The actor, director and screenwriter reflects on the film’s impact ahead of its 25 year anniversary
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE BY LIONSGATE
The noughties started with a bang, thanks to the release of the cult classic film But I’m A Cheerleader. On paper, a film set at a conversion therapy camp doesn’t exactly sound very funny. But this film provides bucket loads of ab-building laughter, and even rarer for the time, a happy ending for its lesbian leads, Megan (Natasha Lyonne) and Graham (Clea DuVall).
The romcom will soon mark its 25th birthday on 7 July. Ahead of this anniversary, Clea spoke to People about the film’s impact on LGBTQIA+ viewers. She shares that she had no idea it would earn its status as a trailblazer. “We were just making this tiny little movie,” she said. “We were all so young – just a bunch of little punks running around the set and giving [director Jamie Babbit] a hard time.” The actor called the film “very ahead of its time.”
Looking back, Clea wasn’t out at the time. “The press cycle for that movie was brutal for me,” she said. “Promoting a gay movie and not talking about being gay.”
The film allowed her to “play a character that was less of a stereotype of what we were at the time used to seeing lesbian characters be.” She called the film “the most rewarding thing” she had ever done. She shares that fans repeatedly say the film gave them the courage to come out.
Clea shared the story of a mum and daughter who approached her and Natasha at a film festival. “They had driven for four hours to see this movie because the kid really wanted to see it, and the mum really wanted to make it happen for her.” “Being able to see gay characters portrayed in this way and have a happy ending,” resonated with them, said Clea.
But I’m A Cheerleader is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
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