Julia Stiles Movies: A Timeless Journey from Teen Icon to Directorial Visionary

When you think of late ‘90s teen movies or early 2000s dance flicks, there’s a good chance Julia Stiles pops into your head. She was bold, bookish, and unforgettable—whether she was throwing witty comebacks at high school boys or breaking barriers on a dance floor in Chicago. But who is Julia Stiles beyond the pop culture icons she’s played?

Let’s take a deep dive into her movie career, her age and birthday, some facts about her personal life, and everything in between—from her classic teen rom-coms to new movies and even her work now as a director. Ready to hit rewind?

Julia Stiles Age and Birthday

First things first—how old is she?

Julia Stiles was born on March 28, 1981, in New York City. As of now, she’s 44 years old. From child stage actress to movie star to filmmaker, her journey has been anything but ordinary. It all started with acting classes at age 11, and by the time she hit her late teens, she was already a breakout name in Hollywood.

The Early Rise: Teen Queen of the ’90s

The late ’90s and early 2000s were the golden age of teen movies—and Julia Stiles was the face of that era.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Let’s just say this one goes down in the hall of fame. Julia played Kat Stratford, a fiercely intelligent and sarcastic high schooler. She nailed the role alongside Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the film is still beloved for its feminist edge and witty Shakespearean twist.

This movie didn’t just launch her into stardom—it made her a Gen Z and millennial favorite overnight.

Julia Stiles Movies in Order (Must-Watch List)

To truly appreciate her evolution, here’s a quick list of Julia Stiles movies in order of release—some you’ll remember, others might be a surprise!

Wicked (1998)

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Down to You (2000)

Hamlet (2000)

Save the Last Dance (2001)

O (2001)

The Bourne Identity (2002)

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

The Prince and Me (2004)

The Omen (2006)

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

The Makeover (2013)

Jason Bourne (2016)

Hustlers (2019)

Orphan: First Kill (2022)

Wish You Were Here (2025) – her directorial debut

That’s quite a portfolio, right?

Julia Stiles Dance Movies: The Iconic ‘Save the Last Dance’

If you were a teen in the early 2000s, you definitely had the poster or the DVD.

Save the Last Dance (2001) is the Julia Stiles dance movie. She played Sara, a ballet dancer who moves to inner-city Chicago after a family tragedy and falls in love with hip-hop—and with Sean Patrick Thomas’s character, Derek.

The film mixed racial and social themes with some killer choreography. Julia trained intensely for the role, and while critics had mixed opinions, fans adored it. It grossed over $130 million worldwide and became a cultural classic.

Serious Shakespeare: ‘Hamlet’ and ‘O’

Julia was never just a one-trick pony.

In 2000, she starred opposite Ethan Hawke in a modern version of Hamlet as Ophelia. That same year, she played Desi Brable, a stand-in for Desdemona, in O—a modern-day take on Shakespeare’s Othello set in a high school.

Not many actresses jump from teen comedies to tragic Shakespearean roles in a heartbeat. But Julia? She owned it.

Bourne Identity and Badassery

Her role as Nicky Parsons in the Bourne franchise brought her into the action genre, starring alongside Matt Damon. She appeared in:

The Bourne Identity (2002)

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Jason Bourne (2016)

Her quiet but resilient character gave the franchise a much-needed female anchor, and her arc grew deeper with every sequel.

Mona Lisa Smile and The Prince and Me

Julia dipped into romantic and intellectual territory with:

Mona Lisa Smile (2003): A drama set in the 1950s, where she played a student defying feminist ideals.

The Prince and Me (2004): A fairy-tale romance where she falls in love with a Danish prince. (Yep, basically Meghan Markle before Meghan Markle!)

Julia Stiles on TV: ‘Dexter’ and ‘Riviera’

She’s not just a film actress—Julia has made waves on TV too.

Dexter (2010): Her role as Lumen Pierce in Season 5 earned her Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. She played a dark, complex character who becomes entangled in Dexter’s world of vigilantism.

Riviera (2017–2020): A sleek European crime drama where she played Georgina Clios, an art curator pulled into a web of lies, wealth, and murder. Think Succession meets The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Julia Stiles Movies on Netflix

Wondering what Julia Stiles movies you can stream on Netflix right now?

Here’s what’s been spotted:

Hustlers

Riviera

Orphan: First Kill

The Makeover

The Devil’s Own (where she had a small role)

Keep an eye out—Netflix often rotates her classics in and out.

Julia Stiles New Movie: A Director Is Born

In 2025, Julia Stiles stepped behind the camera for her directorial debut—Wish You Were Here.

The film is based on Renée Carlino’s novel and stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, and Jennifer Grey. It’s a heart-wrenching romantic drama about love, timing, and loss.

Stiles not only directed but also wrote the screenplay. And guess what? Critics are already calling it one of the most mature indie debuts of the year. Looks like she’s just getting started.

Julia Stiles Husband and Personal Life

Outside of Hollywood, Julia keeps things pretty low-key.

She’s married to Preston J. Cook, a camera assistant she met on the set of Go with Me. The two tied the knot in 2017 and now have three children together. Julia often says motherhood changed her view on fame and filmmaking.

Julia Stiles Net Worth

So how’s she doing financially?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Julia’s estimated net worth is around $12 million. Between her iconic roles, franchise bonuses, and now directorial projects, she’s built a strong, steady career without ever chasing the spotlight.

Legacy: More Than a Teen Star

Sure, Julia Stiles will forever be remembered as Kat from “10 Things I Hate About You” or Sara from “Save the Last Dance”. But her career is so much more layered.

She’s done Shakespeare, held her own in a spy franchise, explored TV drama, and is now making moves as a filmmaker. She never went for the flashiest roles—she went for substance, and it’s paid off in spades.

Final Thoughts

Julia Stiles has proved time and again that she’s not just a teen movie star. She’s an artist—on screen and now behind the camera. Whether she’s dancing in Chicago, dodging bullets with Jason Bourne, or directing a poignant love story, she’s left her mark across genres.

If you love timeless film icons, you’ll want to keep following Julia’s journey—because clearly, she’s just getting started.

For more stories like this, reviews, and deep dives into pop culture stars, head over to my blog at thegoted.com!