The Prince & Me franchise has been one of the most loved romantic movies of the 90s. With Julia Stiles leading the movie as Paige Morgan in the first part, the character being recast with Kam Heskin in The Prince and Me 2: The Royal Wedding was a surprise for many fans. Consequently, they wish to know the reason behind the replacement.
Here’s what you need to know about why Stiles was replaced by Heskin for the 2006 sequel, The Prince and Me 2.
Why did Julia Stiles’ Paige Morgan get recast with Kam Heskin in The Prince and Me 2?
As of writing, it is unclear why Kam Heskin replaced Julia Stiles in the 2006 sequel.
Julia Stiles was ruling the rom-com genre with her 1999 classic 10 Things I Hate About You. Hence, the actress appearing in a movie involving the romance between a prince and a college student was something that caught the attention of many fans.
While The Prince and Me wasn’t much favored by the critics, it earned an average response from the audience. Becoming a core memory of many people’s childhood, the Julia Stiles starrer earned around $37 million at the box office. However, when it was time for the sequel to be released, the recasting of the actress caught everyone’s attention.
In The Prince and Me 2, Kam Heskin joined the cast as Paige Morgan, taking the baton from Stiles. The recast decision urged many fans to question the reason behind it. However, as per a report by The Direct, the reason was never revealed to the public. The outlet suggests that Julia Stiles’ recasting could be linked to budget constraints or her contract. However, neither the actress nor the movie’s makers have confirmed the same.
Looking back at The Prince and Me in a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Julia Stiles said, “The romantic comedies that do it well are the ones that can still use the tropes but reinvent them or make them feel new and refresh the mold.”