Julia Stiles burst onto the scene as the unforgettable Kat Stratford in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You at just 18 years old. From the get-go, her sharp wit and magnetic screen presence stole the show. Over the years, she’s been candid about navigating the ups and downs of her Hollywood career in her 20s while searching for roles that truly resonated with her. Today, her life looks completely transformed—both personally and professionally.
How Did Julia Stiles Get Her Start?
Long before she became a household name, Julia dipped her toes into the world of acting as a child. She made her debut on the children’s television series Ghostwriter from 1993 to 1994. Just two years later, she stepped onto the big screen in I Love You, I Love You Not, alongside other rising stars like Claire Danes, Jude Law, and James Van Der Beek. Born and raised in New York City, Julia continued to build her résumé with roles in films like Wicked and Wide Awake before landing her breakout role in 10 Things I Hate About You.
That romantic comedy has only grown in popularity over the years, thanks to its incredible cast, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, and the late Heath Ledger. Directed by Gil Junger, the film marked Julia’s big break, earning her nominations at the Teen Choice Awards and the MTV Movie Awards. Looking back on the experience, Julia told Us Weekly in a 2014 interview, "It was such a fun summer and such a pure experience of working on a movie where we were all—this was our first big break. We were really open and invested, and it was really fun being in Seattle."
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After 10 Things I Hate About You, Julia kept the momentum going with roles in Down to You, Hamlet, Save the Last Dance, and The Prince and Me. In 2010, she took on the role of Lumen Ann Pierce in Dexter, which earned her nominations for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Despite her success, Julia admitted there were moments when she felt frustrated with her career trajectory. "I felt like I was sort of jumping from job to job that I wasn’t really connected to, and worried about where my career was going," she told The Daily Beast in 2019. Still, acting remained her passion. "A few years ago, my frustration was feeling like nobody knew what to do with me. You know, I had had some success in my 20s and now I’m in a different place in my life and I didn’t really fit anywhere," she added.
What’s Julia Stiles Up To Now?
In 2017, Julia landed the role of Georgina Clios in Riviera, a Sky Atlantic drama series that surprised even her with its success. The show broke records with over 10 million downloads. "I guess I was surprised. That’s not because I doubted the show but because I try to manage my expectations," she told Forbes in 2020. "Whenever you’re making something, you hope that it finds an audience. I’ve been acting long enough that I’ve seen movies and TV shows have success and also, you know, disappear into oblivion. I usually don’t try to predict what the reception is going to be."
