It’s been 23 years since the cult-favourite 90s teen-rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You premiered, however it’s safe to say the film has aged like a fine wine.

Starring Julia Stiles and Australia’s very own Heath Ledger, the iconic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan-era play Taming Of The Shrew is cemented itself as a mainstay in the cultural zeitgeist—both in and out of the Grade 9 English classroom.

Of course, with lines like “there’s a difference between like and love, I like my Skechers but I love my Prada backpack,” and the iconic dance scene where Heath’s character Patrick serenades Julia’s Kat with a rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, this nostalgic and fashion-forward film is one for the ages.

Now, leading lady Julia Stiles has opened up about her experiences of shooting the film, including sharing the ten things she loved about working with Heath Ledger.

“That summer was very, very special and ultimately rare because we were all actors on that, it was kind of their first,” Stiles said in an interview.

With a stellar cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union and Larisa Oleynik, we can only imagine the on-set vibes from this young troupe of actors filming in Seattle.

“We jumped in and we were all so open-hearted and not self-conscious…It was a really special time,” she adds.

While 18-year-old Julia had a few major blockbusters under her belt, 20-year-old Heath only had several small acting credits to his name, however that didn’t stop the Perth-born star from making a strong impression.

“He was a very magnetic presence on set, and he was like this force,” Stiles described.

“He had a zest for life and just was like always, he was never checked out. He was always totally engaged with everybody. Really interesting, remarkable person and actor.”

Of course, this performance catapulted Heath to become a household name and allowed him to make the transition from emerging actor to bonafide Hollywood heavyweight.

Soon after starring in the teen drama, Ledger received critical acclaim and even Oscar nominations for his complex and nuanced portrayal of a queer ranch hand in Brokeback Mountain, and of course his post humorous accolades for his villainous and now-iconic Joker in The Dark Knight.

Tragically, Ledger passed away in New York City in 2008 from an acute combined drug intoxication. He was 28 years old.

Reflecting on his shocking passing, Stiles comments “it’s a shame because we would have, you know, we would have been able to see him do more incredible work had he not passed away.”

Ledger was survived by his only child, a daughter named Matilda whom he shared with fellow actress and Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams.

Stiles’ revelations certainly tugged on our heart strings, this nostalgia filled interview is giving us every reason to re-watch this film for the millionth time (not that we needed one). Alexa, play “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.

This article originally appeared on ELLE Australia.

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