrongfully) assumed that no one would want to see a movie “about a girl.” Um. Excuse me? As if.
The Crush actress tells Variety, “I remember one studio said no to it. Because they didn’t think that anyone was interested in watching a movie about a young girl… And those people now kick themselves that they were not a part of that film. But the movie was set up at a studio, and we were all set to go there. And then they were like ‘we just don’t think anyone is gonna care… It’s not gonna sell tickets, for a young girl.’”
Luckily, Scott Rudin came in and said, “Absolutely, we are making this movie.”
Alicia Silverstone is incredibly proud of ‘Clueless’
Silverstone tells Variety that she is so grateful and proud of the movie. Recently, they screened the film at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. She says she surprised fans at the screening and even brought her son along to see it. The actress gushes that over 4,000 people showed up at the Hollywood Cemetery event, with tickets selling out immediately.
So much for the movie “not selling tickets!”
