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NEED TO KNOW
Miss Congeniality hit theaters on Dec. 14, 2000
The comedy, starring Sandra Bullock, earned $107 million domestically at the box office
The film was so successful that it led to a 2005 sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, with many of the original cast members reprising their roles in the second film
"You wear the crown, be the crown, you are the crown!" It's been 25 years sinceMiss Congenialityglided into audiences' hearts with beauty, grace and snort-worthy laughs.
Directed by Donald Petrie, the action-comedy film premiered in theaters on Dec. 14, 2000.Sandra Bullocktransformed into Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who goes undercover as Miss New Jersey to stop a dangerous threat against the Miss United States beauty pageant. Bullock, a producer on the film, acted alongside a star-studded ensemble cast, includingBenjamin Bratt,William Shatner,Candice BergenandMichael Caine.
Miss Congenialitywas a massive hit at the box office, earning $212 million worldwide, and its surprise success led to the 2005 sequelMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. Shot primarily in Austin, Texas, the movie became a cult classic for its hilarious lines (April 25isthe perfect day!) and empowering message of embracing individuality.
Bullock's leading-lady status continued with roles in the 2002 filmsDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya SisterhoodandTwo Weeks Laterbefore the second installment ofMiss Congeniality. However, in April 2022, shetoldMetro UKthat the original film "should have remained a one-off."
In honor of its milestone anniversary, here's what the stars ofMiss Congenialityhave been up to since we first learned not to mess with Gracie Hart.
Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart
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The Virginia native was already known for her breakout role in the 1994 action-thrillerSpeedand heartfelt performances in the 1998 filmsHope FloatsandPractical Magicwhen she produced and starred inMiss Congeniality.
Playing frumpy FBI agent Gracie Hart, or as she's known undercover, Miss New Jersey, Bullocktold movie critic Roger Ebertat the time that she loved the "swan" element, noting that though Gracie got a makeover.
"What I liked about this movie was it's not that she changed her personality," she added.
Bullock was nominated for aGolden Globefor Best Actress — Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her portrayal of Gracie. She would later earn a Golden Globe, as well as anOscarandSAG Awardfor 2009'sThe Blind Side. Her other major films includeThe Proposal(2009),Bird Box(2018),The Unforgivable(2021),The Lost City(2022) andBullet Train(2022).
Off-screen, Bullock was married toJesse Jamesfrom 2005 to 2010. She begandating Bryan Randallin 2015, and they stayed happily together until he died in August 2023 from a "three-year battle with ALS." She also adopted two children,son Louis and daughter Laila, in 2010 and 2015, respectively.
Though she's taken time away from her career in recent years, Bullock toldPEOPLE (the TV Show!)in March 2022 that she was "not retiring, just going tonot spend time in front of the camerafor a while," as she has "beautiful babies. I'd rather look at them ... every day and have them be mad at me and annoyed and make memories with them for right now."
Benjamin Bratt as Eric Matthews
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Bratt, who was born and raised in San Francisco, already had a long list of credits before portraying FBI agent Eric Matthews inMiss Congeniality,includingLaw & Order.
He had previously starred with Bullock in 1993'sDemolition Man, and the two had a "comfort level" already,according toE!In 2025, BratttoldGood Morning Americathat he believes the film "really endures" because of Bullock.
"Of course, the writing is hilarious, and the directing is brilliant. But Sandy isn't afraid to make a fool of herself, to be silly," Bratt said. "We all recognize the kind of foibles her character goes through in ourselves, and it's fun to relate to someone like that."
FollowingMiss Congeniality, Bratt appeared inCatwoman(2004),Freedom Riders(2009),Snitch(2013),Ride Along 2(2016),Doctor Strange(2016) andMother of the Bride (2024).In addition toLaw & Order, the actor has also racked up a slew of TV credits, with recurring roles onE-Ring,The Cleaner,Private Practice,Star,24: Live Another Day,Modern Family,Poker FaceandAndor.
Bratt's voice-acting roles includeCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs(2009) and its 2013 sequel,Despicable Me 2(2013) andCoco(2017).
In 2002, he marriedTalisa Soto, whom hemet at a film auditionin the early '90s and later costarred with in 2001'sPiñero.The pairshare two kids: daughter Sophia, born in 2002, and son Mateo, born in 2005.
Heather Burns as Cheryl Frasier
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A native of Chicago,Heather Burnsappeared in 1998'sYou've Got Mailand on shows likeLaw & OrderandThe Beatbefore portraying the wholesome, delightfully naive Cheryl Frasier, a.k.a. Miss Rhode Island — but she almost didn't get the part.
After not receiving a callback after her first audition, a change in directors gave her a second chance. Then, in New York, Burns submitted a tape, flew across the country to Los Angeles to read with Bullock and nabbed the role. She dyed her hair blonde to set her character apart from Gracie and was taught baton twirling by a coach from Syracuse University,perE! News.
Burns costarred with Bullock again inTwo Weeks NoticeandMiss Congeniality 2before appearing in 2005'sBewitched and 2016'sManchester by the Sea. In 2025, she starred alongsidehusband-and-wife duoKevin BaconandKyra SedgwickinThe Best You Can.
She also appeared on shows likeBlindspot,The Good FightandJulia, as well as onstage in the 2024 Off-Broadway production ofHold Me DarlingwithAdam Driver.
Though Bullock is seemingly done with theMiss Congenialityuniverse, Burns told PEOPLE in June 2025 that she would "love" to star in a third film.
"That was one of the best experiencesof my life. It was so much fun making both of those films," she said, adding, "I made lifelong friends working with Sandra Bullock. It's just a dream. So yes, a third [movie], I would jump at it. It would be so much fun."
In 2016, Burns welcomed a son with her husband, actor Ajay Naidu.
William Shatner as Stan Fields
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Born in Montréal, Shatner has been a professional actor since the 1950s. He was already a household name as Captain James T. Kirk from the 1960sStar Trekseries and its subsequent franchisereboots and films before he portrayed pageant emcee Stan Fields inMiss Congeniality.
Shatner is still a fan, regularly celebrating the film's "unofficial holiday," April 25,on X.
"Happy 25th anniversary of #ThePerfectDate," Shatner wrote in April 2025, adding stills from Stan's infamous scene with Cheryl.
AfterMiss Congeniality, the actor appeared in several films, including 2004'sDodgeball, and reprised his role as Stan inMiss Congeniality 2. He later earned anEmmy Awardin 2005 for his guest appearance onThe Practice, followed by a Golden Globe in 2005 and another Emmy in 2006 for his role on its spinoff,Boston Legal.
Shatner also did TV guest spots, including onPsych,Rookie BlueandHot in Cleveland, and voiced characters on shows likeMy Little Pony: Friendship Is MagicandMasters of the Universe: Revolutionand in video games likeFamily Guy: The Quest for Stuff and Elite: Dangerous.
As if that wasn't enough, Shatner is the accomplished science fiction author of theTekWarseries and wrote a 2008 memoir,Up Till Now: The Autobiography.He's also co-authored the bookWilliam Shatner...And You, which will bereleased in late 2026to coincide with the 60th anniversary ofStar Trek.
In February 2025, he washonored with the lifetime achievement awardat the 52nd Annual Saturn Awards Showcase.
Shatner's career isn't the only place he reached for the stars — hetook an actual trip to space! In October 2021, at age 90, he became theoldest person to ever go to spacewhen he went aboardJeff Bezos' Blue Originspace shuttle.
In his personal life, Shatner married his fourth wife,Elizabeth Martin,in February 2001; they finalized their divorce settlement in March 2020. Hehas three childrenfrom previous relationships.
Michael Caine as Victor Melling
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The Oscar-winning actor — born Maurice Micklewhite in London — was a critically acclaimed performer long beforeMiss Congeniality, in which he portrayed beauty pageant coach Victor Melling.
Hetold AboutFilm.comin January 2004 that his years of making films for money were behind him and that he only did movies if it was "fun for me," which is why he joined the cast ofMiss Congeniality.
Following the film's release, the actor continued to star on the big screen in films such asThe Prestige(2006),The Dark Knight(2008),Now You See Me(2013) andits 2016 sequel,Interstellar(2014) andDunkirk(2017).
In October 2023, Caine announced onBBC Radio 4's Todayshow that he wasretiring from acting. His last film was 2023'sThe Great Escaper.
When he appeared inMiss Congeniality,Caine was already married to his wife,Shakira Caine; they have one child,daughter Natasha. He also shares an older daughter, Dominique, with ex-wife Patricia Haines.
Candice Bergen as Kathy Morningside
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Bergen was (and still is!) best known for her 10-season run as the titularMurphy Brown, before portraying the villainous former pageant queen and competition director Kathy Morningside inMiss Congeniality. The L.A. native was fit for the role — shewas a model andVoguecover girlbefore making her film debut inThe Groupin 1966.
The 2000 comedy had been Bergen's first film in 15 years, and she was Petrie's only choice for Kathy.
"I needed someone who was beautiful and who could play psychotic. That's not an easy combination," the directortoldThe Morning Callin December 2000. "And I needed someone who could handle the comedy and still have the poise and grace that the role required. I knew Candice could pull it off."
Bergen continued appearing in comedic movies, includingSweet Home Alabama(2000),Sex and the City(2008),Bride Wars(2009) andBook Club(2018) andits 2022 and 2023 sequels. She also made waves in the Broadway revivals of 2012'sThe Best Manand 2014'sLove Letters.
On TV, Bergen reunited with herMiss Congenialitycostar Shatner onBoston Legalandreprised her role as Murphy Brownon the one-season revival of the sitcom of the same name. She last had guest spots onThe Connorsin 2021 and onAnd Just Like That...in 2023, and she's set toappear on season 3 of Apple TV'sShrinking.
Bergen's first husband, French film director and screenwriter Louis Malle, died at age 63 in 1995 from lymphoma. The pair shared one child, daughterChloe Malle,born in 1985. She later married Marshall Rose in 2000, the same yearMiss Congenialitywas released. Marshalldied in February 2025at age 88 from complications of Parkinson's disease.
Ernie Hudson as Harry McDonald
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In the 1980s,Ernie Hudsonrose to fame in the originalGhostbustersfilm and its sequel. So, the Michigan native was a familiar face when he appeared inMiss Congenialityas Gracie's serious, uptight boss, FBI assistant director Harry McDonald.
HudsontoldScreenSlamat the premiere that Bullock was the one who attracted him to the film.
"I love her, and I've always loved her work. When I first saw her inSpeed, I [thought] she's incredibly beautiful and very down to Earth, and after working with her, I realized it was all very, very true," he said, adding, "It was also a very good script and very funny, and I do a very heavy show on TV,Oz, so this was a nice change."
Hudson continued to work prolifically. AfterOzwrapped in 2003, he appeared on shows likeDesperate Housewives,The Secret Life of the American Teenager,Grace and Frankie,Quantum Leap, andThe Family Business.On the big screen, he reprised his role as Harry inMiss Congeniality 2and as Winston Zeddemore inGhostbusters: Afterlife(2021) andGhostbusters: Frozen Empire(2024).
In 2025, he began working on theBlue BloodsspinoffBoston Blue. He's set to appear next in the horror anthology filmDeepest, Darkestand the horror filmOswald: Down the Rabbit Hole, as well as lend his voice to Combat Carl inToy Story 5, taking over the role from the lateCarl Weathers.
Hudson has beenmarried to his wife, Linda Kingsberg, since 1985, and they share two sons, Andrew and Ross. He is also a father to two children from his previous marriage to Jeannie Moore: sons Ernest Jr. and Rocky (also known as Rahi over the years). Hudson appeared alongsidehis four sonsonCelebrity Family Feudin 2016.
Melissa De Sousa as Karen Krantz
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Born and raised in New York City, Melissa De Sousa was trained in ballet and started her career as a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. Before landing the part of Karen Krantz — a.k.a. Miss New York — inMiss Congeniality, her biggest roles included starring alongsideDamon WayansonDamonand portraying Shelby in 1999'sThe Best Man.
FollowingMiss Congeniality, De Sousa appeared onOne on One,Second Time Around,Read Between the Lines,On Becoming a God in Central FloridaandBlack Lightning.She also reprised her role as Shelby in the 2013 sequelThe Best Man Holidayand on the 2022 Peacock seriesThe Best Man: The Final Chapters.In 2025, she starred oppositeTisha Campbelland Amiyah Scott in the ALLBLK dramedyOperation: Aunties.
Years afterMiss Congeniality, De Sousa continues to think fondly of her time in the comedy gem. In fact, she agreed with many of her castmates that "April 25th is the perfect date" in a sweet 25th-anniversary post in 2025.
"What an unforgettable experience we had shooting this movie," she wroteon Instagram. "Such fond memories, starting with Sandra Bullock, who is the kindest human being. I made lifelong friends with these beautiful women!❤️."
Steve Monroe as Frank Tobin/Frank Morningside
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After studying at Duke University for three years, Steve Monroe returned to his hometown of L.A. and graduated from Occidental College. He began acting in earnest not long after and popped up in plenty of projects in the 1990s,including on the showsSister, Sister,Home Improvementand7th Heaven, as well as in films such asThe Nutty Professor(1996),Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery(1997) andCan't Hardly Wait(1998).
However, he's still best known for his turn as Kathy Morningside's assistant (but really her son!), Frank, inMiss Congeniality.
Monroe later had recurring roles onThe FollowingandCrazy Ex-Girlfriendand guest spots on shows likeVeronica Mars,Grey's Anatomy,New GirlandGeorgie & Mandy's First Marriage. He's also appeared in buzzy films likeJersey Boys(2014),Promising Young Woman(2020) andIt Ends With Us(2024).
Not only does Monroe have more than 100 credits under his belt, but the actor is also a licensed psychotherapist in California and Texas.
Deidre Quinn as Mary Jo Wright
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Raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, Deidre Quinn was a model and commercial actor before landing guest roles on shows likeApt. 2F,Diagnosis MurderandCSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Her biggest role to date is still Mary Jo Wright, or Miss Texas, inMiss Congeniality. She went on to have small parts on shows such asCSI: NYandHeroes, and her last acting role was in the 2008 TV movieAces 'N' Eights.
Quinn has switched gears and is focused on designing and renovating through her company, Yellow Cardinal Design.
She was also among the cast members who celebrated April 25 in 2025.
"This experience was truly life-changing," shecaptioned her Instagram postabout the film's 25th anniversary. "Sandy created an environment that was not only fun, creative & unifying but she was a trailblazer in empowering women, which is why I believe this movie has stood the test of time. I feel lucky to have been a part of something so iconic & blessed that I created lifelong friendships..."
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