Black Twitter gathered Tuesday to celebrate 20 years of Gina Prince-Bythewood redefining the romantic comedy with Love & Basketball. Using the hashtag #LoveandBasketball20, the director, cast and crew revealed little known facts about the iconic film as it aired in real time on BET.
Find some of the surprises we learned from the discussion below.
FACT #1: It’s public record the script was changed to include Sanaa Lathan’s real-life scar, but the Nappily Ever After actress shared that the original story features young Monica’s tooth being knocked out.
FACT #2: The kissing scene between young Quincy and Monica was never rehearsed because the kids portraying the duo (Kyla Pratt and Glenndon Chatman) played too much.
FACT #3: A pre-tutorial makeup job helped Regina Hall land the role.
FACT #4: The scene of Monica being trapped in a car with the fine college brother her sister hooks her up with ended on the cutting room floor. Sorry, Boris Kodjoe!
FACT #5: Quincy almost had another dad. Could you imagine someone replacing Allstate Bae Dennis Haysbert? We certainly couldn’t.
FACT #6: Sanaa’s first scene was with Alfre Woodard.
FACT #7: The two actresses felt so comfortable with each other that Lathan allowed Woodard to actually slap her during the scene where they argue in the kitchen.
FACT #8: Their chemistry was so real that it inspired Woodard to ad-lib. When she asked Lathan’s character if Spaniards are cursing their mamas in the street, it was pure instinct.
FACT #9: That wasn’t the only improvising done on set. Prince-Bythewood revealed much of that steamy dorm room sex scene between the star-crossed college lovers was unscripted.
FACT #10: Tyra Banks’s star power earned the production a free trip to Barcelona. Talk about being an OG influencer.
FACT #11: It was also Banks’s idea to floss her ring in Monica’s face.
Of course it couldn’t do a thing in the face of #BlackLove. Monica and Q forever. Happy anniversary, Love & Basketball.