What The Cast Of Blue Crush Looks Like Today
It's been a little over 20 years since "Blue Crush" hit the big screen, and we're still thinking about it. In 2022, Kate Bosworth shared an awesome throwback photo with former cast mates Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake, stating, "20 years ago, my world changed because of this movie!" In the caption, she goes on to share why this film is still special to her, and we can't help but feel the same way! The film was inspired by an article published in Outside Magazine titled "Life's Swell," written by Susan Orlean. Orlean wrote about the lives of four surfer girls from Hana, Maui. "To be a surfer girl in a cool place like Hawaii is perhaps the apogee of all that is cool and wild and modern and sexy and defiant. The Hana girls, therefore, exist at that highest point—the point where being brave, tan, capable, and independent, and having a real reason to wear all those surf-inspired clothes that other girls wear for fashion, is what matters completely," she writes.
So, "Blue Crush" is more than just a movie about surfer chicks, and at the time of its release, it sent a profound message — women can have space and kick butt in a so-called "male-dominated" sport. The female-led cast, featuring actors such as Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez, did an amazing job of portraying the film's message. So, how are the cast of "Blue Crush" looking today, and what are they up to? Let's take a look!
Kate Bosworth
Kate Bosworth played the main character, Anne Marie Chadwick, in the film. At the time, Bosworth was in the early stages of her career. Prior to the release of "Blue Crush," she starred in a few other projects, the most memorable being her role as Emma Hoyt in "Remember the Titans." When auditioning for the role of Anne Marie, Bosworth was incredibly determined to land the role — the character really spoke to her. "I just felt such a deep affinity for her. If you're lucky in your career, that happens a few times, but it's normally just a handful. It's usually because there are some personal crossroads in your life that happen to align with the character, and that was certainly the case with Anne Marie. It wasn't like, 'I hope I get it.' It was like, 'I have to get this,'" (via Vulture). Kate, who had no idea how to surf, spent a month taking lessons to help land the role. Talk about dedication!
Since "Blue Crush," Bosworth made a name for herself in the industry and truly transformed her career. She's starred in several TV shows and films, notably "Superman Returns," "21," and most recently, "Last Sentinel." She's currently engaged to actor Justin Long. "These things are funny to announce. How to do this right? He's going the distance? I've got a Blue Crush? He's just THAT into me? I've won a date with...??? Ok you get it! ... " she said in an Instagram post.
Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Rodriguez made a name for herself in the industry just before the release of "Blue Crush" in 2002. She played the role of Letty in "The Fast and the Furious," which hit theaters in 2001. Talk about an amazing start to an acting career! Rodriguez played the role of Eden, a tough-love, no-BS friend who doesn't take crap from anyone. Before the film was released, Rodriguez spoke about the positive impact "Blue Crush" would have on audiences. At the time, surfing was very much a male-dominated sport. She said (via YouTube) that women surfers don't need to prove anything, "They're not trying to go out there and do anything but catch a wave."
Since playing the role of Eden in "Blue Crush," Rodriguez has starred in several TV shows and films. She's remained a staple in the "Fast & Furious" film series. She's definitely made for action movies — she's starred in hits such as "Avatar," and, most recently "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves." Rodriguez is also an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ communities. In 2014, she came out as bisexual, telling Gay Star News, "I do realize the importance of having the bravery to live as who you are and I feel like a lot of people don't have that bravery. Maybe by me opening my big fat mouth like I usually do and stepping up and owning who I am, maybe it might inspire somebody else to do the same," (via HuffPost).
Sanoe Lake
Sanoe Lake was the only actor of the four main women cast in "Blue Crush" that knew how to surf, and she was also born in Hawaii. In an interview at the Oceanside International Film Festival in 2022, Lake shares how she started surfing. "Well, I started when I was 5. Both my parents were surfers ... when you grow up with parents that surf, just by default, you end up at the beach every single day. You eventually take a boogie board or surfboard out" (via YouTube). Prior to starring in "Blue Crush" as Lena, Lake had no prior acting experience. In a 2020 reunion special shared on Kate Bosworth's YouTube channel, Lake talks about her experience. "Originally, I read for the role Michelle played, Eden. Lena wasn't developed. So it was nice, they kind of met me in the middle on that, where they're like 'You know, just fly off the cuff on some of this, we don't have her all the way written,' So it gave me a lot of freedom to bring some authenticity," she said (via YouTube).
Since playing the role of Lena, Lake starred in three other films, including "Rolling," "Half-Life," and "Creature of Darkness." Now, Lake is married with two children and she and her husband own a Hawaiian restaurant called Tropicali, located in Big Bear Lake, CA. Apparently, the restaurant is a huge success and was ranked the best restaurant in California in 2022, according to Sunset.
Mika Boorem
Of the main cast of "Blue Crush," Mika Boorem definitely had the most acting experience, her first project being in 1995. She starred in some big films, such as "The Patriot" and "Along Came a Spider," before "Blue Crush." Boorem was the youngest member of the cast — she was just 14 at the time of filming. She played the role of Penny Chadwick, Anne Marie's younger sister. In an interview with Popternative, Boorem talked about her experience filming the movie and her appreciation for the realness of it. "They had all these amazing pro surfers involved ... Just the authenticity that surrounded that movie, even though it was this large-scale studio movie, they really, like, rounded it with this authenticity," she said (via YouTube).
More recently, Boorem has taken a seat in the director's chair. In 2021, she made her directorial debut with her film "Hollywood.Con," which was released on Amazon Prime. In an interview with 519 Magazine, Boorem talks in-depth about the film and her progression from acting to directing. "I always liked more the actual what people are doing, how are they collaborating, that sort of inner working wheel of projects which is why I think it was a natural progression to move from acting into directing," she said.
Matthew Davis
Another notable actor from "Blue Crush" is Matthew Davis, who played the role of Matt — an NFL quarterback and Anne Marie's love interest. In an exclusive interview with E! News, screenwriter Lizzy Weiss said it was important to her to include a love interest in Anne Marie's story. "That was really important to me, that we can show a woman athlete, who was totally empowered but also wanted this boy to like her and how that fit into her future," she said (via E! News). Davis also shared some insight into his filming experience with Pedestrian.TV, stating, "It was just a tough time. We started shooting right after 9/11, the people were really shaken up." He also shared that he needed to take a break from acting after filming. Prior to starring in "Blue Crush," Davis was already well-known for his role as Warner in "Legally Blond," which was released the previous year in 2001. We gotta say, we like Matt's character much better than Warner's.
Since playing Matt in "Blue Crush," Davis has starred in several movies and TV shows, but his most notable work is undoubtedly his role as Alaric Saltzman in "The Vampire Diaries," "The Originals," and "Legacies." Davis is currently married to actress Kylie Casciano and has two children.
Faizon Love
Another familiar face from the cast of "Blue Crush" is Faizon Love. Love played the role of Leslie, one of Matt's (Matthew Davis) friends and sidekicks. You might recall his most memorable scene in the film, where he reveals he wants to take surf lessons in his speedo, or as Penny (Mika Boorem) calls them, "nuthuggers." Prior to starring in "Blue Crush," the actor and comedian had quite an established career, with his first gig being in 1989. After the film, Love continued to work on several projects, one of his most notable being his role as the Gimbel's store manager in "Elf." He also starred in other big films such as "Just My Luck," and "Couples Retreat."
These days, Love is focused more on his career as a comedian and posts about his upcoming events regularly on his Instagram. He also has a young daughter. In an interview with WUSA9 in December 2022, Love said she instantly recognized him while watching "Elf" for the first time. "She saw me on 'Elf' ... and she immediately knew that was me ... she was like 'boom!'" Love said she was only around 1 at the time. Love also mentioned his new film "Santa Games" had just hit the theaters and he joked, "I think I'm becoming the Will Smith of Christmas movies."
Coco Ho
Coco Ho was cast for a smaller role in "Blue Crush," playing a young Anne Marie. Her screen time may have been short, but she's had quite a busy career since then. Ho was born in Honolulu, Hawaii into a surfing family. She was out in the water with a surfboard from a young age. Other than "Blue Crush," Ho starred in another film, "Six Days in Paradise." She also participated in two documentaries, "She Is the Ocean" and "First Love," both of which highlight her love for surfing and the ocean. However, her short film career is nothing compared to her amazing surfing career.
Ho started surfing at the age of 7 and won her first championship at the age of 14. At 17, Ho qualified for the World Surf League Women's World Tour, making her the youngest woman surfer ever to qualify. More recently, Ho represented U.S. Surfing at the Tokyo Olympics. Ho, now in her 30s, still competes. In an interview with Forbes, she talks about competing at the U.S. Open, stating, "Surfing at the U.S. Open in my 30s is really special because I feel like I have a very great fan base. I've been competing there since I was 14 or 15 years old, so I'm very comfortable. Nothing's surprising or new, and I thrive in that stadium-like crowd."