How old was Jennifer Love Hewitt in I Know What You Did Last Summer? Actress recalls "gross" jokes on TV
Jennifer Love Hewitt has opened up about the inappropriate comments and s*xualization she faced as a teenage actress in Hollywood. In an appearance on Mayim Bialik’s podcast, Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown, on January 30, Hewitt, now 44, recalled the uncomfortable experiences she endured in the late 1990s when she was just 16 years old.
The actress, best known for her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), shared:
"There were grown men talking to me at 16 about my breasts openly on a talk show, and people were laughing about it," she said.
Jennifer Love Hewitt was 18 years old when she filmed I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). The movie was filmed in 1996, and Hewitt was born on February 21, 1979. At the time, Hewitt admitted she did not fully grasp the inappropriateness of such conversations.
Jennifer Love Hewitt reflects on the culture of the time
Jennifer Love Hewitt noted that the entertainment industry's treatment of young actresses was far different from today's standards. She recalled being on the cover of Maxim magazine at a young age, despite not fully understanding what it meant to be labeled as "s*xy." The actress also described awkward encounters with fans who would make suggestive remarks about her magazine covers.
"People would openly walk up and be like, 'I took your magazine on a trip with me last week.' And I'd have to be like, 'Oh, ha ha.' I didn't really know what that meant—it's kinda gross," she admitted.
The Ghost Whisperer actress emphasized that such interactions were widely accepted at the time, and there was little awareness of how damaging these comments could be.
"It was a culture that was fully accepted," she explained. "They were allowed to believe that that was appropriate, and I answered the questions, laughed right along with them."
Despite the inappropriate treatment, Jennifer Love Hewitt credited her mother for keeping her grounded. She explained that her mother's presence in her life helped her stay level-headed amidst the fame and media attention. Hewitt described how her mother ensured that she had a normal upbringing despite her rising fame.
"I would go to a premiere, and people would want me to do things [afterward], and I’d have to go home and clean my room," she added.
Hewitt highlighted how her mother’s discipline kept her from being swept up in the Hollywood lifestyle.
Looking back, Jennifer Love Hewitt finds it "mind-blowing" to see how societal attitudes have changed since the late 1990s. She expressed relief that there is now more awareness and accountability regarding how young actors are treated in the industry.
Jennifer Love Hewitt is set to reprise her role as Julie James in the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot, scheduled for release on July 18, 2025. The film, officially announced in early 2024, will serve as a continuation of the original 1997 slasher hit.
Hewitt took to social media to express her excitement about returning to the franchise. "It's never too late to go back," she wrote, hinting at the nostalgic value of the sequel.
