20 Years After How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days: Where Is The Cast Now?
"And all the girls dreamed that they'd be Ben's partner..." If those lyrics are stuck in your head, it's probably thanks to the TikTok trend inspired by the "You're So Vain" scene from "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." The timing of the TikTok trend couldn't be more perfect because the rom-com, which stars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughy, has a milestone anniversary to celebrate: "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" celebrates its 20th anniversary in January 2023.
While the feature flick about two people who accidentally fall in love while trying to dupe each other for their respective work assignments won over a number of viewers, some critics were not big fans. The Guardian gave the 2003 release one star and wrote, "McConaughey has to be the dullest leading man in Hollywood; as for Kate Hudson ... does she have to be as irritating as all that?" Roger Ebert wasn't much happier, only giving it a 1.5 stars and having his own jeers about the performances. Despite these reviews, the film made $177 million at the box office and brought attention to the talents of at least a dozen actors. And after 20 years it's about time we see what they're up to now.
Matthew McConaughey the brand
Matthew McConaughey has been making audiences swoon ever since his breakout role in "Dazed and Confused." As Ben in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," he was both charming and kind of a tool— an often perfect combination for romantic comedy leading men. But McConaughey was not limiting himself to one genre. Proof of that: the same year the actor appeared in six episodes of the miniseries "Freedom: A History of US." From there he starred in movies like "Sahara," "Fools Gold" (another Hudson/McConaughey pairing), and "The Lincoln Lawyer."
In 2013 he appeared in "Dallas Buyers Club" and won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014. In his acceptance speech he said his hero was him 10 years in the future. "I'm never going to be my hero. I'm not gonna attain that ... that's just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing," he added. Also that year he jumped from the big screen to the small one with eight episodes of the series "True Detective," a performance that earned an Emmy nomination. Of course he continued to tackle the big screen, even taking on voice roles as in "Sing 2" and "Come Home." He has also become the face of several companies, appearing in commercials for Dolce and Gabbana, Lincoln Motor Company, Wild Turkey, and a SalesForce commercial that ran during the Super Bowl.
As busy as he is, McConaughey finds family time. He married Camila Alves in 2012 and the two share three children.
Kate Hudson's star keeps shining
Three years before the release of "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Kate Hudson appeared in the critically acclaimed dramedy "Almost Famous." Her performance earned an Academy Award nomination, and from that point on, her star only continued to rise.
The same year "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" came out, she was in the rom-coms "Alex & Emma" and "The Divorce." In 2008, Hudson once again teamed up with Matthew McConaughy for the movie "Fool's Gold," which didn't make quite as much money as their first film together. Hudson also dabbled in other genres like her role in the thriller "The Killer Inside Me," the musical drama "Nine," and a five-episode guest spot in Season 4 of "Glee." In 2016 and 2017, the actor had back-to-back roles in dramas: "Deepwater Horizon" and "Marshall." In 2021, Hudson had a recurring role on the Apple original drama series "Truth Be Told," and she went on to dazzle in 2022's "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery." Her career shows no signs of winding down, and she still seems open to trying new things. As she told BAFTA in 2022, "I actually think I'd have a lot of fun doing a Marvel."
Since appearing in "10 Days," Hudson has welcomed three children and is currently engaged to Danny Fujikawa. Oh, and in 2013, she cofounded the uber-successful activewear line Fabletics.
Adam Goldberg's busy on both sides of the camera
Though actor Adam Goldberg's first big break was in "Mr. Saturday Night" with Billy Crystal, he too appeared in "Dazed and Confused," the first of three movies he was in with Matthew McConaughey. The next one would be "EDtv," and then "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," in which he played Tony, one of Ben's co-workers and friends who acts as a support system through his chaotic courting of Andie.
For the next few years following "10 Days," Goldberg focused more on TV roles, including a nine-episode stint on "Joey" and four episodes of "Entourage." In 2008, the actor appeared in the horror film "From Within" and the sci-fi movie "Christmas on Mars," and in 2009, he signed on to the short-lived series "The Unusuals." Goldberg then starred in "NYC 22," which also only lasted one season. What followed was more recurring roles on TV including a gig on "Taken" and "The Equalizer." In 2009, the actor spoke to Vanity Fair about the roles he gets and being typecast. "I'm perceived as a typical Jewish New Yorker, even though I'm a half-Jewish guy from LA," he said. "But, hey, whatever pays the rent. I've certainly done very little to dispel that characterization."
In 2014, Goldberg got married and he and wife Roxanne Daner are proud parents. In addition to his acting career, Goldberg has also raked in a few director credits, including 2015's "No Way Jose" and "I Love Your Work."
Kathryn Hahn is a comedy veteran
It might be hard to believe, but the hilarious Kathryn Hahn got her first big acting break on the show "Crossing Jordan" as a grief counselor. She was on the show for all six seasons and was cast in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," during the show's hiatus. From there she found herself in other comedies like "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "Step Brothers," and "We're the Millers." In 2012, the actor began playing Jennifer Barkley in "Parks and Recreation" and stuck around for four seasons. In 2015, she was cast in a lead role in "Happyish," but the show only lasted one season. Hahn then teamed up with Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell for "Bad Mons" and "A Bad Moms Christmas."
Hahn's most surprising role could very well be Agatha Harkness in "WandaVision." The actor told Vanity Fair in 2021 that she always thought if she ever got to be in a Marvel film she'd want to be a villain, but never thought it'd happen. "It was very unexpected, and like, an incredible ride. So hard. So worth it," she said.
The actor's current project has her voicing a main character on the animated series "Central Park" and in the works for 2023 is an exciting project that was announced at Comic-Con: "Agatha: Coven of Chaos," a spinoff for Kahn's "WandaVision" character.
Annie Parisse also has a thing for comedy
Annie Parisse first came onto the Hollywood scene in the late '90s, appearing as Julie Lindsey in "As the World Turns" — a role that earned an Emmy nomination. 2003's "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" was her first feature film. In it, she played Jeannie, Andie's friend and co-worker at Composure Magazine. The following year she showed up in the final season of "Friends" as Joey's date who does the unthinkable: takes food off his plate. From there she spent the 2000s appearing in movies like "National Treasure" and "Monster-in-Law," as well as in TV shows such as "Law & Order" and "Rubicon." In 2014, she snagged a spot acting alongside Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton in "And So It Goes."
Parisse, who has a solid resume in theater as well (mostly in comedy), told Paste she was thrilled to have an opportunity to do a comedy on camera when she joined the cast of "Friends from College" in 2017. "On set, one of the most exciting things was being with people who are so comically gifted," she said, mentioning several of her co-stars by name, including Keegan-Michael Key. Unfortunately, the series only made it two seasons, but Parisse continued to act, and in 2021 starred in the indie film "Giving Birth to a Butterfly."
Parisse is married to fellow actor Paul Sparks and the couple has two children.
Thomas Lennon brings the laughs
You might know actor Thomas Lennon as the star of the hilarious comedy television series "Reno 911!," or you recognize him as Joey's hand twin in two episodes of "Friends," but with close to 200 credits to his acting resume, you've likely seen him in a ton of other things, including "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," where he played Ben's friend and co-worker. Lennon followed up that role in the 2000s with movies like "Herbie Fully Loaded," "Reno 911!: Miami," and "Hancock." In 2010, he signed on to "Sheen" to voice the character of Pinter, and in 2013 he was cast in the short-lived "Sean Saves the World."
Lennon had the opportunity to play Felix Unger to Matthew Perry's Oscar Madison in the 2015 remake of "The Odd Couple," and according to CBS Mornings, the show was the number one comedy in its first season. Oh, and Lennon doesn't just star in "Reno 911!"— he's also a co-creator and executive producer for the show. What's more, he also does stand-up comedy, sings, and is a New York Times bestselling author thanks to his children's fantasy book series "Ronan Boyle."
As incredible a career as he's had, Lennon still has some regrets. As he told Larry King in 2019, he turned down the try out for the role of Nigel in "The Devil Wears Prada." "I don't know what I was thinking, it was just madness," he shared.
Michael Michele is inspired by a legend
Actor Michael Michele already had quite a bit on her resume — including just finishing up three seasons of "ER" — when she was cast in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." In the rom-com she played Spears, one of Ben's coworkers who eggs him into the bet they are sure he would lose. From there, the actor went right into a new series called "Kevin Hill," but the Taye Diggs-led show only made it one season. She also had a son that year. In a 2021 interview with People, Michele shared how "ER" and "10 Days" made it possible for her to take time off from acting to be a mom. "I couldn't think a great deal about how my career was going to be impacted because my child took precedence," she said.
When the actor was ready to work more, Hollywood was ready for her. She focused mostly on television guest spots in shows like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Gossip Girl," and "Blue Bloods." In 2019, Michele joined the cast of "Dynasty," taking on the role of Dominique Deveraux, the character played by Diahann Carroll in the original "Dynasty" series. Michele told ET, "She is my personal inspiration. Like Diahann Carroll the woman more so than even Dominique Deveraux."
Shalom Harlow made a comeback
Shalom Harlow is a Canadian actor and model who has graced the covers of magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Before being cast in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" as Spears' partner in crime, Harlow only had about half a dozen acting credits to her name and about the same after. Her next role was in Adam Goldberg's "I Love Your Work," followed by three episodes of the short-lived TV series "The Jury." After a few more roles, there's a considerable gap in her list of IMDb credits from 2006 to 2021 — and the reason isn't simply that she was keeping busy as one of the most successful models in the world.
As she revealed to InStyle in 2020, Harlow had been struggling with health issues for quite some time. But, as she shared with the outlet, she felt unable to take a much-needed break from her career. By the time she hit 40 years old, even after she'd taken time off and slowed down, she was bedridden from what she believed were the contributing factors of Lyme disease and black mold poisoning. "Deep chronic illness will incite a nervous breakdown," Harlow shared. It took going to London for treatment before she started her recovery. Thankfully, that recovery included getting back to modeling. In 2022, she shined in a beautiful gown at the Met Gala.
Robert Klein is an inspiration to many
Veteran actor Robert Klein, most known for his recurring role on the hit show "Sisters," has been in the entertainment business for more than five decades, appearing on both the small and big screen. In "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Klein played Ben's boss at the advertising agency who is perfectly fine — if not delighted — with the bet for the new jewelry campaign. From there the actor continued along the same path with spots on shows like "Life On Mars," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "The Good Wife," as well as supporting roles in movies such as "Ira & Abby," 2010's "The Backup Plan," and "Demoted."
In 2014, the actor snagged recurring roles on two series featuring Debra Messing: "The Mysteries of Laura" and the reboot of "Will and Grace." In the later, he played Martin Adler, Grace's father (originally played by Alan Arkin).
Klein is also well known as a stand-up comic. His HBO special from 1975 was the first cable standup special ever, and many comics today name him as an inspiration. For example, in the 2017 documentary "Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg" (via The Comic's Comic), Jerry Seinfeld declared, "He was the Beatles of comedy to me." But this actor-comedian is not done even at the age of 80. He's got two projects in the works for 2023: "Lucky Jack" and "Zoo."
Celia Weston has done it all
Veteran actor Celia Weston is most known for her long-time role as Jolene Hunnicutt in the hit television series "Alice," starring Linda Lavin. She used the same sweet Southern accent she had in "Alice" decades later for her role in 2003's "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," where she portrayed Ben's mother. That year was a busy one for the actor as she was in four other movies, including "Hulk" with Eric Bana and she started a new TV series, "Out of Order."
Things didn't slow down for Weston after that as she continued to garner roles in both television and movies. In 2010, she was in the Tom Cruise film "Knight and Day" and in 2014 she had five episodes of the series "American Horror Story." In 2016, she had the opportunity to play a villain named Lady Ambrosia, who kills children so they can remain young forever, in "The Blacklist." On the other end of the spectrum, Weston was asked to be in the 2019 movie "Poms," starring Diane Keaton, about a group of senior citizen women who try to be cheerleaders. In an interview with Movie Roar, the actor spoke about how much fun she had being part of the female-led project. "Thankfully, our industry doesn't throw away people in their senior years because they're always life stories that have them," she said of the almost all-senior cast.
James Murtaugh is still hard at work
A working actor since the early '70s, James Murtaugh has raked in almost 100 credits over five decades and turned 80 years old in 2022. In "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Murtaugh played the father of Matthew McConaughey's character. This wasn't the first time Murtaugh appeared in a film with McConaughey: the two both had roles in 2001's "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing."
Following "10 Days," Murtaugh continued getting parts on television and in film. Some of the TV shows he appeared in were "Hope & Faith," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and "30 Rock." Murtaugh also snagged roles in the films "Everybody's Fine," starring Robert De Niro, "Two Weeks" with Sally Field, and Mark Wahlberg's "Invincible." More recently, in 2020, Murtaugh appeared off Broadway in the play "Paris," and in 2021, the actor appeared on three television shows: "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Evil," and "The Last O.G."
As far as his personal life goes, Murtaugh has been married to his wife, Alice, since 1971 and the couple has one child.
Bebe Neuwirth's a legend of stage and screen
Bebe Neuwirth has been most recognized since 1986 as Lilith Sternin in "Cheers" (where she won two primetime Emmys) and then the spin-off series, "Frasier," for which she was nominated for an Emmy. In "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Neuwirth played Andie's boss, who helps her come up with the infamous idea for her latest column. Neuwirth focused primarily on TV from there, appearing in shows such as "Law & Order: Trial by Jury," "The Good Wife," and "Madam Secretary." In 2019, Neuwirth reprised her role as Aunt Nora from 1995's "Jumanji" with a cameo in "Jumanji: The Next Level." And in 2022, she reunited with "Frasier" co-star David Hyde Pierce for the new series "Julia," inspired by the life of cooking teacher Julia Child.
Neuwirth has conquered both the stage, too. Throughout her career, she's not only appeared both on and Off-Broadway, but won two Tonys. Two of her more recent performances were in productions of "The Addams Family" and "Chicago." As for the future, one project could be a "Frasier" reboot, which has reportedly been in the works, and according to ScreenRant, Neuwirth is one of the original cast who's said they would return.
With such a rich and storied career, it's no wonder she has so many fans — and she doesn't take it for granted. As she told Parade in 2019, "It's very gratifying when people say that they appreciate my work and that I made them laugh or entertained them."
Samantha Quan, from actor to producer
Canadian actor and producer Samantha Quan was fairly new to acting when she appeared in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" in 2003. Her first on-screen credit was in 1996, and she followed that up with two more before appearing as Andie's co-worker, Lori, a writer whose columns are often scary or terrible but "surprisingly upbeat." After that role, things sped up for her, and in 2004 alone she had roles on four TV shows, including "Monk" and "CSI:NY." Her acting credits continued to be predominately on television, but in the role of producer she had her sights set on film.
And Quan sure has stayed busy behind the scenes. For "The Florida Project," an Academy Award-nominated drama helmed by her husband, Sean Baker, she was an acting coach for the very green actors who make up the cast. In 2019, she executive produced a short called "Colours," and in 2021, Quan was an executive producer for her husband's film "Red Rocket." She has also appeared Off-Broadway in "Vietgone" and "Poor Yellow Rednecks," and she's loaned her voice to narrate books for Penguin Random House.
Of the work Quan did on the set of "The Florida Project," Baker gushed to The Globe and Mail, "[The young stars] were excited about coming to work every day and by the time we actually got to shooting, these kids were ready, they were prepped: they knew their lines; they knew the blocking; they knew never to look in the camera."