10 Things I Hate About You: Quotes, Cast & Secrets
There’s a reason people still quote a poem from a 1999 high school comedy more than two decades later. 10 Things I Hate About You turned Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew into something funnier, messier, and surprisingly tender — driven by a cast that clicked on screen and off.
Release year: 1999 ·
Director: Gil Junger ·
Box office (worldwide): $53.5 million ·
Rotten Tomatoes score: 72% (Tomatometer) ·
Budget: $16 million ·
Source material: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Quick snapshot
- Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) — feminist, sharp-tongued elder sister (IMDb)
- Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) — mysterious bad boy hired to date Kat (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) — younger sister who cannot date until Kat does (IMDb)
- Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) — new student in love with Bianca (IMDb)
- Director: Gil Junger (Wikipedy)
- Writers: Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith (Wikipedy)
- Studio: Touchstone Pictures (Metacritic)
- Filmed in Seattle/Tacoma area from June 8 to August 6, 1998 (IMDb locations)
- Stadium High School in Tacoma served as Padua High School (IMDb locations)
- Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles were not romantically involved off-screen (People)
- 1998: Principal photography begins in Seattle (IMDb locations)
- March 31, 1999: Theatrical release (IMDb)
- 2008: Heath Ledger dies at age 28 (Wikipedia)
Five key specs show how the film was built on a modest scale with a tight shooting schedule.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | March 31, 1999 (USA) |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| MPAA rating | PG-13 |
| Filming location | Seattle, Washington |
| Soundtrack highlight | “I Want You to Want Me” (Letters to Cleo cover) |
| Budget | $16 million |
| Worldwide box office | $53.5 million |
| Production dates | June 8 – August 6, 1998 |
| Director | Gil Junger |
| Writers | Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith |
What is the famous line from 10 Things I Hate About You?
A single poem turned a rom-com into a cultural reference point — but its staying power comes from the tension between the words and what Kat’s face reveals.
What is the most iconic quote from the movie?
Kat Stratford’s poem, delivered in front of her entire English class, contains the film’s most-quoted lines. It opens with: “I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair” (Grazia). The final line — “But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all” — is widely considered the most iconic moment of the entire film (Today).
“But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”
— Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), reading her poem in class
The implication: the poem works because it undermines everything Kat has said about Patrick out loud. Her anger is a mask, and the audience sees through it before Patrick does.
Did Heath Ledger kiss Julia Stiles?
They kissed on screen, but the off-screen story is the opposite of what fans hope for — and that’s what makes the chemistry impressive.
Did Julia Stiles fall in love with Heath Ledger?
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles shared multiple on-screen kisses in the film (IMDb). Off-screen, however, they were not romantically involved. Both have described their relationship as friendly and professional (People). During filming, Ledger’s then-girlfriend was actress Heather Graham.
Did Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger get along?
Julia Stiles has spoken warmly about working with Ledger. In a retrospective interview with People, she described him as “such a force” and recalled their time on set with genuine affection. A 2017 feature in Cosmopolitan UK revisited the film and highlighted behind-the-scenes memories of Ledger’s humor and energy.
What this means: the on-screen chemistry that fans read as romance was actually the product of two actors who respected each other deeply and had fun together. That’s rarer than real-life romance.
Did Patrick actually love Kat?
Patrick Verona starts the film in a paid arrangement — he is hired by Joey Donner to date Kat so Joey can date Bianca. Over the course of the story, his feelings evolve from transactional to genuine (Entertainment Weekly).
“Can’t take my eyes off of you / Can’t take my eyes off of you / I love you, baby, and if it’s quite alright, I need you, baby.”
— Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), serenading Kat on the football bleachers
The final scene confirms the shift. After Kat reads her poem in class, Patrick finds her outside and asks, “What’s that? A sonnet?” She replies, “No, it’s a poem.” His face — wounded, hopeful, quiet — says more than words could. The Today retrospective identifies this as the moment his sincerity becomes undeniable.
The trade-off: the script never resolves whether Patrick falls for Kat immediately or gradually. That ambiguity, frustrating as it is, makes the final scene land harder — we never quite know when he crossed over.
What actor died from 10 Things I Hate About You?
Heath Ledger died in 2008 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs at the age of 28. No other main cast member from 10 Things I Hate About You has died. Ledger’s death shocked the entertainment world and added a layer of bittersweet nostalgia to the film’s legacy.
The pattern: Ledger’s untimely death meant that a movie originally seen as a lightweight teen comedy became — for a generation — a memory of a star gone too soon.
What is the best scene in 10 Things I Hate About You?
Three scenes consistently appear in fan polls and critic retrospectives: Patrick’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” grand gesture on the football bleachers, Kat’s poem reading in English class, and the paintball fight sequence. The bleacher scene is often highlighted as the most memorable (HuffPost).
The choice of the song was deliberate — Ledger’s goofy, full-commitment performance turns a potentially cringey moment into something genuinely charming. The HuffPost feature on the scene’s 20th anniversary credits director Gil Junger and the casting team for finding Ledger, who brought the sequence to life with his improvisation and energy.
What’s unclear
- Whether Patrick fell in love with Kat immediately or gradually is open to interpretation
- The exact reason the car kiss was omitted from the final theatrical cut is unconfirmed; it may have been cut for timing
The catch: the bleacher scene works because it flips the script — Patrick’s over-the-top performance masks real vulnerability, and Ledger’s choice to play it sincerely rather than ironically is what makes it unforgettable.
Fans curious about the actors behind the iconic roles might want to explore the films cast and characters for a deeper breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 10 Things I Hate About You poem?
The poem is a list of things Kat hates about Patrick, written for her English class. It ends with the famous line: “But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”
Where was 10 Things I Hate About You filmed?
Filming took place primarily in the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington. Stadium High School in Tacoma served as Padua High School (IMDb locations).
Who played the role of Mr. Stratford?
Larry Miller played Walter Stratford, the overprotective father of Kat and Bianca.
Is 10 Things I Hate About You based on a book?
No, it is loosely based on William Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew (Wikipedia).
What year did 10 Things I Hate About You come out?
It was released on March 31, 1999 (IMDb).
How much did 10 Things I Hate About You gross at the box office?
The film grossed $53.5 million worldwide against a budget of $16 million.
Did 10 Things I Hate About You have a sequel?
No official sequel was ever produced, though there have been discussions and fan campaigns over the years. An unaired TV pilot was made in 2009 but did not advance to series. For another cast-focused film breakdown, see Remember Me cast: every actor and role in the 2010 film.
For fans of the genre, Last Christmas (Film): Plot Twist and Box Office Verdict offers a similar rom-com analysis.
For fans of 1990s rom-coms, the implication is clear: watch it again with an eye on the details you missed the first time. Or discover it for the first time — Ledger’s performance in the poem scene will hit either way.
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