Production Information
Welcome to the reunion of the Class of 1999 from East Great Falls High. In the
comedy American Reunion, all the American Pie characters we met a little more than a
decade ago return for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will
discover what has changed, who hasn’t and that time and distance can’t break the bonds
of friendship.
It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose
their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim (JASON BIGGS) and Michelle
(ALYSON HANNIGAN) married while Kevin (THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS) and Vicky
(TARA REID) said goodbye. Oz (CHRIS KLEIN) and Heather (MENA SUVARI) grew
apart, but Finch (EDDIE KAY THOMAS) still longs for Stifler’s Mom (JENNIFER
COOLIDGE). And Stifler (SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT) remains the same as he ever
was. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about—and get
inspired by—the hormonal teens they were.
Completing the core group returning for the long-awaited American Reunion are
comedy legend EUGENE LEVY as Jim’s Dad, NATASHA LYONNE as the sexuallywise Jessica, JOHN CHO and JUSTIN ISFELD as the world’s biggest MILF enthusiasts,
CHRIS OWEN as The Shermanator and SHANNON ELIZABETH as Jim’s first onscreen tryst, Nadia.
They are joined by a supporting group of actors new to the series: DANIA
RAMIREZ as Selena, the East Great Falls ugly duckling whom no one thought would
become so gorgeous; KATRINA BOWDEN as Mia, Oz’s vapid model girlfriend; CHAD
OCHOCINCO as himself, playing Oz’s on-air co-host; JAY HARRINGTON as Dr. Ron,
Heather’s pompous cardiologist boyfriend; ALI COBRIN as Kara, Jim’s sexy next-door
neighbor; and CHUCK HITTINGER as AJ, Kara’s idiot boyfriend.
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American Reunion is written and directed by JON HURWITZ & HAYDEN
SCHLOSSBERG (Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay), based on
characters created by ADAM HERZ (American Wedding). The comedy is once again
produced by CRAIG PERRY (American Pie series), WARREN ZIDE (American Pie
series), CHRIS MOORE (American Pie series) and Adam Herz.
Leading American Reunion’s behind-the-scenes team are director of photography
DARYN OKADA (Mean Girls, Baby Mama), production designer WILLIAM ARNOLD
(Magnolia, Last Holiday), editor JEFF BETANCOURT (Harold & Kumar Go to White
Castle, The Grudge), costume designer MONA MAY (Enchanted, The House Bunny)
and composer LYLE WORKMAN (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The 40-Year-Old
Virgin).
Executive producers for the comedy are LOUIS G. FRIEDMAN (American
Wedding), PAUL WEITZ (American Pie) and CHRIS WEITZ (A Better Life), Seann
William Scott and Jason Biggs.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Fans at the Helm:
American Reunion Begins
Producers Craig Perry, Warren Zide and Chris Moore have been with the
American Pie films since day one and were determined to give fans another glimpse into
the lives of the characters we have grown to love over the years. “Six years ago, I started
coming to Universal every six or nine months to pitch some version of the movie,” says
Moore. “Finally, the reunion idea caught on, and with the project greenlit, the challenge
was to see if all of the original cast members would be on board.”
“One of the great things about the American Pie franchise is that it speaks to
moments everyone can relate to,” reflects Perry. “We’ve come to know and love this
specific group of characters because they’ve gone through situations we can all identify
with, but the outcome with them is always much funnier and more outrageous. I think
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that’s the reason these movies have always been fan favorites and have become
something of classics.”
The filmmakers agreed that the only way to do justice to East Great Falls was to
ensure that the entire group returned for the reunion. Cast member after cast member
jumped at the chance to reunite with old friends. “It’s hard to believe that we first met
these characters 13 years ago,” reflects Zide. “It’s a testament to how beloved they have
become that all of our actors returned to revisit these career-defining roles. I’m as
excited as the rest of the audience to see them back together again.”
Once the American Pie family started to fall in place, the next thing the studio had
to do was to secure a writing/directing team willing to take on a sequel in an already
established franchise. “The issue with making a third sequel,” says Moore, “is that it’s
hard to get people who want to come to do it, because the characters have already been
created.”
Fortunately for the producers and Pie fans across the globe, Jon Hurwitz and
Hayden Schlossberg were more than up for the challenges. In fact, they were adamant
about getting the job. The writers of all three films in the Harold & Kumar series (and
directors of the second one), Hurwitz and Schlossberg were chomping at the bit to recreate the world of American Pie while bringing their trademark stamp to it. Both admit
that they have been die-hard fans of the series since their first viewings. They have lost
count of how many times they saw the first film when it came out in 1999.
“There were a lot of youth comedies then, but they were all PG-13,” Schlossberg
explains. “Jon and I always liked more outrageous comedy, and American Pie was the
first movie of our generation that had young people acting and talking like young people
in a real, risqué sex comedy. That was totally up our alley, and we loved it.”
Schlossberg and Hurwitz have been close friends since high school and have a
shared sense of humor. Offers Hurwitz: “We went to high school in a similar time as
these characters. For a lot of people our age, we feel like this was our high school. What
we loved about American Pie is the ensemble. It felt like you knew each and every single
one of these people, and we were able to connect with each character in a different way.”
The filmmaking partners believe that the secret to the series’ success is the
balance of big, outrageous comedy with relatable moments, all experienced by real
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characters. Adds Schlossberg: “The first film had a bunch of really dirty things, and yet,
while that’s happening, Chris’ and Mena’s characters have a love story. Tara’s character
was consumed with her ‘first time’ and waiting until her boyfriend says, ‘I love you.’
That’s what high school is. You have guys obsessed with sex, but then everyone is
consumed with relationships and love.”
“I get people who will say, ‘I’m the Jim in my group of friends’ or ‘I’m the
Stifler’ or ‘I’m like Oz,’” adds Moore. “American Pie defined this coming-of-age in
1999, and that coming-of-age was much more emotional than just hijinks.”
It was only a couple of hours after the producers and Universal execs met with
Schlossberg and Hurwitz that they decided to hire the two to write and direct the ultimate
installment in the franchise. The producers felt that the partners were a perfect fit for
American Reunion.
“I’ve known Jon and Hayden since they were in college,” remarks Perry. “In fact,
they submitted their first screenplay to me by cold calling the first assistant director on
American Pie and asking him to pass it along! I hired them to rewrite another project of
mine a few years after they moved to Hollywood. So having them write and direct this
latest installment of the Pie franchise is something akin to destiny. Their love and
passion for these movies has come full circle.”
“They play off of each other,” explains Moore. “You don’t have that normal thing
where the writer or the director goes away by themselves and comes back with ideas.
They actually worked any issue out through the filter of the other. Whoever had an idea
pitched it to the other one to get a read on it.
“We loved the Harold & Kumar movies, and luckily for us, Jon and Hayden were
big fans of American Pie,” he continues. “It was a great marriage of two paths. We
needed some new blood who were fans, understood the characters and really wanted to
work on the movie. They understand situational comedy, and they trust each other. They
can also separate, so you can shoot more because you have two people at different places
working.”
The two men agreed with the producers that it was vital to the premise to get all
of the main cast members and as many of the supporting players back as possible. They
appreciated being given a template while also being allowed to bring new characters into
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the mix. Reflects Hurwitz: “Universal saw that we were legitimate, huge fans of
American Pie, and so putting us at the helm was basically like putting the fans in charge.”
“You don’t see this usually,” adds Schlossberg, “especially when it’s been over
10 years since the first movie came out. You’ll sometimes see that on a television show
where they have a big reunion episode, but in movies you rarely do. They’ll recast
characters. To see the original actors playing those characters again is just a complete
trip. It’s like you’re literally going to a high-school reunion.”
It was a bit surreal for the directors to see the cast together again for the read
through. Although many of the performers had kept in touch over the years, they hadn’t
been all together since American Pie 2. “This is their 13th reunion,” Schlossberg laughs.
“Had they called us three years earlier, it would’ve been a nice, clean number. All of
these characters who were in high school are now in their thirties. In the first movie, it
was all teenage issues; this is a completely new world for these characters.”
As the writers crafted the story, they were challenged to find out who the
characters were more than a decade later, and to give new arcs to their stories. “Last time
we saw Jim and Michelle, they got married,” explains Hurwitz. “Now we see they have a
child and are dealing with the issues that brings about—whether it’s a lack of closeness
or, in their case, a lack of sex. Stifler peaked in high school. Back in the day, he was
throwing the parties. Now, he’s a temp and getting yelled at by the guy he would’ve
picked on in high school. He’s no longer in touch with the friends and is a bit lonely.
“Oz has become a big success,” Hurwitz continues. “He’s a sportscaster and has
been on Celebrity Dance-Off. He has a beautiful-but-crazy girlfriend, but he’s missing
the comforts of home. Kevin is happily married, but his life is neutered. He feels like a
housewife who watches The Real Housewives and The Bachelorette. He needs
excitement, and this reunion weekend brings that. Finch, well we all have that one friend
from high school who falls off the grid and you don’t know if he’s going to show up to
the reunion. Finch was one of our favorites. He was unique and could have had any
fate.”
“He could have been the Unabomber or an Internet millionaire,” laughs
Schlossberg. “We liked the idea of keeping the mystery of what happened to him—that
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he is this world traveler who has been out of the country for a period of time. Or at least
that’s what our guys think, and that’s how he makes it out to be...”
Both men admit that the set was filled with unexpected requests. “I can’t tell you
how many times we had to pick out women’s underwear,” laughs Hurwitz. “It all
becomes old news, like figuring out the lid to the pot that covers Jason’s penis. We went
to Jason’s trailer and saw a ‘puppetry of the penis,’ where he was putting his penis in
different directions and smashing it, and we had to decide the right angles for the film.”
A Real-Life Reunion:
Casting the Comedy
Because the entire original cast wanted to come back, populating the film was
easy. Says Hurwitz: “What’s been exciting about the entire cast is that everyone came
here motivated to kick ass. They care about their characters, and it was fun getting input
from the actors. We were writing it as fans, and we were writing it as filmmakers. But
talking to each of these actors to shape the character and where they are now with them
has been amazing.”
Jason Biggs returns to star as the perpetually horny Jim, and he now tackles the
additional role of executive producer. “Jason is unbelievable,” commends Hurwitz.
“Every take, he gives you so many different options. He’s absolutely fearless. When we
were in preproduction and doing rewrites, we discussed the idea of adding one more set
piece for him. I sent him an e-mail asking, ‘Do you have any interest in showing your
dick?’ His reply was, ‘I will do anything for comedy, as long as it’s funny.’ And he
did.”
“As an actor I went further than I’ve gone before,” reveals Biggs. “We had the
freedom to go to these places comedically that many actors don’t. That’s why we’ve
been able to avoid being gratuitous with the comedy. This series has never been about
being gross just to be gross or trying to insert shock value. It’s all earned because these
are characters people relate to. There’s real heart in the movies, in all of them.”
Biggs has long believed what many of us see in the films of the franchise: The
wildness of the antics is balanced by heart. Still, he’s not above going, ahem, balls-out
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for a laugh. “I hope people respond, because I put myself out there,” he says. “I put out
more than I’ve ever shown, and I’m not talking emotionally. I literally showed more of
my body than ever before. I don’t know how to top that…maybe the next stop is porn?”
Alyson Hannigan returns as sexy band geek Michelle, now a mother of a young
son. She is married to Jim and taking on the role of the quintessential mom/wife, while
fighting to keep her sex drive alive. “Very much like Stifler, Michelle was sort of onenote in the first film,” explains Hurwitz. “It’s fun that as the franchise has grown, she has
developed into much more of a three-dimensional character.”
The past 13 years have been good to the actress, who has become one of the most
recognizable faces on TV with her enormously successful CBS series. “We’re huge fans
of Alyson’s,” says Schlossberg. “We love her on How I Met Your Mother and in these
movies. She’s got great timing and great heart. With just a look, she brings so much.”
Discussing her character, Hannigan says: “Obviously, Michelle has aged, and I
was worried about how to bring her quirkiness into an adult level without her seeming
like she was still in high school. But Jon and Hayden did such a great job with the script,
and it wasn’t hard to find a happy medium. She has matured, but she’s still quirky.”
When it comes to her on-screen husband, Hannigan was happy to be part of the
reunion. She reflects: “Jason and I have always had such a great chemistry and rapport,
and it’s fun to play off of one another. We don’t have to work hard to create chemistry;
it’s just effortless.”
Seann William Scott returns as the culture-defining Stifler and also earns his
stripes as an executive producer on the film. Comments Schlossberg: “Seann’s such a
sweetheart, and yet when he turns it on as Stifler, he can make you easily laugh. His face
is chiseled; it’s like a comedy weapon. He knows how to use his eyes, smile and his
jawline, and he has great comedy instincts. The combination gives him a unique energy
that is virtually trademarked to this character.”
“What was fun for us is that we had Seann stretch his skill set beyond what
you’ve seen with Stifler,” adds Hurwitz. “Seann’s fearless, and we get to be emotionally
invested in the character now. He will bring you tons of laughs, but a lot of the emotional
core of this movie is through Stifler. Seann got into it, and you feel for Stifler.” Still,
one of the scenes the directors wanted to pay homage to was Stifler walking through
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parties—shooting on his Steadicam and harassing women in the office, as opposed to at
his high-school house parties. That Stifler never will change.
The actor says that working again with his longtime friends brought back a flood
of memories. When Scott got the script for the first American Pie, he had been in Los
Angeles for three years, auditioning while he worked at Home Depot. “The character
wasn’t very likable at all,” Scott recalls. “He was in three scenes, and he was just a
straight-up jerk. I was thinking, ‘I’m not sure I would even want to play this role.’ But I
felt comfortable taking a risk.” Scott says he came up with a character who was a
combination of five different guys with whom he’d gone to school. He added a bit of
improv, and Stifler was born. “I wanted him to be the guy you’re not supposed to like.”
Scott acknowledges that the role “is so much more fun now. My sense of humor
has changed. I’m weirder and a little bit bolder. It’s fantastic to play a character who is
in his thirties and doing things that other 30-year-olds really want to do. Stifler is the
person who hasn’t changed, but the world around him has. He’s still living in the world
of high-school.”
Chris Klein is back as Oz, now a sportscaster and celebrity dance contestant on
the film’s fictitious dance show. “Chris trained for a couple of months just prepping for
this,” relates Hurwitz. “One of our favorite days of the shoot was when we had a whole
studio audience, and it felt like we were doing Dancing With the Stars. Chris was
performing the dance he worked so hard on in front of everybody.”
“In the scope of preparing for a role in a movie, this ranks up close to, if not the
top of, getting ready to shoot,” laughs Klein. “What I learned is that hip-hop is hard
work. That’s just not something you show up at 32 years old and do. It was a lot of hard
work, and I take myself way too seriously.”
L.A. choreographer STEPHEN JONES spent a month on set working with Klein
on his performance. “He’s a big dude,” says Jones. “Dancers are normally pretty small,
so he was a little stiff at first. Chris is more sports-oriented but once he started loosening
up, he started building his swag up and was confident. There’s a little bit of B-boy steps,
some fancy footwork. He was doing some hits, some pops and getting down.”
In addition to lighting up the dance floor, there are definitely on-screen sparks
between Oz and his old flame, “choir chick” Heather. “The chemistry between Chris and
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Mena was so solid in that first movie,” says Hurwitz. “It’s fun to see those characters
together again as adults who are reconnecting. Plus, what his character has going on with
Mia was so wild. Chris has a lot to do in this movie, and he hit home runs every time.”
Mena Suvari joins Klein and reprises her role as Heather. Reflects Suvari:
“Heather has stayed home and focused on her career. She’s working in the medical field
and dating a doctor. Heather and Oz’s relationship drifted apart because Oz had a great
opportunity to go to California. He’s a successful TV personality now, but Heather
wanted to have a family with him. At the same time, she didn’t want to lose herself. So
they parted, obviously amicably, but it was heartbreaking.”
When the two reunite in town, the sparks fly. “I told Mena, and I don’t think that
she believed me, that she saved me in every scene we had together,” says Klein. “Those
piercing eyes she has just demand truth. I was right there with her.”
Suvari agrees with her fellow cast members that American Pie changed her life.
“I remember when it came out,” she reflects. “In the summer of ’99 I was working in
Minneapolis on Sugar & Spice, and I was sad that I missed the premiere. We were
playing cheerleaders in the new film and shooting a football scene, so there were a couple
thousand extras. All of a sudden, I started to hear people shouting, ‘Choir Chick
Heather!’ It freaked me out, and then people wanted my autograph, which completely
took me aback.”
Another series favorite is the irresistible Vicky, and Tara Reid reprises this
touchstone role. “In the first movie, Vicky was the sweet girl whom every girl is relating
to when they’re watching the movie because she is the one dealing with her first sexual
experience and waiting for her boyfriend to say, ‘I love you,’” shares Schlossberg. “We
wanted to capture that again. Tara’s a larger-than-life personality. She’s such a sweet
girl. She looks gorgeous, and she’s been so much fun to work with.”
“It’s fun because I know Vicky so well,” Reid reflects. “It’s like having your first
pair of jeans and putting them right back on again. A lot of people relate to her. After
the first movie, girls would come up to me and tell me about losing their virginity. I
heard so many stories. Now with this film, I have a great storyline again. Vicky is in her
thirties and living in New York City. She’s single, but she’s a successful career girl.
When she goes back to the reunion, she sees that a lot of people are married and have
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kids. The clock is starting to tick for her and she wonders, ‘Should I have gotten married
and stayed here? Am I ever going to get married and have kids?’ Girls who grew up
with this film are now that age. Vicky’s done a full circle, and I’ve grown with her.”
Thomas Ian Nicholas portrays Kevin, Vicky’s former high-school sweetheart.
He’s now an architect who spends his free time watching reality television with his wife.
Nicholas says that this time around, it was even better working with Reid. “We are more
connected now because we’ve known each other for so long,” he notes. “There’s an
unspoken communication that we have where we can read between the lines.”
For American Reunion, the directors asked him to grow a beard. “His wife didn’t
like it,” laughs Schlossberg, who says that they didn’t want to make the characters’ looks
change too much for the film. They wanted the fans of American Pie to see the actors
and the characters that they know and love…just a little bit grown up.
Eddie Kaye Thomas, who has worked on all three Harold & Kumar films, is back
as the lovelorn Finch. “Everything we’ve done has had Eddie in it,” says Schlossberg.
“It’s because we love American Pie and him in it. When the movie first came out, Eddie
was the youngest, and yet he has this maturity about him. He’s a sophisticated older guy
in a younger body. He always speaks eloquently and gets to be the Chaucer of the
group.”
Ironically, Thomas missed both his prom and high-school graduation while
filming American Pie, so American Reunion gave him the chance to experience the fun.
The actor says that working with his directors was like “hanging out with fanatic
American Pie fans. They tried to play it cool, but they were excited about the fact that
they got this job. They knew every detail by heart. They’re perfectly awkward and
hilarious. Plus, I get paid to make jokes and hang out with my friends. We’re the
luckiest people in the world. Just being around Jon and Hayden, you don’t forget that.”
“If there’s a gag reel it’ll be embarrassing how much I can’t keep a straight face,”
adds Thomas. “I think Jason is one of the funniest human beings walking this earth. I
can’t get enough of him. Anything that comes out of his ugly face is comic gold for me.”
It’s hard to believe that it has been 13 years since Finch paid Vicky’s best friend,
Jessica, portrayed by Natasha Lyonne, $200 to spread rumors about his sexual prowess
and increase his chances of getting lucky. Discussing her return, Lyonne admits she was
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“jittery” and as nervous as if she were going to a real-life high-school reunion. Still, she
offers: “There’s an interesting thing that happens with aging. It feels like all of your
opinions and your angst is a little gone, and you’re genuinely excited to see people that
you know. There’s a real camaraderie there.” Of her character Lyonne jokes, “Maybe
Jessica spent time as a dominatrix. I am not sure what she’s been into, but I feel like
she’s run the gamut. Maybe she did phone sex for extra money on the side.”
Shannon Elizabeth is back as Nadia, the Czech exchange student who, 13 years
ago, unknowingly ended up half naked with Jim on the Internet. Their sexual
misadventure in which Jim gets into the action, erm, “prematurely” was broadcast by
Webcam for the entire school to see. “I think Nadia likes sex,” the actress laughs. “She
misses Jim and would love to be with him because they never had their moment. They
never got that time because he wasn’t qualified when she was ready. If they ever do a
film where he and Michelle get divorced, then I’m sure Nadia will be waiting for him.”
Nadia wasn’t the only one who had a profound effect on Jim. Schlossberg and
Hurwitz knew that in the past we’ve seen Jim’s Dad dole out advice; but in this film, the
tables are turned. It’s time for Jim to coach his dad and get him back into the dating
game. “Jim’s Dad has got a wild side,” says Eugene Levy, who is the only cast member
to appear in every one of the American Pie films. “You can’t tell it from his plaid shirt,
but it’s in there somewhere.”
Biggs says it was great to reconnect with one of his mentors. “These last eight
years have been huge for me in terms of personal growth,” he says. “I’m married, and so
coming back and feeling like an adult now with Eugene was great. It’s akin to when I go
home and I’m with my parents. It’s just a different dynamic, but it’s a beautiful one. I
feel like I’ve taken his influence in everything else I’ve done, comically. I’ve tried my
best to adopt whatever I could from Eugene.” The two bonded, and in getting his dad
ready for dating, Biggs and Hannigan spent quality time clipping Levy’s bushy eyebrows.
Laughs Biggs: “We should have used a weed whacker.”
Hannigan agrees with Biggs that it was startling to be so near the legendary
brows. She laughs: “It was a gift to be so close to them.” Still, she asks what we’re all
thinking: “Those eyebrows are insured, right?”
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For Levy, it felt as if no time had passed since he and Biggs chatted in “Jim’s
bedroom.” Indeed, the one on this set looked like the same one from American Pie. “We
sat there going through our scene, adding little lines,” remembers Levy. “It’s a great
working relationship with Jason. If I went in a direction, he followed. Nothing throws
him, and that gives us great spontaneity. We love being able to overlap. It is like
working with my own son.” Levy especially loved filming Stifler’s party scene. “I’m
drunk. I get stoned. It’s fun to get in there and be a part of it. Instead of telling the kids,
‘Have fun at the party,’ I’m actually at the party.”
Levy also enjoyed playing opposite actress Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler’s Mom.
In fact, the two have worked on several movies together. “The scenes that we have with
Jennifer and Eugene are some of our favorites that we’ve ever filmed,” says Hurwitz.
“He’s larger than life. And what she brings to the table—her improv—she’s a total pro.
When she walks into a room, it’s like ‘wow!’”
“She’s one of the only attractive people I’ve ever played in a movie,” laughs
Coolidge. “I’ve always played very strange people, either a loser girl or a gold digger or
whatever. Stifler’s Mom was just a very likeable, cool woman. What I like most about
her is that she’s kind of mysterious. You don’t really know that much about her.”
Last but not least was everyone’s favorite MILF Guy, John Cho. The performer
has gained fame as Harold in the Harold & Kumar films, all written and one directed by
Hurwitz and Schlossberg. “When we saw American Pie, we just immediately fell in love
with what John Cho did with the MILF Guy role,” says Schlossberg. “It was so distinct
and funny.”
“It’s crazy, because John Cho only has one memorable line in the first movie.
He’s just like, ‘Dude! That chick’s a MILF!’” adds Hurwitz. “He’s diving into his career
at that moment, and we watched it. That’s all it took for us to fall in love with him. We
wrote an entire movie because of that one little line. In Harold & Kumar, he plays the
straight man, and he has a lot of big laughs. But in this, John gets to be a little bit weirder
and bring out more of his unique comic stylings.”
Cho—who was originally a member of the jazz choir and only asked to do the
MILF role later—says that after he filmed American Pie, he went overseas and was
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unaware of the phenomenon. “When I returned, people on the streets were like, ‘Hey
MILF,’ and it was strange. I didn’t know what they were talking about at first.”
It was Cho who actually told the directors about American Reunion, and they got
the call to work on the project shortly. As well, he came up with the storyline for his
MILF Guy role in this film. Cho decided that it would be funny to play him as a realtor
who planned the reunion and wanted to make a big impression on his former classmates.
“We decided that he had a Cadillac, and then from that came the moustache,” says Cho.
“From the moustache came the hair and the white jeans, which is a strong move...”
While we have our old favorites, several new characters have been added to the
original cast of American Pie. Schlossberg and Hurwitz say they chose to add new
players because they didn’t feel it would be realistic that all of the couples in high school
would return years later and still be together. In many cases they paired original cast
members with their opposites. Jay Harrington plays Oz’s nemesis, Heather’s
boyfriend/cardiac surgeon Ron, while Oz is dating model/gold digger Mia, portrayed by
30 Rock’s Katrina Bowden.
Dania Ramirez was brought aboard as Selena, who has a romantic storyline with
one of the East Great Falls friends. Schlossberg says: “We figured you always go back to
your hometown and see that one girl or guy who’s just, ‘Wow. They look a lot better
than they did in high school!’ That’s why we set up one of the characters with Selena.”
Ali Cobrin plays Kara, who is completely infatuated with the sexually frustrated
Jim (and who is also responsible for quite a risqué set piece in the film). Jim comes
home to find the girl next door is now a gorgeous 18-year-old. Cobrin jokes that she
wore nothing but a thong for two months. It certainly took guts to bare all in the back of
a MINI Cooper. In the scene, Jim rescues the drunk Kara, and is determined to drive her
home. “There were stunts, car crashes, swerving,” she recalls. “I felt like I was in every
position in that car except for sitting upright with the seat belt on.”
New England Patriots’ wide receiver (and former Cincinnati Bengal) Chad
Ochocinco didn’t have to stretch too far to find his character. He appears as himself.
“As a Browns’ fan, I root against him,” Schlossberg dryly notes, “but as an actor, he’s
funny. Having Ocho complaining to Chris was a fun scene to shoot.”
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Ochocinco sympathized with Klein when the actor had to perform a big dance
number in front of the crowd, as the player was a featured performer on Dancing With the
Stars. He says he was quite excited to meet the cast. “I was like a little groupie,” he
laughs. Discussing his work as Oz’s co-hosting sportscaster, he notes: “Saying ‘Play on
player!’ at the end of the sports segment is funny. I had to give Chris a look like, ‘Are
you serious?’ That’s what you’re going to say after a sportscast?”
“American Pie Plaid”:
Locations and Design
The writers/directors were thrilled with the behind-the-scenes crew they compiled
with the producers. “The team we put together to work on the visuals came through bigtime,” says Hurwitz. He and Schlossberg had worked with director of photography
Daryn Okada on the second and third Harold & Kumar films. “Daryn had so many skills
that we knew that we had to have him back with us. As well, Bill Arnold and the whole
production design team were amazing.”
For production designer Arnold, preparing to create the ultimate installment in the
American Pie film saga meant going back to the beginning. He recalls that as soon as he
signed on, he bought the three previous films on DVD. He also went back to the studio
to see if there were any existing photographs and drawings of the sets. Arnold says that
his crew wanted this film “to feel familiar to those who knew the first American Pie, as
well as exciting and interesting to a new audience.”
With so many sets that had to be built for this film, Arnold recalls that at one
point he had 40 people building sets…and that didn’t take into account the 40 set painters
and those working on the set dressing and other projects.
Although the first film was lensed in California, American Reunion was shot in
Atlanta, Georgia. “This whole story takes place in Michigan,” Arnold explains. “In
Atlanta, we could open up the film and not worry that we couldn’t look at palm trees or
the architecture that distinguishes Los Angeles. It was a lot more like the Midwest than
L.A. Monroe has a beautiful Main Street, and we found a corner that worked as a place
to put a mural and the exterior of the local hangout, Dog Years, from the first film. We
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had a few other scenes that took place down the street, across the street and driving
through town that we couldn’t get away with shooting in California.”
This mural was re-created on the side of a convenience store, and Arnold says the
owner was happy to have the artwork on the exterior of his shop. Although Dog Years
was the original hangout for the guys, now that all of them were of drinking age, a new
bar had to be found. A local tavern near Conyers, Georgia, offered the perfect interior for
the bar Jilly’s. The bar was supposed to be located in the middle of town, so in Monroe
the team found a storefront that could be manipulated for the exterior shot.
One of the biggest challenges in scouting in Atlanta was finding the exterior of
the Levenstein’s house in Atlanta. Because a pivotal portion of the story takes place at
Kara’s house next-door, the team had to find two adjacent houses together that worked.
Arnold says that he focused on the big things that would make the audience feel as if they
were back home, such as the Levenstein’s front door, the hedge and the sidewalk.
The home interiors stayed close to the original in look. Because so much of the
movie takes place there, for ease of filming, the house interiors were re-created on a
soundstage. Fans will recognize Jim’s bedroom, a set that, Arnold says, “should be in the
Smithsonian Institute.” Oddly enough, Arnold’s crew had no problem locating the
original wallpaper: The L.A. vendor who supplied the first film still had some in stock.
The wallpaper is now appropriately called “American Pie Plaid.”
Arnold says that DVDs of the first films were used extensively and captured
screen shots helped the art director, ELLIOTT GLICK, in his re-creation of the elements
they needed. No drawings were kept of Stifler’s house from American Pie, so the design
team had to make their drawings by watching the films. Additionally, set dressing and
decorating were a challenge as they worked to match paint colors, trim and woodwork.
While much of the design work involved re-creating original rooms, the team also
had the chance to design Stifler’s Mom’s boudoir. In the first film, she was seductively
located in a room at their lake house. Arnold says: “We now had an opportunity to create
what Stifler’s Mom’s room would look like. It was a lot of fun, discussing how over-thetop we could go. It has a lot of layers and a lot of backstory going on as you look
around.”
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Alternately, Kara’s room needed to reflect that of a younger girl than she is in the
film. “It has a lot to do with her innocence and what goes on this weekend,” Arnold
explains. “We wanted it to feel like this was the room where she has grown up. This was
her world before Jim, and now it’s going to change on this weekend.”
The Celebrity Dance-Off sequence proved a challenge for the design team
because it had to have that big-Hollywood-production feel on a limited budget. As the
sequence is only shown as a television segment, the crew kept it small in scale and used a
small, embellished stage space.
The reunion itself required a much bigger scale and was shot in a local
gymnasium that was decked out with what Arnold describes as a more “adult motif” than
that of the first movie. “Fabric and carpeting on the floor did a lot to change the whole
vibe of the gymnasium,” Arnold explains, “along with a lot of amazing lighting.”
In most films, the crew is behind the scenes. Not in American Reunion. Many of
them posed for the photos used in the “senior wish list” section of the yearbook. As well,
they brought in old photos of themselves to fill the pages and saw their actual names
listed. Arnold and his team went a step further and asked them to add their wishes to the
publication. “Some people got a little goofy,” laughs Arnold. “Other people got very
inspired. But it gave us a great resource to put that together. It was a good mix of real
people, and not just one or two people sitting down and writing it out one night.”
To discover the lake and bonfire areas, Arnold just asked around. “Part of the joy
of being on location is discovering new places,” he says. “So if we were looking for a
local place, we could ask, ‘Where do the kids go? Where do you go to have a picnic or a
keg of beer?’ A couple of people suggested this place called Costly Mill, which is on the
side of an old grist mill. It’s a beautiful river and a great place to go at night with your
friends. We were able to grab it and make it our own.”
For Hurwitz and Schlossberg, directing the Jet Ski sequences meant that they had
to shoot in their bathing suits. “We both rode Jet Skis for the first time,” says Hurwitz,
who reveals that the week at the lake—with its extremely high temperatures and
humidity— was challenging. “It was a crazy week, but the ability to jump into the water
between takes was definitely something I looked forward to.”
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One person who was watching from the shore was costume designer Mona May.
To capture the essence of the franchise with an eye to bringing something fresh to
American Reunion, May admits that she spent a lot of time hitting the rewind button on
her DVD player while watching the previous American Pie movies.
Discussing a few of her selections, May offers: “Oz is now very famous and
wearing high fashion, all European designers and beautiful materials. I think Chris
enjoyed putting on the cool clothes—the little pocket squares, the beautiful pink shirts
with shiny ties and beautiful shoes. As well, we have Mia, the Maxim ‘Top 10’ girl. We
wanted to make Katrina look even sexier so she could play it up.”
For the costumer, the character of Finch had to have an eclectic collection of
clothes. “We believe that Finch has traveled all over the world, so his clothes are
European in fashion,” she says. “You could even say ‘high fashion,’ with cool layers of
linens and scarves. His signature look is one of scarves and jewelry—cool, not
ostentatious in any way. Real costume is when you don’t know that they’re wearing it.
You see this person and think, ‘Oh, I have a cousin like that’ or ‘I saw a guy like that on
the street or a girl like that in a club.’”
May explains that Michelle may start out as a mom in jeans and a T-shirt but her
style changes as she cranks up her dull sex life. Hannigan was quite open to having
sloppy clothes at the beginning of the film, which makes for a bigger contrast at the end.
“It’s great when you have these transformations and you can show how they’ve grown,”
says the costumer. “This movie’s full of surprises: You see Jason Biggs in an S&M
outfit, running around in leather shorts. It’s absolutely crazy.”
Finding “alternative” costumes like the leather shorts proved to be a challenge in
Atlanta, but May caught wind of an alternative bar called The Eagle that had a leather
shop inside. Although the store was closed, she got in touch with the owner, who agreed
to open the store for a private shopping trip for leather harnesses and more. That trip was
followed by one in which the props department discovered whips and various other items.
“Everyone was so helpful,” says May. “I think it’s for the love of movies that they will
open up a shop at midnight for us.”
Of course, for the costuming department, the reunion scene was pivotal. May and
her staff worked with the rest of the production design team to bring the colors together.
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As there was a lot of blue and silver on the set, the crew brought out a number of jewel
tones in the clothing. May shares: “Even though the audience grows older, we all want to
feel like we’re still young forever. With the help of film magic, we can, beautifully.”
Fights and Falls:
Stunt Work of the Film
No American Pie film would be complete without its fair share of falls. For the
scene at Stifler’s party in which a group of 18-year-olds fights our stars from the Class of
1999, Schlossberg says he and Hurwitz wrote a simply planned flight sequence. Once
they began to film, it had the requisite complexity. “We wanted it to be real,” he reflects,
“but we wanted it to be funny. We tried to find a balance.”
Thomas as Finch got into the action in the scene at Stifler’s party in which the
fight breaks out; in it, he wields a lacrosse stick. “We talked about it for a while, and
then we saw the stunt guys do it,” he remembers. “It was brilliant, because we knew that
we couldn’t have a good fight sequence. That would be ridiculous if we knew what we
were doing. But at the same time, we’re not The Three Stooges. It was the perfect
balance of heart and good intention and having no idea how to fight. It looked great.”
“I had to be on the ground during this fight scene, and I’m basically naked,”
laughs Biggs. “I had this leather bit barely covering my groin. We’re on the ground and
I had an allergic reaction to the grass, and then there are all these water bugs…huge.
They said they were water bugs; I called them cockroaches. Jason does not do bugs.”
Bugs were the least of Biggs’ problems during one of the bedroom scenes.
Luckily, a stuntman took the fall for him. “Kara has been taken to her bedroom by Jim
and Stifler,” explains stunt coordinator TOM MCCOMAS. “When her father comes in,
they both hide. Stifler winds up in the canopy, and it gives way and he falls through and
lands on the bed.” To rig the scene, the stunt team took away half of the bed and the
canopy and replaced them with boards. With half the canopy open, the stuntman simply
rolled over and fell through the fabric. He landed next to a well-protected stuntwoman
portraying Kara.
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Through swerving cars and motorcycles, flailing fists, bruised butts, the American
Pie gang had a blast coming together for the fourth time. “We’re the biggest American
Pie fans that you’re going to find out there,” reflects Hurwitz. “We sought to make a
movie we would love. It’s got a lot of surprises, laughs, heart and great performances.”
Once again, concludes Biggs, it’s great to be known as that “guy with the pie.”
****
Universal Pictures presents—in association with Relativity Media—a Practical
Pictures/Zide Pictures production: American Reunion, starring Jason Biggs, Alyson
Hannigan, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Seann William Scott, Mena
Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jennifer Coolidge and Eugene Levy. The music is by Lyle
Workman, and the music supervisor is Jojo Villanueva. The film’s costume designer is
Mona May, and it is edited by Jeff Betancourt. The production designer is William
Arnold, and the director of photography is Daryn Okada, ASC. The executive producers
are Louis G. Friedman, Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz, Seann William Scott, Jason Biggs.
American Reunion is produced by Craig Perry, Warren Zide, Chris Moore, Adam Herz.
It is based on characters created by Adam Herz, and it is written and directed by Jon
Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg. 2012 Universal Studios.
www.americanreunionmovie.com
ABOUT THE CAST
JASON BIGGS (Jim/Executive Producer) previously starred in the American Pie
trilogy of films, which caused him to quickly become one of Hollywood’s most talkedabout young actors after his breakout role in the first film in 1999. The first three films
combined to make more than $360 million in the United States alone, and helped cement
Biggs as a household face. Biggs will next appear in L!fe Happens, opposite Krysten
Ritter, Kate Bosworth and Rachel Bilson.
Biggs recently appeared on television in CBS’ Mad Love, in which he starred
opposite Judy Greer and Sarah Chalke. He recently completed production on the feature
Grassroots, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut.
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His film credits also include Jersey Girl, written and directed by Kevin Smith, in
which he starred alongside Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler; the Woody Allen project Anything
Else, opposite Christina Ricci; Prozac Nation, the film adaptation of Elizabeth Wurtzel’s
best-selling biography, opposite Ricci; the romantic comedy Saving Silverman, with Jack
Black, Steve Zahn and Amanda Peet; the Amy Heckerling film Loser; the romantic
comedy Boys and Girls, opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Claire Forlani; Saul Metzstein’s
black comedy Guy X; the Disney hit Eight Below, an adventure film in which he starred
opposite Paul Walker; Over Her Dead Body, a romantic comedy with Paul Rudd and Eva
Longoria; and Lionsgate’s romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Girl, in which he starred
opposite Kate Hudson.
Biggs began his career in television on the soap opera As the World Turns, for
which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Leading Actor
in a Drama Series. He also appeared on the shows Drexell’s Class and Total Security.
At age 13, he made his Broadway debut, opposite Judd Hirsch, in the critically
acclaimed Broadway play Conversations With My Father. His other theater credits
include the Broadway production of The Graduate, opposite Kathleen Turner; Boy’s Life,
a coming-of-age comedy, in which he starred opposite Rhys Coiro, at the Second Stage
Theatre; and Daniel Goldfarb’s play Modern Orthodox, in which he starred offBroadway, opposite Craig Bierko and Molly Ringwald.
The native of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, started acting in national
commercials and modeling at the age of five. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
ALYSON HANNIGAN (Michelle) has had a widely varied career, captivating
audiences in both television and film.
Hannigan stars on the hit CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother. The series
centers on a group of best friends in their 20s who are living in New York and searching
for love. How I Met Your Mother was nominated for a 2009 Emmy Award for
Outstanding Comedy Series. Hannigan also starred on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for
seven seasons.
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Hannigan previously starred in the first three installments of the American Pie
series. All three films rank among the top-grossing films ever produced worldwide, with
more than $1 billion in revenue.
Hannigan’s other big-screen credits include Aaron Seltzer’s Date Movie, opposite
Fred Willard and Jennifer Coolidge. Spoofing other romantic comedies, the film tells the
story of hopeless romantic Julia Jones (Hannigan), who has finally met the man of her
dreams, the very British Grant Funckyerdoder (Adam Campbell). However, before they
can have their “Big Fat Greek Wedding,” they will have to “Meet the Parents,”
coordinate with “The Wedding Planner” and contend with Grant’s friend Andy, a
spectacularly beautiful woman who wants to put an end to her “Best Friend’s Wedding.”
Hannigan made her breakthrough performance at the age of 13 in Richard
Benjamin’s My Stepmother Is an Alien, opposite Dan Aykroyd and Kim Basinger.
In a story worthy of a movie itself, CHRIS KLEIN (Oz) was discovered in high
school in Omaha, Nebraska, by director Alexander Payne. Payne was casting for his cult
film Election. A natural talent, Klein won the role of Paul Metzler and charmed
audiences as the polite student presidential candidate, opposite Reese Witherspoon. This
role catapulted him into fame and scored him his next breakout role as Chris “Oz”
Ostreicher in American Pie and its highly successful sequel American Pie 2. It was for
this role that Klein was nominated for the Chicago Film Critics Association’s Most
Promising Actor Award, as well as for two Teen Choice Awards.
Klein went on to star in the teen hit Here on Earth, with Leelee Sobieski, which
nabbed him the Young Hollywood Award for Superstar of Tomorrow—Male. His career
continued to flourish with roles in blockbuster films such as We Were Soldiers and Just
Friends, which showcased his range for both drama and comedy. His other notable film
credits include John McTiernan’s Rollerball; 20th Century Fox’s comedy Say It Isn’t So,
opposite Heather Graham, which was produced by the Farrelly brothers; and the
independent film The United States of Leland, with Kevin Spacey, Ryan Gosling and
Don Cheadle. His movies have grossed more than $900 million at the box office.
Klein has continued his work on the small screen as well, with guest roles on the
television shows Welcome to the Captain, The Good Guys and Franklin & Bash, and he
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had a multi-episode arc on the FX comedy Wilfred, in which he worked alongside his
Day Zero co-star Elijah Wood. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with his
German shepherd, Chief.
“You nailed it, kid.” That phrase, uttered in the span of about a second at the
premiere of American Pie, confirmed the suspicion THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS
(Kevin) had cautiously entertained since he started his career at the age of six: He was on
to something special.
Nicholas began his career in acting the way that most kids learn how to swim—by
being thrown into the deep end. At the age of six, he moved to Los Angeles with his
mother, an aspiring actress who found her niche as a casting director. A resourceful
woman, she would fill roles in any way possible, even by casting herself in as many as
four extra roles in one feature when necessary. She eventually ran into a wall when a call
came on a Sunday night for the role of an altar boy: she hired her son for the role.
That day of work was a revelation for Nicholas, who, despite the fact that he still
had his baby teeth, was already feeling a sense of purpose in his life. After the film
wrapped, he informed his mother that he wanted to be an actor, and Scott Grimes’ mother
gave them the name of an agent. Weeks later, after countless hours spent memorizing a
lengthy monologue, he marched into the agent’s office for his interview and was signed
immediately.
That’s how, within a year of his first acting role, Nicholas found himself on the set
of Who’s the Boss?, playing a young Tony Danza. It was an experience full of memories
and, most importantly for a young boy, Alyssa Milano.
At age 12, Nicholas embarked on a series of feature films and hit television shows
that would shape his career, including the now-classic Rookie of the Year, A Kid in King
Arthur’s Court and Party of Five, in which he had a recurring role. However, the byproducts of acting wouldn’t be thrust upon him until he was booked at the age of 17 for
the role of Kevin Myers. The American Pie empire had begun.
That gig would make him one of the most recognizable faces of his generation, as
the boy next door whom everyone loved and trusted—and who, as Tara Reid’s on-screen
boyfriend, would become the envy of hormonally challenged teens.
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The notoriety was all well and good—no one can complain about being successful
in his or her chosen field. However, it wasn’t his new high profile that excited Nicholas;
it was the recognition from his peers: the ones who noticed that he wasn’t just reciting
lines, but also exploring his character from the inside out.
With the American Pie movies as a springboard, Nicholas was able to land other
exciting roles, in films such as the Roger Avary-directed The Rules of Attraction,
Halloween: Resurrection, National Lampoon’s Cattle Call and Stealing Sinatra, opposite
everyone from Tyra Banks to William H. Macy. He has worked on hit TV shows such as
Grey’s Anatomy and Medium. He also made his debut as a writer and director in L.A.
D.J., on which he learned a new appreciation for everyone involved behind the camera in
a feature film.
A lifelong musician as well, Nicholas released his debut solo album, “Without
Warning,” in January 2008. Co-written by rock legends Bruce Kulick (KISS), Chris
Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and Dan Lavery (Tonic), the album is a radio-friendly
collection of pop/rock tunes that toe the line between Switchfoot’s melodic rock and John
Mayer’s pop-crooner sensibilities. His follow-up album, “Heroes Are Human,” was
released in June of 2010. His upcoming 2012 release features the song “My Generation,”
which is included on the American Reunion soundtrack.
In the past two years alone, Nicholas has been busy acting in independent films
such as Please Give, Sherman’s Way, Let the Game Begin, The Bridge to Nowhere and
Life Is Hot in Cracktown. Nicholas jumped behind the camera again to produce and star
in the fantasy film Fading of the Cries. His upcoming releases include The Chicago 8
and Delivering the Goods.
Best known for her role in the 1999 hit comedy American Pie, actress TARA
REID (Vicky) is famous for playing the infamous “blonde vixen.”
Reid’s first major film role came in 1998, playing Bunny Lebowski, opposite Jeff
Bridges, in The Big Lebowski. She then appeared in the teen horror film Urban Legend,
also released in 1998.
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Raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, with her three siblings, Reid began her acting
career at the tender age of six. After showing an exceptional gift for acting, she was
enrolled by her parents in the Professional Children’s School in New York City.
Reid began her career by appearing in many television commercials for products
such as Jell-O, McDonald’s and Crayola. In 1995, she broke into television drama,
landing a recurring role as Ashley on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.
In 1999, Reid appeared in Cruel Intentions. The same year, American Pie hit the
big screen, which catapulted her career to the next level. In 2000, she starred in director
Robert Altman’s Dr. T & the Women, opposite Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Laura Dern
and Liv Tyler. She also appeared in Just Visiting, with Christina Applegate, Jean Reno
and Christian Clavier. In 2001, she starred in Josie and the Pussycats and the
blockbuster hit American Pie 2. In 2002, she starred in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder,
opposite Ryan Reynolds, playing his love interest. Three years later, Reid starred in My
Boss’s Daughter, opposite Ashton Kutcher. From 2003 to 2005, she guest-starred in the
NBC hit comedy Scrubs. In 2007, she starred in the comedy If I Had Known I Was a
Genius, with Whoopi Goldberg and Sharon Stone. In 2011, she starred in The Big
Lebowski 2.
In 2008, Reid launched her clothing line, Mantra. Her designs are made with a
goal in mind—to have women feel super sexy and comfortable—and each piece contains
a specially beaded piece always containing the eye of protection.
Reid currently resides in Los Angeles.
SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT (Stifler/Executive Producer), a native of Cottage
Grove, Minnesota, was discovered at a talent competition in Los Angeles and has become
one of Hollywood’s most prolific actors working today. Scott has starred in blockbuster
comedies such as Universal Pictures’ billion-dollar-grossing American Pie franchise, the
feature-film version of the popular ’80s television series The Dukes of Hazzard, Road
Trip and the smash-hit comedy Dude, Where’s My Car?, opposite Ashton Kutcher.
Scott starred in the hockey comedy Goon, opposite Liev Schreiber, Jay Baruchel
and Alison Pill. The feature premiered to critical acclaim at the 2011 Toronto
International Film Festival. Scott will also be seen in a the Farrelly-produced series of
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shorts, Movie 43, in which he stars opposite Johnny Knoxville, for director Brett Ratner.
The film is scheduled for release next spring. He will also reprise his role as the voice of
Crash in Ice Age: Continental Drift, which is scheduled for release this summer. Scott
was recently seen in the Warner Bros. comedy Cop Out, starring opposite Bruce Willis
and Tracy Morgan, for director Kevin Smith. He also starred in Universal Pictures’ Role
Models, in which he and Paul Rudd played two energy drink salesmen who trash the
company truck and are court-ordered to enroll in a Big Brother program. He also lent his
voice to the animated feature Planet 51, with Dwayne Johnson and Jessica Biel.
Scott’s other film credits include Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales; Universal’s hit
action-adventure film The Rundown, in which he starred opposite Dwayne Johnson;
MGM’s Bulletproof Monk, with Chow Yun-Fat; New Line Cinema’s thriller Final
Destination; the DreamWorks sci-fi comedy Evolution, directed by Ivan Reitman and costarring Julianne Moore, David Duchovny and Orlando Jones; and in Miramax’s Jay and
Silent Bob Strike Back and the hit comedy Old School, opposite Will Ferrell, in which he
made unforgettable cameos. Scott also starred in the dramedy film The Promotion,
opposite John C. Reilly, and Mr. Woodcock, opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Susan
Sarandon.
Actress MENA SUVARI (Heather) is perhaps best known for her breakout role
in the Academy-Award® winning film American Beauty, for which she received a
BAFTA nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role and won a
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical
Motion Picture. Suvari also won a Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough
Performance—Female for her genuine and confident portrayal of Angela Hayes, the
object of Kevin Spacey’s desire in the iconic film directed by Sam Mendes.
Suvari followed that with a turn in the celebrated comedy American Pie (for
which she won a Young Hollywood Award for Best Ensemble Cast), with additional film
credits that include Nicolas Cage’s directorial debut, Sonny, opposite James Franco;
Jonas Åkerlund’s Spun; Amy Heckerling’s Loser; Sugar & Spice; American Pie 2; The
Musketeer; Gregg Araki’s Nowhere; Factory Girl; Rumor Has It…; Domino; Beauty
Shop; and Trauma, opposite Colin Firth.
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Suvari reteamed with American Beauty writer Alan Ball for a recurring role on
the acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under. Having modeled in her teens, she was tapped
to be the face of a global campaign for Lancôme and was photographed by the late
Richard Avedon for Harry Winston’s 2005 winter advertising campaign. Suvari garnered
some of the best reviews of her career in the independent films Stuck, opposite Stephen
Rea; The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, opposite Sienna Miller and Peter Sarsgaard; and The
Garden of Eden, a film based on Ernest Hemingway’s posthumously published last
novel, alongside Jack Huston. Suvari completely threw herself into the complex
character of Catherine, even shaving her head for the role.
Suvari was recently seen in a recurring role on the FX Network’s hit television
show American Horror Story.
Suvari resides in Los Angeles and is a longtime supporter and activist for the
esteemed African relief organization AMREF.
EDDIE KAYE THOMAS (Finch) is emerging as one of today’s most soughtafter actors. To date, Thomas has appeared in Broadway shows, hit films and celebrated
television series. He is most well-known for creating the acclaimed role of Finch in the
American Pie franchise. Thomas’ diverse body of work is proof he is a force to be
reckoned with.
Thomas recently completed shooting the feature Code Name: Geronimo,
opposite Kathleen Robertson, Anson Mount, Cam Gigandet, Freddy Rodríguez and
William Fichtner. The film tells the story of the takedown of Osama Bin Laden from the
point of view of the Navy SEALs.
Thomas was last seen on the big screen reprising his role as Rosenberg in Warner
Bros.’ A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, the second sequel to the cult film Harold
& Kumar.
Thomas took to the stage last fall to star in the off-Broadway play The
Submission, at the MCC Theater, directed by Walter Bobbie and written by Jeff Talbott.
Thomas starred, alongside Jonathan Groff, Will Rogers and Rutina Wesley, in the role of
Pete, the long-suffering boyfriend of loose-cannon Danny, played by Groff.
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Thomas has appeared in more than 20 films to date, and he will soon be seen in
the independent feature Petunia, opposite Thora Birch and Brittany Snow. His other film
credits include Black and White, with Brooke Shields and Robert Downey Jr.; Project
Greenlight’s Stolen Summer, with Aidan Quinn; Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered;
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo
Bay; Kettle of Fish; Wasted; Venus & Vegas; Fifty Pills; and Nick and Norah’s Infinite
Playlist. Thomas was also featured in On the Road With Judas, which premiered in
competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007.
Thomas most recently appeared on the small screen in the highly regarded HBO
series How to Make It in America. The series centered around two twentysomethings as
they hustled their way through New York City attempting to achieve their version of the
American Dream. Thomas portrayed David “Kappo” Kaplan, a successful hedge fund
manager, for two seasons.
He can be heard on the small screen as the voice of Barry, a role he has voiced
since 2005, in the animated series American Dad!, created by Seth MacFarlane. His
other television credits include ’Til Death, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Off Centre
and Law & Order.
Thomas began his acting career at the age of seven as a stage actor in New York
City. He has appeared on Broadway in John Guare’s Four Baboons Adoring the Sun and
opposite Natalie Portman in The Diary of Anne Frank. Additionally, he has been in off
and off-off-Broadway shows with La MaMa Theatre, the Brooklyn Shakespeare
Company, the Wings Theatre Company, Signature Theatre and others. Some of his other
theater credits include Second Stage’s The Bachelorette, New Group’s Smelling a Rat,
Dog Sees God and Jack’s Precious Moment.
Thomas currently resides in both Los Angeles and New York.
JENNIFER COOLIDGE (Stifler’s Mom) is known for her classic roles in many
comedy movies and for her guest spots on television. She is best known for playing
Stifler’s mom, the consummate “MILF,” in the American Pie franchise and is also known
for her parts in other films, including Hilary Duff’s stepmother in A Cinderella Story;
Paulette, the manicurist, in Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde;
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and the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots. She recently wrapped the
feature film Austenland, starring opposite Keri Russell.
She has played iconic comic parts in the improv mockumentaries Best in Show, A
Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration, all directed by Christopher Guest. She also
appeared in the 2006 film Date Movie, spoofing Barbra Streisand’s Meet the Fockers
character. She also scored critical acclaim for her dramatic performance, starring
opposite Nicolas Cage, in the Werner Herzog-directed feature Bad Lieutenant: Port of
Call—New Orleans, and as the repressed Judith in Gentlemen Broncos.
Coolidge starred in the NBC sitcom Joey, the Friends spin-off, as Joey’s agent.
She originally starred in an episode of Friends in its final season as Amanda, a tactless
and uninhibited wannabe whom Phoebe and Monica try to shake off. Coolidge made one
of her first television appearances in the Seinfeld episode “The Masseuse.” She also had
a recurring role on King of the Hill, as Luanne’s beauty school teacher, Miss Kremzer.
Coolidge appeared on Thank God You’re Here and The Closer, on TNT. She currently
reoccurs on The Secret Life of the American Teenager and CBS’ 2 Broke Girls and lends
her voice to the animated series The Life & Times of Tim and Napoleon Dynamite. She
starred in the Lifetime movie Living Proof as a woman suffering from breast cancer.
In 2005, Coolidge was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences.
EUGENE LEVY (Jim’s Dad) has appeared in more than 50 motion pictures,
seven of which have topped the $100-million mark. His box-office success in films like
Bringing Down the House, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Father of the Bride Part II and Over
the Hedge has helped establish him as one of Hollywood’s most popular comedic
character actors. But it was his role of Jim’s dad in Universal Pictures’ billion-dollar
American Pie franchise that cemented his reputation as America’s favorite dad.
Teaming up with Christopher Guest, Levy earned critical acclaim for co-writing
and co-starring in Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, For Your Consideration and A
Mighty Wind. He earned a Grammy Award and a New York Film Critics Circle Award
for his work in A Mighty Wind, and Best in Show was nominated for a Golden Globe
Award.
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Levy started his career on the popular late-night comedy series SCTV, for which
he won two Emmy Awards for writing. His early films include Splash, Club Paradise,
Armed and Dangerous and Multiplicity.
Next up for Levy is the hockey comedy Goon, opposite Jay Baruchel, Seann
William Scott and Liev Schreiber, and a starring role in the Lionsgate feature film
Madea’s Witness Protection.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
JON HURWITZ & HAYDEN SCHLOSSBERG (Written and Directed by) are
the comedic minds that created the Harold & Kumar franchise. They first met and
became friends in high school in Randolph, New Jersey, and sold their first script, Filthy,
to MGM while seniors in college. Hurwitz was studying finance at the University of
Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and Schlossberg was a history major at the
University of Chicago with plans to attend law school. Upon selling Filthy, they moved
to Hollywood to begin their career in the entertainment industry.
Their first taste of success came in 2004 with New Line Cinema’s uproarious
comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, a film hailed as “an instant stoner classic”
by Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times. The film garnered critical acclaim and
legions of fans, launching Harold & Kumar to immediate cult status. The New York
Times said that it was “one of the few recent comedies that persuasively, and
intelligently, engage the social realities of contemporary multicultural America.”
In 2008, Hurwitz and Schlossberg made their feature-film directorial debut on the
highly anticipated sequel Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, a film they
also wrote and co-produced with Mandate Pictures. Variety raved that it was “one of the
ballsiest comedies to come out of Hollywood in a long time.” In 2011, Hurwitz and
Schlossberg penned and co-produced the third installment of their successful franchise, A
Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, which Entertainment Weekly enthusiastically
awarded “a straight A.” In addition, they have several exciting projects in development
such as 21 Shots, a youth comedy they are producing with Montecito Pictures, and
Grandma vs. Grandma, a film they scripted for Paramount Pictures.
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Hurwitz and Schlossberg currently reside in Los Angeles, California.
CRAIG PERRY (Produced by) is a partner at Practical Pictures, a feature film
and television production company founded in 2004 with Sheila Hanahan Taylor.
Previously, Perry had partnered with Warren Zide in 1997 to form Zide/Perry
Entertainment. Their first production was TriStar’s successful action film The Big Hit,
starring Mark Wahlberg. The company’s other productions include Universal Pictures’
American Pie franchise; New Line Cinema’s Final Destination franchise; Warner Bros.’
Cats & Dogs franchise; Sony Pictures’ Little Black Book; and Helkon Media’s RepliKate.
Perry’s upcoming projects include the family comedy The Pet, for Walt Disney
Studios; the teen thriller The Seminar, for CBS Films; and the horror comedy Killer
Weekend, written and directed by Michael Nickles.
Perry also served as vice president of development for Scott Rudin Productions
and as director of development for Silver Pictures. He was an associate producer on The
First Wives Club and worked in developing such films as Rules of Engagement, Sleepy
Hollow, A Simple Plan, The Truman Show, In & Out, Ransom, Clueless, Lethal Weapon
3, Executive Decision, Richie Rich and Demolition Man.
WARREN ZIDE (Produced by) is president of Zide Pictures, a motion picture
production company that recently produced the comedies High School, starring Adrien
Brody, Michael Chiklis and Colin Hanks, and Demoted, starring Sean Astin, David Cross
and Michael Vartan. Zide also served as a producer on the comedies The Pool Boys and
Extreme Movie.
In 1997, Zide partnered with Craig Perry to create Zide/Perry Entertainment.
The company debuted with the hit action film The Big Hit and went on to produce the
blockbuster American Pie franchise, which has grossed more than $750 million
worldwide; the Final Destination franchise, which grossed more than $660 million
worldwide; and the Cats & Dogs franchise, which grossed more than $312 million
worldwide. The company also produced the features Little Black Book and Repli-Kate.
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Zide began his entertainment career at New Line Cinema as a part-time employee
building shelving units before he was promoted to a full-time position in the mailroom,
where he worked alongside Perry. He then served as an assistant to a top literary agent at
International Creative Management, helping to sign such clients as director Robert
Rodriguez (Sin City, the Spy Kids franchise, Desperado) and screenwriter Gregory Allen
Howard (Remember the Titans).
CHRIS MOORE (Produced by) previously produced American Pie, American
Pie 2 and American Wedding. He is currently producing Gus Van Sant’s latest movie,
written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski. Last year, he produced The
Adjustment Bureau, directed by George Nolfi.
Moore’s filmography includes the Howard Zinn documentary The People Speak,
which he co-directed and executive produced; The People Speak UK, directed by Colin
Firth; Reindeer Games; Joy Ride; the documentary Pop & Me; and the Academy
Award®-winning Good Will Hunting. Moore was co-creator of HBO’s Project
Greenlight. In 2008, he directed his first feature film, Kill Theory.
Moore received a BA in American history from Harvard University.
Prior to American Reunion, LOUIS G. FRIEDMAN (Executive Producer)
served as executive producer of The Weinstein Company’s Piranha; as co-producer on
20th Century Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine; and as executive producer on Shady
Acres’ Accepted, MGM’s Into the Blue and Universal Pictures’ American Wedding, Blue
Crush and How High, the Universal’s first high-definition feature film. He also coproduced the original American Pie, for Universal; Slackers, for Screen Gems; and The
Third Wheel, for Miramax Films.
A cum laude graduate from the University of California, Davis, Friedman is a
seasoned assistant director, production manager, production executive and line producer,
having worked on Titanic and Starship Troopers and the award-winning television series
JAG, Fallen Angels, L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote and Hunter. As a production
executive and production manager for George Lucas’ Lucasfilm Ltd., Friedman
contributed to More American Graffiti, Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back,
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Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones
and the Temple of Doom.
PAUL WEITZ (Executive Producer) recently wrote, directed and produced the
film Being Flynn. He also wrote, directed and produced the films Cirque Du Freak: The
Vampire’s Assistant, American Dreamz and In Good Company. With his brother, Chris
Weitz, he directed American Pie and About a Boy, their adaptation of Nick Hornby’s
novel, which was nominated for an Academy Award®. Their company, Depth of Field,
produced Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and A Single Man.
As a playwright, Weitz has been produced by the off-Broadway Second Stage
Theatre. His play Lonely I’m Not will be produced there in the spring of 2012. His
published plays include Roulette, Privilege, Show People and Trust. He also acted in the
film Chuck & Buck.
Writer/Director CHRIS WEITZ (Executive Producer) helmed Summit
Entertainment’s drama A Better Life, starring Oscar® nominee Demián Bichir.
Weitz also recently directed The Twilight Saga: New Moon, based on the second
novel in the best-selling “Twilight” series, which has grossed more than $700 million
worldwide.
Weitz previously adapted and directed the Oscar®-winning epic fantasy-adventure
The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman (The Hours), Sam Elliott (We Were
Soldiers), Eva Green (Casino Royale) and Daniel Craig (Casino Royale). Based on
Philip Pullman’s best-selling and award-winning first novel in the “His Dark Materials”
trilogy, The Golden Compass was released by New Line Cinema and has grossed more
than $350 million worldwide.
Weitz previously co-directed with his brother, Paul Weitz, the award-winning hit
film About a Boy, adapting the screenplay from the Nick Hornby novel. The screenplay
received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as
similar nominations from BAFTA, the Writers Guild of America, the Chicago Film
Critics Association and the Humanitas Prize. The film was named one of AFI’s Movies
of the Year, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture—
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Comedy or Musical, and won Best Studio Comedy Feature at the U.S. Comedy Arts
Festival.
Weitz’s first directorial collaboration with Paul was on American Pie.
Prior to their screenwriting work on About a Boy, the brothers collaborated on
several screenplays, including Antz and Madeline (an adaptation of the popular children’s
book).
In 1999, Weitz and his brother formed Depth of Field, their Los Angeles-based
production company through which he and Paul produced the critically acclaimed film In
Good Company, directed by Paul; the comedy American Dreamz, starring Hugh Grant
and Dennis Quaid, also directed by Paul; the hit romantic comedy Nick & Norah’s
Infinite Playlist, starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings; and Tom Ford’s awardwinning drama A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. Depth of Field’s
diverse slate of upcoming projects includes The Game, based on Neil Strauss’ dating
tome, and the feature adaptation of Michael Moorcock’s fantasy epic “The Elric Saga.”
Weitz also made his acting debut in the Sundance Film Festival hit Chuck &
Buck.
DARYN OKADA, ASC (Director of Photography) has photographed every movie
genre from period epic to comedy and suspense. He has collaborated with director Mark
Waters on three features: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starring Matthew McConaughey,
Jennifer Garner and Michael Douglas; Just Like Heaven, starring Reese Witherspoon and
Mark Ruffalo; and Mean Girls, written by and starring Tina Fey.
Among Okada’s recent projects are the hit comedies Baby Mama, starring Tina Fey
and Amy Poehler, and written and directed by Michael McCullers, for Universal Pictures,
and Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, for New Line Pictures. Both films
opened on the same weekend to numbers one and two, respectively, at the box office.
Okada has compiled more than 30 feature credits, including The Goods: Live
Hard, Sell Hard, starring Jeremy Piven and produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay,
Chris Henchy and Kevin Messick; Stick It; Sex and Death 101; Dr. Dolittle 2; Anna
Karenina; Captain Ron; My Father the Hero; Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later; Lake
Placid; Cradle 2 the Grave; Joe Somebody; and Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken. He also
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worked on ABC’s Castle and the pilot for the television series Dawson’s Creek.
A Los Angeles native, Okada is self-taught in the art of cinematography, beginning
in his teens as a black-and-white still photographer and Super 8 filmmaker as well as an
avid movie fan. Upon graduating high school at 16, he became a projectionist at East Los
Angeles College, screening classic films from around the world while donating his time
on short and student films. During the mid-1980s, he was photographing and directing
commercials when his career was put on hold for several years after he was injured in a
helicopter crash while shooting aerial footage.
While recovering in 1984, Okada developed an interest in computer-generated
imagery. He believed that one day the technology could have the potential to visualize
incredible stories and might be an alternative career if his injuries prevented him from
physically continuing as a live-action cinematographer.
In the late 1980s, Okada was able to return to cinematography and photographed
several independent movies and earned an American Society of Cinematographers (ASC)
Award nomination for his work on the 1991 Emmy-nominated CBS miniseries In a
Child’s Name.
Okada has been a three-term past president of the ASC, and as an Academy®
(AMPAS®) member, serves on the Science and Technology Council of the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences®. Okada has also participated in digital- and filmimaging analysis for studios and manufactures as well as the ASC Digital Cinema
Initiatives StEM project, setting the standard for digital cinema projection evaluation.
WILLIAM ARNOLD (Production Designer) most recently designed the film
Lovelace and the comedy-dramas Crazy, Stupid, Love. and Take Me Home Tonight. He
also designed both Little Fockers and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, for
director Paul Weitz. His previous collaborations with Weitz include American Dreamz
and In Good Company.
Arnold made his debut as a production designer on the feature film Mo’ Money.
His other feature production design credits include Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love,
both for director Paul Thomas Anderson, along with Confidence, Shopgirl, Last Holiday
and Imagine That.
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He studied theater and design in his native state of Rhode Island before moving to
Chicago to pursue a career in the theater. While there, he began working on motion
pictures and eventually got work as an art director on such feature films as Costa-Gavras’
Music Box, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s Losing Isaiah, Clint Eastwood’s The Bridges of
Madison County, Gregory Hoblit’s Primal Fear and Scott Hicks’ Snow Falling on
Cedars. Since moving to Los Angeles, his art direction credits have also included Curtis
Hanson’s L.A. Confidential and Gary Ross’ Pleasantville, both of which garnered
Academy Award® nominations for Best Art Direction.
JEFF BETANCOURT (Edited by) recently served as editor on FOX’s Terra
Nova, produced by Steven Spielberg; ABC’s FlashForward; Universal Pictures’ The
Unborn; and the action-thriller The Ruins.
Betancourt’s additional film credits include several horror genre films, including
The Grudge 2, When a Stranger Calls, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Grudge. His
other film credits include Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, The Good Girl, Get Over
It, Chuck & Buck, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss and The United States of Leland.
MONA MAY (Costume Designer) exploded onto the scene with the release of
Clueless, a film that raised the status of fashion in film. The New York Times, Vogue
magazine and Women’s Wear Daily proclaimed Clueless “the fashion movie of the year,”
and introduced a bold new costume designer to the world.
Capturing the rich-girl prep-school style with plaid skirts, knee-high socks,
platform Mary Janes and feather-trimmed coats, Alicia Silverstone’s more than 60
costume changes were fresh, new and unusual, and created a vibrant style for a
generation of girls to emulate.
May’s trademark joie de vivre is clearly evident in her work, and it injects a bold,
sexy confidence into her designs. She is a master at designing costumes that flatter
actors’ body types, while simultaneously hitting pitch-perfect visual notes for the
characters they are portraying. May’s deep understanding of both design and anatomy
combine to render the actor and the character inseparable, including many roles played by
such Hollywood luminaries as Nicole Kidman, Emma Stone, Jennifer Aniston, Eva
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Mendez, Nicolas Cage, Eddie Murphy, Demi Moore, Anna Faris, Will Ferrell and many
more.
May’s dedication to the art of creating characters with fabric, textures and color
goes far beyond simply dressing the actors. It is an art that spans genres, time periods
and even media—ranging from live-action to CGI to classic cel animation—and creating
a costume that moves believably from the real world to a virtual world is an intricate
process.
For Stuart Little 2, designing an entire wardrobe for a four-inch digital mouse
meant working closely with the visual effects team at Sony Pictures Imageworks to
balance May’s creative vision with that of director Rob Minkoff. The process started
with a sketch, before going to a virtual tailor, followed by a texture mapper and finally
the lighting designer. Every detail, from the textures and patterns on the fabrics to the
scale and placement of trims and buttons, were executed to May’s exact specifications.
There are times, however, when a director must rely on a designer’s ingenuity for
a character’s technical effects. While filming The Haunted Mansion, Mona created a
“glow” that could be photographed in both live-action and CG. She experimented with a
paint process using Scotchlite powder that was applied to fabric, allowing the ghost
costumes to glow as if the actors were lit from within, and saving the production from
using expensive CG effects. The film also allowed her to demonstrate her exquisite
tailoring and eye for detail, evidenced by the extraordinary costumes for stars Eddie
Murphy, Terence Stamp and Wallace Shawn.
In the film Enchanted, Susan Sarandon’s evil Queen Narissa had a technically
challenging costume that required a seamless transition from 2D-animation (cartoon
character) to live action (human actor) to a computer-generated rendering that morphs
into a CGI dragon while retaining remnants of the original costume. For the costume,
May designed a reptilian leather corset and skirt with a cape fashioned to look like wings,
and during Narissa’s dragon metamorphosis, the skirt’s layers wrapped around like a tail
and the crown transformed into horns.
May continued to entertain audiences all over the world with her work on the
comedy Just Go With It, starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman.
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Aside from movie work, May is always inspired to share her passion, originality
and technical experience with the future designers at Otis-Parsons, FIDM and the Art
Center College of Design in Pasadena, where she is a frequent lecturer.
Born in India to European parents, May was raised in Warsaw and later in Berlin.
She studied fashion in Europe, New York and Los Angeles, experiencing a global
education that gave her the unique point of view she brings to her work.
JOJO VILLANUEVA (Music Supervisor) is known to be one of the most active
and productive music supervisors in the film and television music community. As a
music supervisor for Format Entertainment, he has been fundamental in the growth of
this distinguished full-service music firm. Working with a broad range of clients, he has
mastered providing keen expertise and insight into realizing musical visions for
filmmakers, studios, production companies and record labels.
Known for his innovative talents, Villanueva was sought after by Disney Pictures
to help create a musical landscape that provided substantial indie cred without sacrificing
“marketability” for the teen comedy Prom. No stranger to the importance of music in the
teen-comedy genre, he also contributed to the worldwide pop culture phenomenon of the
American Pie film series.
Alongside esteemed Format Entertainment founder and notable music supervisor
Dave Jordan, Villanueva helped bring to life the much anticipated reimagining of Arthur,
in which a modernized soundtrack was tailored for the Warner Bros. romantic comedy to
capture the classic essence of the much adored original. Also for Warner Bros., a
charming musical narrative was achieved for the star-studded romantic comedy and
adaptation of the best-selling novel “Something Borrowed.”
Ever versatile, Villanueva works in a wide variety of genres from dramas such as
Fighting to thrillers like The Hitcher, a diversity of comedies such as spoof films Epic
Movie and Vampires Suck, and family comedies such as Marmaduke.
A musician himself, Villanueva studied jazz piano at the prestigious USC
Thornton School of Music. He’s seen fame and recognition as a member of the hip-hop
group Elements of the Outer Realm, with appearances at Lollapalooza and major
terrestrial radio stations like KROQ.
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LYLE WORKMAN (Music by) has enjoyed a diversified career composing
feature film music, providing studio work for major recording artists and performing on
world stages.
Workman composed the music for the films Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin,
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Yes Man, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Get Him to the
Greek and Win Win. A seasoned guitarist, he was recruited by Sting and performed his
first show with the musical icon in London for the monumental Live 8 benefit concert. A
tour with Sting followed throughout Europe and South America in the summer of 2006.
A Northern California native, Workman was a member of Todd Rundgren’s group,
recording “Nearly Human” (1989) and “2nd Wind” (1991), and toured extensively
throughout the U.S. and Japan. He recorded “Spilt Milk” (1993) with Jellyfish and, from
1994 to 1998, he began a string of records and tours with Pixies founder and creative
force Frank Black. Some of their recordings include “Teenager of the Year” and “Frank
Black and the Catholics.” As a testament to Workman’s diversity, he began a creative
endeavor with jazz legend/drummer Tony Williams and contributed to Williams’ record
“Wilderness” (1996).
Workman moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and became sought after as a studio
musician. In the years to follow, he recorded with artists such as Norah Jones, Sheryl
Crow, Shakira, Jakob Dylan and They Might Be Giants. Workman’s distinctive guitar
work can also be heard on many film scores.
Recruited by Beck for a string of world tours, Workman hit the road with him from
1999 to 2001.
Workman’s solo debut CD, “Purple Passages” (1996), received international
acclaim and was dubbed “possibly the best guitar album of the year” by Guitar Shop
magazine. Workman released his second solo CD, “Tabula Rasa,” in 2000 and released
“Harmonic Crusader” in 2009.
He began writing commercial music for television, radio and documentaries,
eventually making the jump to feature film. His first film credit was Made, written and
directed by Jon Favreau.
Workman wrote additional music for the Will Ferrell film Kicking & Screaming.
This began a successful relationship with one of the film’s producers, Judd Apatow, who
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chose Workman to compose music for his directorial film debut, Universal Pictures’ The
40-Year-Old Virgin. This led to several Apatow films, with additional music written for
Knocked Up and Drillbit Taylor.
As a producer, Workman produced the music for the group Smash Mouth for Dr.
Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat soundtrack. In 2008, he produced Holland’s then top recording
artist, Ilse DeLange, for her triple platinum album “Incredible.” In addition to composing
the score for Get Him to the Greek, Workman produced the songs featured in the film.
—american reunion—