Tatyana Ali Recalls Being Bullied on “Jawbreaker” Set Until Rose McGowan Stepped In

Tatyana Ali is reflecting on a painful experience from her teenage years on the set of the 1999 film “Jawbreaker” — and the powerful support she received from her costar Rose McGowan.

In a May 23 Instagram post, the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum, now 46, shared throwback photos from her time working on the cult classic. In the caption, Ali revealed that she faced mistreatment from an unnamed actress during the shoot.

Tatyana Ali Opens Up About Bullying on “Jawbreaker” Set

“I was the only one actually in high school when we shot this, and I dealt with a little bullying on set from one actress in particular,” Ali wrote.

She added, “But one day, she tried it in front of everybody… and @rosemcgowan told her to stfu [shut the f— up] in front of everybody! I will always love her for that!”

The post quickly caught McGowan’s attention. In the comment section, McGowan, 51, responded, “I’d do it again,” to which Ali called McGowan “a real one!” McGowan also added, “You are that forever combo — dignity, brains and beauty.”

Reflecting on the Cult Classic’s Legacy

Directed by Darren Stein, “Jawbreaker” tells the story of a group of popular high school girls who accidentally kill the prom queen in a prank gone wrong. Alongside McGowan and Ali, the cast includes Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, Judy Greer, and Ethan Erickson.

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At 90s Con in Connecticut in March 2023, McGowan, Gayheart, and Benz reunited for a group photo. McGowan appeared at the event for a “Charmed” panel, while Benz joined for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and Gayheart represented “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

In a 2016 interview with Vice, Stein said, “Whenever you have three girls and they’re playing the three bitches of the school and they’re shooting a film in a compressed four weeks to shoot a movie — that tone affects the dynamic of the girls.”

Gayheart further reflected on the set dynamic in a 2024 Interview magazine conversation, saying, “Our attitude was punk. That attitude trickled down into the set, the trailers, into the video village, our scenes, and our relationships. It was a vibe we all had.”

She continued, “Listen, I think if we were to do this now, it would be a very different vibe because, you’re right, women are supporting women. There’s not so much of that fierce, competitive, whatever. And I think if we had to do it over now, it would be similar in many ways, and it would be different in a few ways.”

Benz also weighed in in the same interview, noting, “Because it was such an intense shoot, and because we were working six days a week, and it was that intense high school bubble. That the dynamics of the characters, like Darren was saying, fell over into the dynamics between us. And our relationship as the characters kind of overflowed into our off set relationship, on set.”

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