- TikTok star
Addison Rae was announced as the lead in the upcoming "She's All That " remake, which will swap the genders of its main characters, featuring a teenage girl's perspective. - Rae, whose real name is Addison Easterling, will star in "
He's All That ," with her role inspired by Freddy Prinze Jr.'s character in the original. - Reactions to the casting were mixed, with many fans of the 1999 teen comedy classic irked that a TikTok star with no professional acting background was chosen.
Addison Rae Easterling, known online as just Addison Rae, is the first TikTok star to land a major film role. Easterling was cast as the lead in the upcoming teen comedy "He's All That," a remake of the 1999 classic "She's All That," as first reported by Variety.
This time around, the characters are gender-swapped, so Easterling's will be based on Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Zack Siler, who, after getting dumped by his girlfriend, attempts transforms a nerdy girl (Rachel Leigh Cook) into prom queen.
The reboot will be written by R. Lee Fleming, who also wrote the original, and it will be directed by Mark Waters, who previously directed "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday." Variety reports that "He's All That" has been "in the works" for years, and that the movie will have a modern twist, as Easterling's character will be an influencer.
19-year-old Easterling fits into her character Padget's shoes perfectly, since she's the second-most-popular person on TikTok and moved to LA this past year to fulfill a girl next door-turned-social media star's dream.
"My dreams are coming true!!! I'm so excited to finally share the news that i am getting the opportunity to make my acting debut in HE'S ALL THAT which is a remake of one of my all time favorite movies, SHE'S ALL THAT," Easterling wrote on Instagram.
Devotees of "She's All That" were suspicious of the casting news and social media response turned sour in some cases. Easterling is best known on TikTok for her dancing prowess, and she's no stranger to the spotlight as a former trained dancer.
But Easterling has no professional acting experience, and awkward scripted series on networks like Brat TV, which casts young influencers for digital series on YouTube, have shown that TikTok fame and acting don't always go hand in hand (Dixie D'Amelio had a memorable cringe-worthy turn as the lead on a Brat show called "Attaway General").
"Remember people, just because they're famous doesn't mean they can act," the most-liked response to Variety's tweet announcing the casting says.
Other disappointed reactions included fans of "She's All That" bemoaning the decision to "ruin one of my childhood favorites" — although the 1999 film is itself a take on 1964's "My Fair Lady," which is based on the 1913 play "Pygmalion," which is named after a Greek mythological figure — so the storyline was never totally original.
On TikTokRoom, a popular TikTok gossip page, fans reacted to the news in part by shaming those who attacked Easterling. "I just KNOW if it was charli y'all would say 'OMG so proud of her' 'Good for her' Well deserved. Etc. But when it's Addison.." the top comment on the post reads, referring to the different attitudes toward Easterling and Charli D'Amelio, the most-followed TikToker on the platform.
Many Gen Z TikTok fans have been repeatedly surprised and irate to see popular
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- TikTok star Charli D'Amelio debuted a super sweet 'Charli' cold brew recipe with Dunkin' Donuts and it tastes like a sugar high
- TikTok star Dixie D'Amelio addressed rumors that she 'fakes seizures for attention' and opened up about her struggles with anxiety and a rare condition