Gabrielle Union Reflects On “Bring It On” And Wonders About Her Character Isis After 24 Years
Gabrielle Union might have retired her Clovers cheer uniform, but she’s still curious about what her iconic character, Isis, might be doing now, 24 years after the release of the beloved cheerleading film Bring It On.
On August 26, the 51-year-old actress joined fans on social media to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the film’s release. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Gabrielle playfully asked her followers what they think Isis, the fierce captain of the Clovers cheer squad, is up to these days.
“My goodnessssss 💚🍀🍀💚 I need the 🍵 on Isis. Anyone? Anyone had eyes on our girl? Gossip Only,” she wrote, responding to a post that featured four iconic images from the movie.
Fans were quick to respond with their theories. Some imagined Isis as an accomplished actress, while others saw her as a successful prosecutor or even a choreographer for Beyoncé.
Released in August 2000, Bring It On tells the story of the rivalry between the Clovers, led by Isis, and the Toros, a cheerleading squad from Rancho Carne High School in San Diego, led by Kirsten Dunst’s character, Torrance Shipman. The plot thickens when Torrance discovers that her team has been stealing winning routines from the Clovers.
The film was a massive success and led to six direct-to-video sequels, though none of the original cast appeared in those follow-ups.
Kirsten recently showed that she still cherishes the film. On August 17, she was caught on camera reciting the iconic “roll call” chant from the movie’s opening scene at a Los Angeles Cinespia event held in her honor.
Kirsten, now 42, has previously mentioned that she would consider revisiting the world of Bring It On if it wasn’t too “embarrassing.”
Gabrielle, on the other hand, has been more vocal about her mixed feelings toward the film and her character. In a January 2023 interview with Variety, she mentioned that a sequel has been in development for quite some time. “We’ve been developing a sequel forever,” she said. “But for folks who don’t exactly understand how long development can take in Hollywood, that could be five minutes or 50 years.”
The Breaking In actress has also reflected on her portrayal of Isis, admitting that she deliberately toned down the character’s emotions to make her more “acceptable” as a Black leader. In a 2021 interview with PEOPLE, she confessed that she has a complicated relationship with the role that catapulted her to fame. “I was given carte blanche to create Isis from the ground up. But what I did was put a muzzle on her,” she shared.
Gabrielle explained that, at the time, she thought she was doing the right thing by making Isis a “respectable” character. However, she now regrets not allowing Isis to fully express the anger and frustration that comes with cultural appropriation. “I didn’t allow her to be as angry and disappointed and frustrated as she should have been,” she said, reflecting on how she had restrained the character’s voice.
