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Rachael Leigh Cook making a surprise appearance at a Josie and the Pussycats screening
TV & Film

Rachael Leigh Cook Makes Shock Appearance at 'Josie and the Pussycats' Anniversary Event

The Y2K pop-rock cult favorite might have flopped in 2001, but its leading lady just gave diehard fans the ultimate screening reward.

By Nina BrooksPublished Updated 2 min read

Nostalgia season is officially in full effect. Rachael Leigh Cook sent Y2K film lovers into a total tailspin after making an unannounced appearance at a special anniversary screening of *Josie and the Pussycats*. Moviegoers who gathered to rewatch the early-2000s classic were stunned when the leading lady herself walked into the venue, transforming a retrospective event into a major pop-culture moment. The surprise turnout served as a massive treat for diehard fans who have championed the musical satire for more than two decades. Cook stepped up to acknowledge the movie's long-lasting cultural footprint, greeting the enthusiastic crowd and celebrating the enduring legacy of the girl-band flick.

How much did Josie and the Pussycats make at the box office

While the movie is celebrated today as a sharp-witted masterpiece of early-2000s camp, its original debut in 2001 was far less triumphant. The studio release famously struggled to find an audience during its initial theatrical run, pulling in a meager $14 million globally. At the time, box office receipts labeled the ambitious project a commercial disappointment. Mainstream audiences in 2001 didn't immediately grasp the film's heavy-handed satire of the music industry and corporate subliminal messaging. Blending pop-punk anthems with absurd consumerist comedy, the movie was largely brushed off by casual viewers upon arrival, leaving it buried beneath other major studio releases of the era.

Rachael Leigh Cook holding a white electric guitar in front of a sparkly pink background with "JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS" at the bottom.
“I have never felt more pride for being in a film that’s sort of also in excess with unearned ownership of that product, because I am only half of this role,” Cook, seen here in the Cinespia photo booth, told the crowd.

The photos · 6

Rachael Leigh Cook making a surprise appearance at a Josie and the Pussycats screening
Rachael Leigh Cook making a surprise appearance at a Josie and the Pussycats screening
Kay Hanley, who was the singing voice of Cook’s character in the film, was also a guest at the Cinespia event.
“I have never felt more pride for being in a film that’s sort of also in excess with unearned ownership of that product, because I am only half of this role,” Cook, seen here in the Cinespia photo booth, told the crowd.
“Josie and the Pussycats” starred Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson, seen above in the movie.
The 2001 film, which only made $14 million worldwide at the time, has since become a cult classic. (Pictured: Dawson, Cook and Reid in the film.) ©MCA/Courtesy Everett Collection

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People also ask

Which character did Rachael Leigh Cook play in Josie and the Pussycats?
Rachael Leigh Cook starred as the lead character, guitarist and singer Josie McCoy, in the 2001 film adaptation.
How much money did Josie and the Pussycats make at the box office?
The movie earned just $14 million globally during its initial 2001 theatrical release before later becoming a cult classic.
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