Watching Julia Stiles in the Bourne movies – I was noticing how she definitely plays a type.
Julia Styles’ brand, the character she tends to play, is educated, intelligent. A little bit prissy, a little bossy and arrogant. She is naturally very pale white, her hair is generally a sandy light brown. Her dark serious eyes make her cute and girl-next-door without being cheap. In short she is the bitchy smart princess you wanted to fuck in high school but were too scared. The girl you DO take home to mother.
Stiles presents as a stereotype of “culture.” She has been in a bunch of “updated Shakespeare” movies: “O” (Othello), “Hamlet,” and “10 Things I Hate About You” (Taming of the Shrew). Since she really did grow up in New York and attended an arts academy, perhaps this is just typecasting based on her real personality.
Stiles as a type ends up being a good foil for the “clash of cultures” movie. If they were to remake “Breakin’,” Julia Stiles would be the ballet dancer. She’s also the girl the hero makes cry and then feels bad about it. Check out the second Jason Bourne movie.
Is it because she is pale white and has an all-American look compatible with the white monolithic culture? Maybe she could run for office? With her urban sensibilities and safe lily-white persona, she might be able to woo both sides of the political spectrum. At the moment I would wager flyover states would think she’s stuck up… but a few more movies with Julia crying ought to fix that.