From E! Online · · 2m
Julia Stiles and Snooki's Save the Last Dance Connection
Julia Stiles reveals how her 2001 film inspired Nicole Polizzi's 'Snooki' nickname.
In brief
Julia Stiles reveals how her 2001 film inspired Nicole Polizzi's 'Snooki' nickname. Julia Stiles says her 2001 dance movie inspired Nicole Polizzi's nickname 'Snooki' after a childhood friend dubbed her that way. Originally reported by E! Online.
Julia Stiles Reacts to Snooki’s Connection
Julia Stiles says her 2001 dance movie inspired Nicole Polizzi's 'Snooki' nickname.
“That's so crazy”
Snooki's Nickname Origin
A childhood friend dubbed Polizzi 'Snooki' after she became the first out of their group to kiss a boy.
“the first out of our group to kiss a boy”
Save the Last Dance Inspiration
Polizzi's nickname came from a line in Save the Last Dance where the DJ character was called 'Snook the Coochie Crook'.
“I'm gonna call you 'Snook the Coochie Crook'”
Snooki's Nickname Stuck
Polizzi used the nickname when applying for MTV shows in the early 2000s.
“I was like, 'Nicky, Nic, Snooki'”
Julia Stiles' Dance Career
Stiles danced on a table at a party in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You to captivate film executives.
“Oh, she has rhythm”
Stiles' Dance Training
Stiles trained for a month and a half, four hours a day, to prepare for her role in Save the Last Dance.
“I had to do, like, a month and a half of four hours a day dancing my tush off”
Stiles' Foot Pain
Stiles' feet bled, developed calluses, blisters, and bunions during her dance training.
“Oh my god, I had the nastiest feet…They'd bleed, they'd get calluses, blisters, bunions”
Stiles' No Body Double
Stiles refused to use a body double for her dance scenes in Save the Last Dance.
“I didn't want them to double me”
Sean Patrick Thomas' Experience
Sean Patrick Thomas had no dance experience but trained for Save the Last Dance.
“I didn't have dance experience, except for some aerobics dance classes”
Thomas' Performance
Thomas performed a Save the Last Dance-inspired routine on Dancing With the Stars.
“We had a great time doing Save the Last Dance back in the day”
Julia Stiles' Dance Routine
Stiles integrated ballet and hip-hop moves from her character's Juilliard audition into her DWTS routine.
“I was like, 'Nicky, Nic, Snooki'”
Snooki's Nickname Legacy
Polizzi's nickname 'Snooki' stuck with her through the early 2000s MTV shows.
“I became known as Snooki”
Save the Last Dance 2
A 2006 Save the Last Dance sequel was released as a straight-to-DVD film.
“Save the Last Dance 2”
Stiles' Reaction to Film
Stiles turned off her 2019 TV rewatch of Save the Last Dance because it was cringeworthy.
“it was cringeworthy to me”
The essence
Julia Stiles says her 2001 dance movie inspired Nicole Polizzi's nickname 'Snooki' after a childhood friend dubbed her that way.
