Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 18, 2025 · Entertainment

Freddie Prinze Jr. Almost Quit Acting: The 'Psychotic' I Know What You Did Last Summer Experience!

Freddie Prinze Jr. revealed his experience filming I Know What You Did Last Summer was so excruciating that he considered walking away from Hollywood altogether; seen on July 14

Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Nightmarish Experience on Set of I Know What You Did Last Summer Revealed - And It's a Wild Ride!

Get ready for a juicy dose of Hollywood drama as Freddie Prinze Jr. spills the beans about his tumultuous experience filming the 1997 slasher flick, I Know What You Did Last Summer!

As the movie's highly anticipated sequel is set to hit theaters on July 18, an explosive interview with TooFab from 2023 has resurfaced, revealing that Prinze Jr. was just one step away from quitting Hollywood altogether due to creative differences and tension between him and director Jim Gillespie.

'It's not that we weren't on the same page, I knew what the correct choices were for the Ray character. He wanted a different actor, a really good actor named Jeremy Sisto, who I know and I like and respect very very much,' Prinze Jr. claimed; seen above in the 1998 sequel

The actor, who played the role of Ray Bronson in the original film, opened up about his harrowing experience on set, saying: "It's not that we weren't on the same page, I knew what the correct choices were for the Ray character. He wanted a different actor, Jeremy Sisto, who I know and like and respect very much."

But things took a dark turn when Gillespie allegedly told Prinze Jr. that he didn't want him in the movie - talk about a blow to one's ego! The actor recalled: "I'll give the man this, I think his name is Jim, he made no bones about it. There was no passive aggressiveness - which I hate - he was very direct in the fact that, 'I don't want you in this movie.'"

Prinze Jr.'s co-stars, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar, stepped in to comfort him at his breaking point, reminding him of his worth and importance to the project. "The director was giving me psychotic notes, like 'Don't leave your mouth open. You look stupid when you do that' - that was the exact note, word for word, I'll never forget it - and I'm like, I'm either gonna break down or I have to beat this guy's a**," he confessed.

He explained his co-stars, Ryan Phillippe, and Gellar comforted him at his breaking point; the actor and Gellar seen in 2001 in Westwood

As tensions escalated, Prinze Jr. found himself considering resorting to physical violence against Gillespie - yikes! But his co-stars calmed him down, reminding him that he "earned" his role and should focus on the positive aspects of the experience.

Meanwhile, an even more terrifying ordeal awaited Prinze Jr. when filming a scene on a motorboat for the movie's finale. He recalled: "I almost caught a flight and went home. I was done. I had enough. They had broken a ton of union stuff that they shouldn't have, like union rules. All kinds of things."

In a shocking revelation, Prinze Jr. revealed that he even packed his bags and prepared to leave the project - talk about a meltdown! However, a producer stepped in and convinced him to stay on, ultimately leading to a successful completion of the film.

'I wanted to fight that guy two or three different times. Once I felt was a legitimate reason, and the other two I was just p**sed off, which, that's not right. I'm glad everybody talked me down,' he said

Despite the chaos, I Know What You Did Last Summer went on to rake in $125.3 million at the box office, cementing Prinze Jr.'s status as a teen idol. He reprised his role in the 1998 sequel and has since appeared in numerous other projects, including She's All That (1999) and Scooby-Doo (2002).

So, what inspired Prinze Jr. to return to the franchise for the latest installment? According to him, it was a combination of creative concerns and a desire to explore the characters' growth and development: "I was very hesitant to jump back in for a multitude of reasons... Some were creative, because I wasn't the same guy so I didn't know what kind of character they were gonna want."

This time around, Prinze Jr. is set to star alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt, with Sarah Michelle Gellar also making a brief cameo appearance.

'I was very hesitant to jump back in for a multitude of reasons,' the actor admitted. 'Some were creative, because I wasn't the same guy so I didn't know what kind of character they were gonna want'

As he walked the red carpet at the movie's premiere in Los Angeles earlier this week, Prinze Jr. seemed to have put his tumultuous past behind him, cozied up with his wife Sarah Michelle Gellar in a stylish minidress that showcased her leggy display.

So, what do you think, readers? Are you excited for the latest installment of I Know What You Did Last Summer? Share your thoughts and reactions in the comments below!

The Scholarly Note:

'There was so much thought into what [Julie and Ray] had gone through, trauma wise, and how they both dealt with it differently, that it gave them great motivations in the movie,' he said of both his and Hewitt's characters

Earlier this week on Monday, Freddie and his wife Sarah were seen attending the premiere of I Know What You Did Last Summer in Los Angeles (seen above)