ADVERTISEMENT

.

CLASSIFIEDS CLICK HERE

• Jobs
• Housing
• Announcements

diversions update: movie review

While it is no small feat for a movie that is so wildly successful to spawn a sequel, it is somewhat rare that an entire cast of 11, not including all the bit players, to return to the scene of the crime, so to speak.

But that is exactly what has happened for "American Pie 2," which opens August 10. The film is a sequel to 1999's sleeper-hit that saw it's main character Jim (Jason Biggs) humping a pie and whose success caused a surge of teen centered films to get green-lighted by studios everywhere.

The cast which includes Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Tara Reid, Seann William Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Chris Klein recently sat down in Malibu Beach to their interpretation of what has changed since making the first one, their off-screen time and the possibility of yet another sequel.
Their year apart

"American Pie 2" takes place a year later when everybody has returned to their hometown in Michigan from college for their summer vacation. As in the movie, the cast got to spend extensive time together since the release of the original.

"There was about a minute and a half of awkwardness," said Eddie Kaye Thomas who plays Finch, the guy who successfully seduces Stifler's mom in the original. "Just the thought of it was much greater than actually getting together and just doing it."

Seann William Scott, who plays Stifler had a few more apprehensions than Thomas however.

Vivian Zink/ Universal Pictures Stifler (SEAN WILLIAM SCOTT) and Jessica are in the mood to party,

"I was really nervous. I remember I was doing "Final Destination" for the same producers that did 'American Pie' and even before it came out, they were telling me they were thinking of doing a sequel," said Scott. "I just wanted to make sure that the elements were right like they were in the first one and make sure that everybody was excited and doing it for the right reasons."

Since there were so many stars on the set of "American Pie 2" you might expect for their to be ego war's or cat fights, but the cast all says that their friendship and camaraderie remained in tact.

"It was definitely different," said Biggs. "We all have a better understanding of the business, you know the first time around we were a little wet behind the ears. We all changed but it's not for the worse. Our personalities are the same and our friendships and relationships are the same."
Boys will be boys

Sometimes it gets a little boring on a movie set. Fortunately, for the guys in the film, entertainment was waiting just next door at a strip club.

"The first day of rehearsal we were talking and catching up and telling stories about our different experiences and being in this city and strip clubs," said Thomas Ian Nicholas, better known as Kevin, the jilted boyfriend trying to deal with his girlfriend Vicky in their new found friend zone. "So when it came around to me I had to admit that I didn't have a story because I had never been to one before. So, JB (director JB Rogers) said 'it's 11:30 in the morning why don't we go right now.' So we went and had lunch."

Facetiously Eddie Kaye Thomas admitted that those strip club meetings were very productive.

"We went there to really discuss the movie, you know, get a real hands on feeling for the piece we were about to embark on and just all around focus on the job that needed to be done," said Thomas.

Despite all the good times though, there is some debate about what exactly the name of the strip club was.

"I heard stories about guys going on lunch to this strip club on the corner called Déjà vu," said Thomas Ian Nicholas.

Eddie Kaye Thomas emphatically disagreed however.

"Foreplay," said Thomas. "It was definitely, definitely Foreplay no matter what anyone else says."

And The Girls?

It is quite rare to find an ensemble cast that gets along as well as the cast of "American Pie 2." Even more rare has been their ability to avoid being in the tabloids, well all except for one anyways.

Tara Reid has recently been in the news, first for her recent break-up with MTV personality Carson Daly and then in regards to her publicist's alleged recent run-in with the law and 16 or so innocent bystanders.

"Me and Carson are definitely over, I'm a free bird and I'm dating now," said Reid when asked if there was anything she wanted to clear the air about while she had the chance. "I don't think there's anything else that I need to say."

While the boys spent all their time at the strip club, the girls spent their time a little differently. Reid was filming two other films, Natasha Lyonne was hanging out in their "70s trailer" and "Buffy" star Alyson Hannigan was getting jealous.

"The boys are the boys and they really have their little group and they didn't invite the girls to the strip club, so I was in my trailer reading," she said. "I like going to strip clubs they're fun. I think most of my birthday parties have been at a strip club ? they have the best music there."

American Pie 3?

While there is a long line of films who should not have made sequels or prequels, it seems a sure fire bet that "American Pie 2" will do well at the box office, despite having to compete against another sequel "Rush Hour 2" and Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes."

With its anticipated success you could only assume that a part three is already in the works. But, when asked if this possibility pleases or excites its stars answers ranged from Tara Reid's, "I don't know, let's see how two does first," to Eddie Kaye Thomas' "I don't have a choice I'm contractually obligated."
Thomas though is the only cast member who carries that obligation.

"I really would hope that they would bring back Adam Herz, the writer because I think what made the movie funny in the first place was that it was a really funny script," said Thomas. "But, the truth of the matter is even if you wrote it I would still have to do it."

The expectations of a part three though could best be summed up by Chris Klein who plays the stereotypical jock turned sensitive guy Oz.

"It's so difficult to say anything about that right now because the second one hasn't even come out yet," he said. "You know there's nothing really to talk about, it's just one step at a time."

Oh and the Pie Guy

While all of the stars of "American Pie 2" have enjoyed superstardom since the release of the original, none have been better known as Jason Biggs and his relationships with pastries.

"Obviously I've been the pie guy for the last couple of years and I have a fairly good sense of humor about it," Biggs said of the last two years. "I'll never get rid of it, I would like to think that I would get past it."

The sequel is filled with even more embarrassing antics for Biggs' character Jim, who gets caught with some glue, so maybe this time around Biggs will be the glue guy.

"I'm the pie guy. Right on, it's all-good," said Biggs. "Am I ready to be the glue guy? Sure!"

Don't ask, some things you just have to see for yourself.

Alice Hall/ Universal Pictures

Kevin (THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS) checks out old flame Vicky (TARA REID) while Jessica (NATASHA LYONNE) looks on.

Heather (MENA SUVARI) and Oz (CHRIS KLEIN) are together again at the end of their freshman year.

Vivian Zink/ Universal Pictures

Oz and Vicky get to know each other better.

Stifler's mom (JENNIFER COOLIDGE) is still the ultimate as far as Finch (EDDIE KAYE THOMAS) is concerned.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

---

Search our site

ADVERTISING
ADMINISTRATION
DAILY 49ER ALUMNI
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE