We Were Just Teenagers Then Jennifer Love Hewitt Opens Up About Silence, Rumors, and What Really Matters

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It’s strange how the world remembers moments that feel like lifetimes ago — and stranger still how people can imagine stories that were never told.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was just 18 when I Know What You Did Last Summer hit theaters in 1997. A teenager, caught in the whirlwind of horror fame alongside a cast that would go on to define a generation — Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe.

And yet, decades later, fans are still asking: What happened between Jennifer and Sarah?

Turns out, nothing did.

“I haven’t spoken to Sarah since I was 18,” Jennifer admitted recently in an interview, her voice tinged with the kind of calm that comes from years of growing up and moving forward. “That’s why all the talk about us feuding just feels… silly.”

She’s right. Sometimes, two people simply walk out of a shared moment and into separate lives. But when you’re a woman in Hollywood, the silence is often filled with noise — gossip, assumptions, endless whispers of rivalry.

“I honestly don’t even know how all this started,” Jennifer said. “Why does it always have to be one against the other? Sometimes, things are just what they are.”

In the original 1997 film, Jennifer stepped into the role of Julie James — the frightened yet resilient girl who made it out alive while others didn’t. Sarah was Helen Shivers, the tragic beauty queen whose death still lives on in horror film history. Both became iconic. And both, it seems, went on with their lives in different directions.

But when the 2025 remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer rolled around, the old rumors resurfaced. The red carpet premiere came and went, and fans noticed — Sarah and Jennifer didn’t pose for pictures together. Cue the online theories.

Sarah, ever the straight-shooter, gently shut the rumors down on Instagram.

“I never even saw Jennifer that night,” she wrote. “I was inside with my kids during the big red carpet. And she didn’t come to the after-party. These events are hectic, and sometimes you miss people — that doesn’t mean anything bad happened.”

She added, “Not getting photos with someone doesn’t mean you don’t love or respect them. Real life isn’t always as tidy as a red carpet gallery.”

Jennifer had also spoken about the rumors earlier, during a podcast late last year.

“I saw someone online say, ‘Julie probably made sure Helen got killed because actresses don’t like working with other actresses,’” she laughed. “I was 18 years old. I didn’t even have the power to suggest script changes. Come on.”

The thing is — there never was a feud. No harsh words. No secret falling out. Just time, space, and the normal unraveling of teenage connections as adult life moves on.

Sarah went on to become Buffy Summers — the fearless vampire slayer who became a cultural icon. She met Freddie during filming, but their love story didn’t begin until years later. Jennifer found her own path, starring in Party of Five, lending her voice to animated roles, and eventually embracing motherhood. Life moved on, and their journeys just never overlapped again.

Still, their shared legacy remains. Freddie Prinze Jr., now reprising his role in the 2025 film, smiled when asked about Sarah’s role in the new version.

“She saw it before I did,” he said. “She told me, ‘It’s great. You’re great. People are going to love it.’ She’s always been honest with me, and supportive. That means the world.”

He added something that speaks volumes: “That death scene she had? One of the best in horror history. Not just because it was scary — but because it showed hope, right up until the end. That’s what made it unforgettable.”

And that’s what stories like these come down to — not the noise or the gossip, but the moments that stay with us.

Now, a new generation of actors — Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, and Madelyn Cline — step into the legacy of the film. They carry it forward, not as replacements, but as a continuation.

Freddie said it best: “They didn’t need me to pass the baton. They already earned it.”

So no — there was never a dramatic split, never a catfight, never a rivalry. Just two young women who shared a film, a red carpet, and a moment in time — and then went on with their lives.

And maybe that’s the part that surprises people the most: sometimes, there’s no hidden drama. Sometimes, we just grow up.

And in that, there’s a quiet kind of beauty.